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How did Beethoven compose one the most famous works in classical music?

Tom Service on the fascination of out-of-the-ordinary rhythms.

Tom Service explores the music of Sibelius as a force of nature.

How did the tango escape its lowly origins to become a world-wide phenomenon?

Tom Service on the majesty of the organ.

Is classical music in fashion? Who's listening and what are they actually listening to?

Toms Service explores the way composers engineer musical crescendos and climaxes.

Historically Informed Performance Practice, or HIPP: what is it and why?

The classical music canon - who decides what's in and what's out? And can it change?

Tom Service unlocks mysteries of Bach's towering keyboard work The Goldberg Variations.

Tom Service on what happens when our music goes slow.

How is the rhythm and physicality of our breathing reflected in music?

Tom Service scopes the musical world of one of his favourite composers, Maurice Ravel.

Tom Service explores classical music’s ultimate binge-listening box set - The Ring.

Tom Service explores talking in music - from 'sprechgesang' to rap.

What makes English music sound English?

Tom Service explores the music of Franz Liszt, with help from pianist Mariam Batsashvili.

In between the gaps left by the big names lurks many a forgotten great composer...

Tom Service explores the world of close harmony and barbershop singing.

Why are there so many ways to perform the same piece of music? What is interpretation?

Tom Service explores the most celebrated of chamber ensembles, the string quartet.

Tom Service takes a journey through the music of the Finnish-born, Paris-based composer.

He's the most famous composer in western music, but what makes Beethoven Beethoven?

Tom Service considers an often overlooked but vital element of music: its texture.

All noise and no good tunes? Tom Service bangs the drum for contemporary classical music.

It's beginning to sound a lot like Christmas. Why is there so much cheesy yuletide music?

Backing singers and opera choruses - so much more than eye candy and human scenery!

In times of trouble, is sad music what we need?

Tom Service goes in search of the Great Highland bagpipe.

Where do you start? How do you carry on? What do you need to know?