What happens when the greatest English composers sit down for a chat in front of a microphone? The answer: expressions of dry British wit, surprising candour, and a long list of insights into the wider world of classical music. In

Franz Liszt spent several years creating piano versions of Franz Schubert’s songs. Crafted between 1833 and 1846, he made around fifty-six transcriptions that carefully kept many details of the original music. By removing the words, these pieces become purely instrumental.

Described as a rare phenomenon in 1878 by the Neue Berliner Zeitung, composer Emilie Mayer (1812-1883) was dubbed the “Female Beethoven” and became one of the most prolific female composers of the 19th century. Hailing from Friedland, Germany, she composed

Lucille Dixon Robertson broke barriers as a powerhouse double bassist in both jazz and classical music. Born in Harlem to a Baptist minister, she started on piano before picking up the bass in high school. Shut out of symphony jobs

It is well-known that Mozart was one of the most important influences on the music of Tchaikovsky. Of him, Tchaikovsky used to say that he was the highest, the culminating point that beauty has attained in the sphere of music. The

The name Frederick Delius (1862-1934) conjures misty landscapes, long-breathed melodies, and music that gently drifts rather than argues. He is usually associated with orchestral tone poems, such as On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring or Brigg Fair. Frederick Delius is not

Frédéric Chopin is one of the most beloved composers in history, and judging by Google searches, the Internet has lots of questions about him. Was he Polish or French? What did he actually look like? Did he ever marry George

Reynaldo Hahn (1874–1947) is widely known for his French mélodies, beautiful art songs that capture emotion with elegance and subtlety. Yet Hahn’s piano music, though less famous, is equally revealing of his artistry. Across solo pieces, cycles, waltzes, and sonatinas, Hahn