Klaus Döring's Classical Music/Klaus Döring's Klassische Musik

10 pieces of classical music that will change your life (pictured: Romanian Athenaeum).  Picture: Alamy By Classic FM @ClassicFM Hold on to your hats – if you haven’t heard any of these musical works of genius, your life is about to be changed 10 times in a row. Classical music  can calm nerves, fire up the senses and spark creativity. It can also be uniquely life-affirming. Here are the 10 major works we recommend you devote some time to. With the depths of their passion and beauty, we think they have the power to move everyone – with life never being quite the same afterwards. J.S. Bach: St Matthew Passion What is it? It’s one of two ‘Passion’ oratorios that have survived since  Bach  died (he could’ve written up to five), but it’s also become one of his most celebrated pieces. The original title is Passio Domini nostri J.C. secundum Evangelistam Matthæum (the ‘J.C.’ stands for Jesus Christ, which is maybe a bit familiar for someone he hadn’t met… but we’ll let him...

    by  Hermione Lai    February 10th, 2026 I will say this upfront, as a pianist who knows exactly how hard this instrument can bite.   Yuja Wang   is a miracle! She is both an inspiration and a delightful menace. She raises the bar so high, it feels almost unfair. Some pianists impress you. Some intimidate you. Some make you want to practice. Yuja Wang does something far more dangerous. She makes you believe, just for a second, that the piano might be capable of flight. Then she laughs, changes shoes, and proves it again. Yuja Wang To hear Yuja play is to witness total command without a trace of heaviness. Her fingers are so impossibly fast that your eyes can’t follow. And it’s all fearlessly clear and comes with ease as notes sparkle, dart, tease, explode, and vanish. Classical music has long suffered from performers who behave as if joy were somehow unprofessional. Yuja Wang is the antidote. She smiles at the keyboard. She dares. She risks. She thr...

  A rave review of Yuja with the MCO in Chicago. Praise for both her playing and conducting. About Prokofiev 2: "Wang brought a searching yet cool expression to the opening Andantino, and was fully in synch with the composer’s brand of relentless spiky virtuosity. The pianist virtually somersaulted through the dizzying complexities and blizzard of notes in the succeeding movements with immaculate technical command—blazing through the madcap finale with complete accuracy at a velocity that one wouldn’t think humanly possible." https://chicagoclassicalreview.com/.../wang-brings.../

by  Nicolette Wong    April 12th, 2026 Last week, Yunchan Lim appeared in Hong Kong with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields under the baton of Wilson Ng, bringing us his own take of the piano concerto in A minor by Robert Schumann. I sat up in my seat as soon as the piece started, because the way Lim conveyed the short introduction drew me in. I was fascinated not only by the slower tempo he took, but also by the way he made the opening chord progression sound like a resonant yet measured announcement. So often, this passage sounds frantic and is over before we know it, but Lim’s version felt like a real welcome as he invited us to join in his musical voyage. Pianist Yunchan Lim with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields orchestra at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall. Photo: HKAF Indeed, it was an eye-opening journey of discovery. What struck me most was his voicing. Musicians are expected to bring out top lines, good musicians provide a stron...

  by  Emily E. Hogstad    October 26th, 2023 Ruth Slenczysnka must be one of the most interesting pianists alive today. She certainly has a story unlike any other: she studied piano with   Rachmaninoff   as a little girl – became an international musical sensation – abandoned her performing career – returned to it after a divorce – played for presidents – dueted with Harry Truman – spent a long career as an educator – and just last year put out an acclaimed album for the Decca label. And that’s barely scratching the surface of her list of accomplishments! Ruth Slenczynska © Meredith Truax/PA Here are thirteen facts about the incredible, inspiring life and career of pianist Ruth Slenczynska: 1. Ruth Slenczynska was born on 15 January 1925 in Sacramento, California, to a Polish violinist named Joseph and his wife. Joseph had been a leader at the Warsaw Conservatory before emigrating, but he was deeply frustrated that his performing career had never blossomed ...