• Register
  • |
  • Sign in
skip to navigation

Classic FM

On Air Now

The Full Works Concert with Jane Jones 8pm - 10pm

The Full Works Concert with Jane Jones

Now Playing

Concerto in F major HWV.334 George Frideric Handel

  • Playlist
  • Schedule
Listen
  • Home
  • Radio
  • News
  • Discover Music
  • Composers
  • Artists
  • Lifestyle
  • Events
  • Win
  • Store
  • Charity
  • Sign in / Register
  • Follow us on:
    Follow Classic FM on Twitter
    Follow Classic FM on Facebook
    Follow Classic FM on Instagram
    Follow Classic FM on Youtube

Discover Music

Latest

20 downright bizarre classical music facts

How many pieces of wood in a violin? What's the most expensive opera costume of all time? Which orchestra was booked to sail on the Titanic? Discover these random, bizarre and thoroughly interesting facts from the world of classical music.

  1. Classical music facts - piano tension

    1. Classical music facts - piano tension

    The tension of the 230-odd strings in a grand piano exert a combined force of 20 tonnes on the cast iron frame.

  2. incredible classical music facts

    2. Schumann's fingers

    Robert Schumann would often plunge his hands into the entrails of a slaughtered animal to heal his ailments.

  3. strange classical music facts

    3. Haydn's skull

    There are two skulls in Haydn’s tomb. His head was stolen by phrenologists and a replacement skull was put in his tomb. In 1954, the real skull was restored but the substitute was not removed.

  4. strange classical music facts

    4. Risotto

    Rossini wrote the aria ‘Di tanti palpiti’ while waiting for some risotto in a Venice restaurant.

  5. incredible classical music facts

    5. Violin

    A single violin is made from over 70 individual pieces of wood.

  6. strange classical music facts

    6. Don Giovanni

    According to his boasts, Don Giovanni seduced 1001 Spanish, 640 Italian, 231 German, 100 French, and 91 Turkish women.

  7. incredible classical music facts

    7. Titanic

    The London Symphony Orchestra was booked to travel on the Titanic's maiden voyage, but they changed boats at the last minute.

  8. incredible classical music facts

    8. Leonard Warren

    Baritone Leonard Warren died on stage at The Met in 1960 just as he had finished singing Verdi's 'Morir, Tremenda Cosi' ('To Die, a Momentous Thing').

  9. incredible classical music facts

    9. Dogfish

    Dogfish skin was often used in the 18th century to sand violins.

  10. incredible classical music facts

    10. Nellie Melba

    Soprano Dame Nellie Melba died from a skin infection after an unsuccessful facelift operation.

  11. incredible classical music facts

    11. Yuri Gagarin

    Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin sang a Shostakovich song, 'My Homeland Hears', over the radio on his first space mission.

  12. incredible classical music facts

    12. Chicken on cellist

    During a performance of Boris Godunov at Sydney Opera House, a chicken fell off the stage and onto a cellist.

  13. incredible classical music facts

    13. Kidnap

    Renaissance composer Orlando de Lassus was kidnapped many times as a boy because of his beautiful singing voice.

  14. incredible classical music facts

    14. Expensive costume

    The most expensive opera costume of all time was worn by Adelina Patti at Covent Garden in 1895. It was worth £15 million.

  15. incredible classical music facts

    15. Dog fur

    Franz Liszt received so many requests for locks of his hair that he bought a dog and sent fur clippings instead.

  16. incredible classical music facts

    16. Karajan's wife

    When he died, conductor Herbert von Karajan's wife, Eliette, inherited a fortune worth €250 million.

  17. incredible classical music facts

    17. Mozartkugeln

    'Mozartkugeln' is one of the most popular chocolate brands in Austria.

  18. incredible classical music facts

    18. Havergal Brian

    Havergal Brian's Symphony No. 1, the 'Gothic', requires over 800 musicians to perform, including 82 string players.

  19. incredible classical music facts

    19. Cat Piano

    Domenico Scarlatti composed his 'cat fugue' after his cat, Pulcinella, walked across his keyboard.

  20. incredible classical music facts

    20. Karaoke

    The Japanese word 'karaoke' comes from a phrase meaning 'empty orchestra'.

Latest features

See more Latest features

Nicola Benedetti St Paul's Cathedral

Nicola Benedetti playing Bach in an empty St Paul's Cathedral is the most beautiful video imaginable

1 hour ago

Barbara Strozzi, painted 1640

This is the amazing story of Barbara Strozzi – and whyThis is the amazing story of Barbara Strozzi – and why you should care

3 hours ago

Piano practice stock image

What is the point of practising scales?

5 hours ago

How well do you REALLY know Beethoven's 5th Sympho

How well do you REALLY know Beethoven's Fifth Symphony?

5 hours ago

Dog hates the trombone

This dog freaks out when his owner plays the trombone

5 hours ago

Browse by

See more Browse by

Periods & genres

Periods & genres

Occasions

Occasions

Moods

Moods

Instruments

Instruments

Back to top

Today's Hot Searches

  • brahms
  • vivaldi
  • bach
  • tchaikovsky
  • chopin
  • andrea bocelli
  • beethoven
  • mozart
  • classical music tear jerkers
  • best classical music
  • Classic FM Live
  • classic fm christmas station
  • classic fm requests
  • john suchet
  • classic fm 25th birthday
  • piano world record
  • eric whitacre's hair
  • best pianists
  • harry potter music
  • classic fm app
  • saturday night at the movies
  • smooth classics
  • star wars soundtrack
  • best sopranos
  • best cellists
  • composer or pasta
  • music for studying
  • best violinists
  • sad music
  • composer birthdays
  • relaxing music

Useful Links

  • Contact Us
  • Help
  • How To Listen
  • About Classic FM
  • Company Details
  • Cookies
  • Privacy
  • Terms & Conditions

Latest From Twitter

    Classic FM ‐ @classicfm

  • Bach on a Stradivarius, in a Baroque cathedral. classicfm.com/artists/nicola…

Follow Us

Follow Classic FM on Twitter
Follow Classic FM on Facebook
Follow Classic FM on Instagram
Follow Classic FM on Youtube
© Global 2018
30 Leicester Square, London, WC2H 7LA

We use cookies on our site. By continuing to browse you are agreeing to our use of these cookies.

View more info Close