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On Christmas Eve 1914, WWI paused when troops sang carols across enemy limes

On Christmas Eve 1914, WWI paused when troops sang carols across enemy limes

Princess of Wales attends the ‘Together At Christmas’ carol service at Westminster Abbey

What music is being performed at the Princess of Wales’ carol service?

The three films of the Christmas season. Well, three films.

The 10 best Christmas film scores

Holly and the Ivy.

What are the lyrics to ‘The Holly and Ivy’, and what is it about?

Christmas

Two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree...

Which are ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ and what are the lyrics to the Christmas carol?

Christmas

Discover the greatest classical music

10 pieces of classical music that will 100% change your life

10 pieces of classical music that will 100% change your life

Hildegard von Bingen, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Edward Elgar among the greatest composers in classical music history.

The 30 greatest classical music composers of all time

From Mozart to Elgar: the best pieces of classical music for beginners

15 timeless pieces to begin your journey into classical music

The 20 best operas of all time, according to Classic FM presenters.

The 20 greatest operas ever written

The best classical music playlists to suit your every mood

The best classical music playlists to suit your every mood

Periods & Genres

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Film & TV

Music Theory

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What is an earworm?

What is an earworm and how do you get rid of one?

Maxim Vengerov – here’s why musicians use vibrato

Why do musicians always use vibrato?

How did music notation begin?

How did music notation begin?

What is a scale?

What is a scale?

Violinist name Ava Bahari plays with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra

What’s the difference between a symphony, a concerto, and a sonata?

Humour

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Guest conductor, Tim Schultheis, truly came to sleigh at this orchestral concert...

Audience member conducts ‘Sleigh Ride’, stealing the show in joyful moment

Videos

Cat piano prodigy surprises owner with tuneful solo.

Owner catches her cat playing the piano, with surprising virtuosity…

Peter Schickele Beethoven 5 parody

PDQ Bach delivered the ultimate classical music and sport parody in this Beethoven performance

Beethoven

Rowan Atkinson, Mr Bean, performs during the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium July 27, 2012.

Mr Bean plays iconic ‘Chariots of Fire’ with London Symphony Orchestra at 2012 Olympics Ceremony

LSO

Cat wanders on stage during Beethoven’s ‘Pastoral’ Symphony at Istanbul Music Festival

Curious cat wanders on stage during Beethoven’s ‘Pastoral’ Symphony in Istanbul

Beethoven

Women in Music

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Saint Cecilia Playing The Organ.

Who was St Cecilia? Meet the patron saint of music and musicians

Women in Music

Who is Toshiko Akiyoshi? Meet the Japanese pianist and composer who transformed jazz music

Who is Toshiko Akiyoshi? Meet the Japanese pianist and composer who transformed jazz music

Four women conductors lead the Met Opera in one week – in historic first

Four women conductors lead the Met Opera in one week – in historic first

New York Metropolitan Opera

Exclusive
The Donne Foundation has successfully set the Guinness World Record for the Longest Acoustic Music Live-Streamed Concert, with a 26-hour concert of music by women and non-binary composers.

Musicians break Guinness World Record with 26-hour concert of music by women composers

Fanny and Felix Mendelssohn

Who was Fanny Mendelssohn, the unsung composer whose music was published under her brother’s name?

Quizzes

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Can you answer these quiz questions using just the musical notes?

Can you answer these quiz questions using just music notes?

Lifestyle

Are you smarter than a musical 18-year-old? Find out below...

Can you answer these A-Level music questions? Find out if you would pass first time...

Lifestyle

Are you smarter than a 16-year-old? Find out below...

Can you answer these GCSE Music questions? Find out if you would pass first time...

Lifestyle

Who are Sideshow Bob and Bugs Bunny playing in these operatic parodies...

Can you guess the opera these cartoon characters are singing?

Lifestyle

What song did Olivia Olson sing in Love Actually? Take our quiz if you know the answer...

The Ultimate Christmas Movie Music Quiz

Lifestyle

Discover music features

Moana soundtrack

Moana 2 soundtrack: what are the songs and who are songwriters Barlow and Bear?

Choristers from Salisbury Cathedral Choir have their final practice ahead of Christmas Eve

20 famous Christmas carol lyrics

Christmas

O Little Town of Bethlehem

What are the lyrics to ‘O Little Town of Bethlehem’ – and why are there two versions?

Christmas

Exclusive
Gladiator II composer Harry Gregson-Williams on the ‘pretty rude sound’ that made it into the score

Gladiator II composer Harry Gregson-Williams on the ‘pretty rude sound’ that made it into the score

Gregson-Williams

Jacqueline du Pre, who brought the Concerto to prominence in her breakthrough recording with John Barbirolli and the LSO in 1965.

What’s the history of Elgar’s Cello Concerto – the work with a disastrous premiere?

Elgar

The Royal Albert Hall with Christmas Tree, Illuminated at night.

