The best classical music pranks of all time

1 April 2015, 12:54 | Updated: 6 January 2017, 14:45

Here are some of the best classical music pranks ever to have been pulled - from violin smashes to choirs singing on helium.

King's College Choir use helium

How do you get over the problem of your boy sopranos' voices breaking? A massive helium balloon. Here they are taking on Allegri's Miserere.

Teacher smashes pupil's violin

This looks as like a teacher going just one step too far, but rest assured, it was all a hilarious prank...

Knitting with Nancarrow

Warner Classics were quick off the mark on April Fool's Day 2015 with its announcement of a new set of recordings "in response to the needs of real classical music lovers day-to-day". Genuinely a little disappointed that 'Knitting with Nancarrow' isn't going to be making it onto the market, though…

Real Life Classics: nine new albums that will change the way you think about classical music. http://t.co/fQOKcHn3as pic.twitter.com/amuvSNfPUa

— Warner Classics (@WarnerClassics) April 1, 2015

The canine concerts

Too long neglected as a serious classical music audience, this New York theatre decided to cater directly to its furry friends. Take a bow, Miller Theatre, this is absolutely superb. The thing is, we kind of want to attend.

Kings' College chapel gets a revamp

The Choir of Cambridge's most iconic chapel announced "a substantial redevelopment" to its home on Facebook. Complete with a grass roof for increased grazing…

Having a ball…

The Royal Opera House unveiled plans to turns its orchestra pit into a giant ball pit. This idea should totally survive beyond 1 April – let's get a petition going.

Royal Opera House orchestra pit to be transformed into ball pit for forthcoming production http://t.co/l3HpGQ9K2z ^C pic.twitter.com/7pLL2ItHuy

— Royal Opera House (@RoyalOperaHouse) April 1, 2015

Cloning the greats…

America's WQXR ran a story which explained that "in a groundbreaking development" scientists have taken genetic material to make clones of the great opera singers of the past "including the legendary soprano Birgit Nilsso". So sort of like Jurassic Park. But with sopranos instead of velociraptors.

A new concert hall for London

Blogger Jessica Duchen riffed on the recent news surrounding a possible new concert hall for London with this story – in which it's announced that Birmingham's Symphony Hall will be moving to the capital.

Breaking news: Symphony Hall to be shifted to London! http://t.co/jZxLXmtJLj

— Jessica Duchen (@jessicaduchen) March 31, 2015

The Royal Albert Hall gets a Beatles in its bonnet

The Royal Albert Hall claimed to have "discovered" a letter signed by someone called 'Ernest O'Folliper' showing the executive at the time was furious that the building had been name-checked by The Beatles.

Unearthed documents reveal that the Hall was furious at being namechecked in a Beatles song: http://t.co/CTgFq6nS8U pic.twitter.com/AjwX8GBBst

— Royal Albert Hall (@RoyalAlbertHall) April 1, 2015

But the best?

Well, call us immodest, but we ran a pretty great prank ourselves this April Fool's Day, since you ask, when Classic FM presenter John Suchet was replaced by his brother – and actor extraordinaire – David Suchet.