Inside the score

The Secret Lives of Christmas Carols

Our best-loved Christmas carols weren’t born in candlelit cathedrals but in fields, taverns, and bustling streets. This musical journey reveals the rebellious roots, poetic rewrites, and unexpected inspirations behind the season’s most iconic songs.

By Jack Pepper

Reading time estimated : 12min read

Dmitri Shostakovich: Music Under Siege

Bombarded by war and suffocated by politics, Shostakovich never stopped composing. In this portrait, Jack Pepper explores how a life lived under siege forged some of the most haunting, resilient…

By Jack Pepper

Reading time estimated : 11min read

Can Architecture Shape a Performance?

Today’s concert halls alter more than acoustics: they influence musicians’ mindset, audiences’ connection, and the evolving identity of classical performance.

By Andrew Mellor

Reading time estimated : 14min read

The Premiere of Strauss’s Salome

On December 9, 1905, Richard Strauss’s Salome exploded onto the Dresden stage, instantly redefining what opera—and the 20th century in music—could be. Scandalous, sensual, and harmonically audacious, this feverish drama…

By Paul Kilbey

Reading time estimated : 3min read

The Gift of Music: The Hidden Intimacy of Classical Music’s Dedications

What happens when a composer writes for one person alone? Whether born of love, friendship, or gratitude, musical gifts preserve the emotional landscapes of relationships long vanished. These works remind…

By Maria Matalaev

Reading time estimated : 11min read

Beethoven’s Deafness: Myth, Reality, and Perception

Two centuries after his death, Ludwig van Beethoven remains one of the pillars of classical music. Despite progressive hearing loss he continued to make music, creating some of…

By Andrew McIntyre

Reading time estimated : 15min read

Ludovico Einaudi: A Minimalist Voice with Monumental Impact

From quiet piano meditations to arena-scale performances, Ludovico Einaudi has transformed how we listen to contemporary music. Jack Pepper uncovers the unexpected influences, early classical roots, and cultural ripple effects…

By Jack Pepper

Reading time estimated : 12min read

Do the “Big Five” US Orchestras Still Reign Supreme?

The “Big Five” once set the standard for American orchestras. But today, the field is wide open — from LA to Dallas, Pittsburgh to Minnesota, fresh sounds and fearless ideas…

By Andrew Mellor

Reading time estimated : 14min read

What to Listen to After The Lord of the Rings Soundtrack

Nearly twenty-five years after its premiere, The Lord of the Rings film trilogy remains a cultural touchstone. While breathtaking scenery and dazzling special effects…

By Andrew McIntyre

Reading time estimated : 22min read