Music
Myth of Igor, the Great Composer
Norman Lebrecht says an affair with Coco Chanel did Stravinsky’s PR, and hers, no harm at all
Zooming Windows
The George Formby Society attempts a ukulele world record, online
Take a leaf out of sport’s book
Music has lost its unpredictability, its thrilling fear while sport’s passion shines, says Norman Lebrecht
Uncool country
Country music has a frontline place in the culture wars, says Sarah Ditum
Shock of the new
People are terrified of modernity’s great gift: the sudden freedom to make appalling noise, says Robert Thicknesse
The iconic history of London’s 100 Club
Steve Morris recalls the iconic Oxford Street basement club which has housed London’s evolving music scene since the Second World War
Paul Heaton: an undervalued musical genius
For all his success, Heaton remains surprisingly niche – which is probably just how he likes it
Are the Bee Gees Britain’s most underrated band?
The Bee Gees have always been a target for mockery, but by force of talent and ambition, they managed to define the age around them
The legacy of David Bowie: five years, what a surprise
Alexander Larman on why the late, great David Bowie remains such a totemic and iconic figure in his life
Meet me at Ronnie’s
A new BBC documentary captures the spirit of the club that made London a global hub for jazz
The US city on the banks of the Thames
Critics don’t care for Canary Wharf, considering it a monument of 1980s corporatism
The tragedy of Radio 3
The centenary “celebration” of the BBC Singers summed up everything that has gone wrong
The predictability of subverting expectations
What to expect when you’re expecting your expectations to be subverted
A wealth of glorious objects and images
A new book about the discovery of classical sculptures and frescoes is itself a real treasure
Izzy Hardcastle
Ornament of the book-world
Cleaning up the town
As cities grew, so did the need for reform and sanitation
Marriage matters
We have to fix the foundations of the family
Much more than mere child’s play
Children’s literature is the platform on which everything else is built
Dancing with Beethoven
Beethoven: String Quartets, vol.2 (Chandos)
Is university still worth it?
Rising fees raise questions about the value of some degrees
A recipe for decline
This budget will do nothing to lift Britain from its doldrums