15 best classical Christmas concerts across the UK in 2024

Christmas

Choristers from Salisbury Cathedral Choir

What are the lyrics to ‘While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks’, and what’s the story?

Christmas

Jesus Christ the Apple Tree

What are the lyrics to ‘Jesus Christ the Apple Tree’, and who composed the carol?

Christmas

Silent Night lyrics

What are the lyrics to ‘Silent Night’, and what’s the story of the Christmas carol?

Christmas

The Choir of King’s College, Cambridge performs at A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols

What are the lyrics to ‘We Three Kings of Orient Are’, and who wrote the popular carol?

Christmas

Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba in Wicked

What is Cynthia Erivo’s voice type and is she classically trained?

Yuja Wang plays a piano with three pedals – but what are they for?

Why do pianos have three pedals, and what do they do?

Cynthia Erivo sings 'Defying Gravity' in the Wicked film

Wicked soundtrack: who composed it and what are the famous songs?

Yuja Wang, Nicola Benedetti and Yo-Yo Ma

What does ‘concerto’ mean in classical music, and what is its history?

Ilona Schmiel, leader of the Tonhalle Orchestra, Zurich.

Why do orchestras have ‘leaders’ and what do they do?

Einaudi surprised the crowd at St Pancras.

Einaudi surprises commuters with train station piano performance

Einaudi

Instruments

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Discover music

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What are the lyrics to ‘O Come O Come Emmanuel’?

What are the lyrics to ‘O Come, O Come, Emmanuel’, and what is the Christmas carol really about?

7 days ago

Christmas

Sheku and Isata Kanneh-Mason forced to cancel sold-out concert after Air Canada deny boarding with cello

Kanneh-Mason duo forced to cancel sold-out concert after Air Canada deny boarding with cello

8 days ago

Sheku Kanneh-Mason

Angelina Jolie plays the title role in this thrilling biopic.

Maria Callas biopic starring Angelina Jolie: cast, plot, music and trailers revealed

14 days ago

Maria Callas

Classic FM is The Home of Christmas Music

Christmas on Classic FM: explore our 2024 radio schedule highlights

14 days ago

Christmas

Soprano Nadine Sierra sings glorious ‘La Marseillaise’ outside Notre-Dame as cathedral opens its doors

Soprano Nadine Sierra sings glorious ‘La Marseillaise’ outside Notre-Dame as cathedral opens its doors

16 days ago

10 gifts for classical music lovers in Christmas 2024

10 gifts for classical music lovers in Christmas 2024

18 days ago

Christmas

Best classical music

See more Best classical music

The 15 most famous tunes in classical music

The 15 most famous tunes in classical music

Best symphonies: Ludwig van Beethoven, Antonin Dvorak and Florence Price

The 15 greatest symphonies of all time

4 eras of classical music

The 4 eras of classical music: a quick guide

A young Marin Alsop, Sir Simon Rattle, and Seiji Ozawa conduct their respective orchestras.

The 25 greatest conductors of all time

Hildegard von Bingen, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Edward Elgar among the greatest composers in classical music history.

The 30 greatest classical music composers of all time

Classic FM Live Playlists

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Classic FM Christmas

Classic FM Hall of Fame

Essential Classical

Classic FM Video Game Music

Classic FM Pet Classics

Classic FM’s Baby Bedtime

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Latest on Classic FM

For the first time in 900 years, girls join choristers as they take part in a photocall at St Paul's Cathedral

Girls will be part of St. Paul’s Cathedral choir on Christmas Day for first time in 900 years
Yo-Yo Ma

Yo-Yo Ma performs Bach’s beautiful prelude in newly renovated Notre Dame cathedral

Yo-Yo Ma

Lang Lang in Notre Dame reopening concert.

Lang Lang plays stunning Saint-Saëns in newly-reopened Notre Dame

Classic FM Live returns to the Royal Albert Hall for a movie music special

Classic FM Live returns to the Royal Albert Hall for a movie music special in April 2025

Events

Notre Dame's Master Organ

Notre Dame organ resonates at last, after ‘awakening’ for first time in five years

South African soprano Pretty Yende sings ‘Amazing Grace’ solo in breathtaking acoustic of Notre Dame

South African soprano sings ‘Amazing Grace’ solo in breathtaking acoustic of Notre Dame

Videos

‘I’m Bach’ – TwoSet Violin officially announce return in teaser video

‘I’m Bach’ – TwoSet Violin officially announce new name in music video

Stephen Schwartz, composer of Wicked.

‘I just stole it from Beethoven’: Wicked composer Stephen Schwartz on how he wrote ‘Defying Gravity’
Epiphany Devotion At Salisbury Cathedral

Six pieces of festive music that aren’t actually about Christmas at all

Christmas

Vote for your all-time favourite Christmas carol in The Nation’s Favourite Carol 2024.

Vote for your favourite Christmas carol in The Nation’s Favourite Carol with Viking 2024

Christmas