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Mark and Elisabeth travel to the sinister worlds of singing automata and seven-headed mouse kings to bring you the best works inspired – and composed – by ETA Hoffmann.

To mark Queen Elizabeth II's platinum jubilee in 2022, here is a playlist of music associated with the monarch, including many works performed at her coronation in Westminster Abbey. 

“Father of the Symphony” Joseph Haydn composed 104 (numbered) symphonies which is a plenty large enough pool from which to select our top ten. 

From child prodigy to being perceived as a crusty conservative, Camille Saint-Saëns' life spanned over eight decades. Enjoy our musical selection of his very best works... plus a few surprises!

Mark and Elisabeth descend to Hell to find the right soundtrack for Dante Week and to mark the 700th anniversary of the poet’s death.

Who says that classical music is obsolete? We collected a few pieces of music inspired by urgent, topical matters that define our times.

Here are ten unusual instruments you might not be too familiar with.

With social distancing restrictions in place, many orchestras had to rethink their repertoire to continue performing during lockdown. Here are the most frequently programmed classical works during the pandemic streaming era. 

A personal voyage through the life and music of Béla Bartók, from memories of learning an instrument to watching an orchestra beat the pandemic.

Ten unusual takes on the Russian-Soviet composer's music to celebrate the 130th anniversary of his birth.

To mark the 50th anniversary of Stravinsky's death on 6th April 1971, here is a playlist featuring his best scores.

Clone wars: here's our top five of the best videos of musicians doubling down on their incredible talent.

From Oblivion to Libertango by way of fugue and milonga, here's a playlist to celebrate a composer who created a new genre from the bordellos of Buenos Aires. 

Since the end of the 19th century, a whole raft of schools and companies were founded by women, resulting in a large number of seminal works in dance history.

Tchaikovsky could spin melodies like few others and was undoubtedly one of the most versatile composers.

Brahms pours his heart out in every single composition and takes the listener on an unforgettable emotional journey. 

Gather your littles ones around and settle down for a musical tale or two with our favourite works for children.

Music for Holy Week: at this time of reflection, reviewer and choral expert David Truslove presents his pick of setting of The Lamentations of Jeremiah.

For 1st April – or indeed any day of the year – some classical music in a playlist to raise a smile or two. 

Enjoy some uplifting music as composers revel in the joys of spring! 

From Schubert and Loewe to Beethoven and even flamenco guitars: Goethe's eerie ballad has been inspiring generations of composers and artists.

As part of keyboard month, we take a look at some of the most important composers who wrote music for this fascinating instrument.

Viscount Organs team, after much discussion, have managed to agree on their favourite organ pieces to celebrate Keyboard Month at Bachtrack.

Flowers, wine and serenades not doing it for you on Valentine's Day? Then we prescribe a dose of our cynics playlist, which should cure you of all romantic thoughts... at least for an hour or so. 

Mark and Elisabeth offer you hopeless romantics bouquets, chocolates and stars – many stars – in their Valentine’s Day playlist.

For Schubert's birthday, our editors have chosen their favourite ten from his 600+ Lieder. Warning: don't expect a jolly time, until we get to no. 10... and even then things turn out badly if you're a fish. 

No, not a playlist of Ludwig's greatest hits, but a delve into the darker reaches of Beethoven's back catalogue, including the many "works without opus"...

Musical theatre expert and writer Kurt Gänzl has selected ten operettas and musicals from different periods and countries so you can get an idea of how vast the genre has been.

To celebrate Viola Month here at Bachtrack, editors Mark and Elisabeth have selected their favourite concertos and sonatas featuring the instrument.

An entire day with Bach as your soundtrack.

The background to Berlioz' great song cycle with a musical analysis and playlist

As the old year gives way to the new, our thoughts turn to Vienna and the New Year's concert. But which are the best waltzes? Mark and Elisabeth decide! 

Make yourself a nice cup of mulled wine and brace yourself for some glorious operatic Christmas schmaltz.

Verdi wrote some terrific "larger than life" roles for mezzo-sopranos. Jamie Barton picks her favourite singers for her "top ten" playlist. 

The Italian bass selects his favourite Verdi arias, including performances by some of the singers he most admires. 

When Mark and Elisabeth considered their top ten violin concertos, an easy truce was agreed. Sorry, Johannes, but when it comes to violin concertos, Pyotr Ilyich was victorious.

From Wilbur Hall to Charlie Chaplin by way of Ray Chen and Gilles Apap, here are ten violinists who won't fail to surprise you with their unsuspected talents.

It's Verdi all the way for our latest playlist: Mark and Elisabeth's favourite choruses from his best operas... with a surprise late entry. 

Libiamo! Crack open a bottle and settle back to enjoy our editors' pick of opera's jolliest drinking songs!

Characters in opera are doomed to die – especially sopranos – but the variety of ways they are dispatched can be highly entertaining. Sit back and enjoy some of our favourites! 

Our editors dry their tears and share their top ten operatic farewells. Handkerchiefs at the ready... 

Rise and shine! Our editors Mark and Elisabeth offer a top ten playlist for your morning enjoyment... 

A selection of musical holiday souvenirs celebrating some exotic (and sometimes not so exotic!) holiday destinations.

For their latest Top Ten playlist for Clarinet Month, our editors chose their favourite sonatas. 

After a long bargaining process, our clarinet editors agreed on an eclectic list of their favourite clarinet concertos.

Claude Debussy disliked the label “Impressionism”, which was used to describe many of his compositions. Impressionist or minutely detailed, enjoy our playlist of “top ten” Debussy masterpieces.

From jazz-inflected musical theatre to consciousness-expanding musique concrète, these are the most influential works of the last century.  

From emperors and empresses to nymphs, gods and giants by way of faithful wives, sorceresses, knights, dastardly noblemen and dazzling coloratura arias, here's your guide to the master showman of Baroque opera.

Following the example of Rebecca Lentjes’ January feature “Top Ten Living Women Composers”, I have made my pick of women composers of the Baroque period in celebration of International Women’s Day.

According to online showcase/podcast Listening to Ladies, during the 2015–2016 season, the top 89 symphony orchestras in the US dedicated only 2% of their programs to music composed by women.