Skip to content
    skip to navigation

    Classic FM

    Listen

    On Air Now

    Anne-Marie Minhall 2pm - 4pm

    Anne-Marie Minhall

    Now Playing

    The Quiet Room Debbie Wiseman Download 'The Quiet Room' on iTunes

    The Quiet Room artwork
    • Playlist
    • Schedule
    • Home
    • Radio
    • News
    • Discover Music
    • Composers
    • Artists
    • Lifestyle
    • Win
    • Charity
    • Podcasts
    • Events
    • Dating
    • 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

    • Discover Music Home
    • Periods & Genres
    • Occasions
    • Mood
    • Instruments
    • Music Theory
    • Learning
    • Humour
    • Women in Music
    • More Classic FM

    The Pilgrim's Progress (1678) by John Bunyan

    This image appears in the gallery:
    Great classical music inspired by books

    Bunyan Pilgrim's Progress Vaughan Williams opera

    11. The Pilgrim's Progress (1678) by John Bunyan

    Vaughan Williams described his adaptation of the religious classic as a 'Morality' rather than an opera. Nonetheless, he intended the work to be performed on stage, rather than in a church or cathedral. His changes to the story included altering the name of the central character from 'Christian' to 'Pilgrim', so as to universalise the spiritual message.

    1. Image 1: Sense and Sensibility Jane Austen Emma Thompson Patrick Doyle
    2. Image 2: Harry Potter
    3. Image 3: arabian mosque scheherezade
    4. Image 4: romeo and juliet ballet Prokofiev
    5. Image 5: book thief album guide
    6. Image 6: bolshoi london Sleeping Beauty Charles Perrault
    7. Image 7: La Traviata Verdi Lady of the Camelias Alexandre Dumas
    8. Image 8: Midsummer Night's Dream Shakespeare
    9. Image 9: Don Quixote Cervantes Massenet
    10. Image 10: 1984 opera Maazel 29 images

    See the full gallery: Great classical music inspired by books

    Discover music

    See more Discover music

    Anna Lapwood performs the Star Wars finale with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall

    Organist Anna Lapwood plays epic ‘Star Wars’ in fireworks-filled finale at Royal Albert Hall

    1 hour ago

    A new collaboration?

    Lizzo is eyeing up pop star Adele for a duet – on the flute

    23 hours ago

    New TV piano talent show judged by Lang Lang to be hosted by Claudia Winkleman

    Lang Lang to judge train station piano talent show, finding the nation’s top amateur pianists

    1 day ago

    Lang Lang

    Ledoux on stage at the Volksoper in Orpheus in the Underworld

    Mezzo stands in last-minute for tenor lead, doubling as Venus and Orpheus in Offenbach opera

    4 days ago

    Four musicians on a street piano

    Four virtuoso pianists astonish passersby with epic boogie-woogie improvisation

    4 days ago

    Videos

    Kateryna is now studying at Clifton College during the week, and the Royal Academy of Music’s Junior programme on Saturdays.

    12-year-old Ukrainian refugee lands a place studying piano at the Junior Royal Academy of Music

    4 days ago

    Best classical music

    See more Best classical music

    10 pieces of classical music that will 100% change your life

    10 pieces of classical music that will 100% change your life

    4 eras of classical music

    The 4 eras of classical music: a quick guide

    The 15 most famous tunes in classical music

    The 15 most famous tunes in classical music

    Women composers gallery

    21 of the greatest women composers in classical music

    Best pianists of all time

    The 25 best pianists of all time

    Some of history's greatest composers were part of the LGBTQ+ community.

    15 LGBTQ+ composers in classical music history that you probably already know

    Classic FM Live Playlists

    See more Classic FM Live Playlists

    Classic FM Hall of Fame

    Classic FM Pet Classics

    Classic FM at the Movies

    Classic FM Relax

    Classic FM Revision

    Classic FM Christmas

    Browse by

    See more Browse by

    Periods & genres

    Occasions

    Moods

    Instruments

    Latest on Classic FM

    Beyoncé and conductor Sir Georg Solti

    Beyoncé eclipses legendary conductor Sir Georg Solti’s Grammys record – with 32 award wins

    Sir Georg Solti

    This week’s on-air highlights – including Album of the Week and Drive Discovery.

    This week’s Classic FM radio highlights – including Album of the Week and Drive Discovery

    Zeb Soanes, Moira Stuart, Alexander Armstrong

    Audience growth for Classic FM as it welcomes 5 million weekly listeners

    Ludovico Einaudi surprises young fan at airport piano

    Ludovico Einaudi surprises young fan in spontaneous airport piano duet

    Einaudi

    William is a 10-year-old senior chorister at Ripon Cathedral

    Choirboy William, 10, says singing in a cathedral choir helps manage his arthritis pain

    9-year-old girl plays 'Titanic' theme in South Africa shopping mall

    9-year-old pianist scores duet deal after viral shopping centre video

    McDonald's in Wrexham to play Beethoven after 5pm to deter loiterers

    McDonald’s restaurant in Wales to play Beethoven to tackle late-night antisocial behaviour

    Beethoven

    What classical music is in Spielberg’s ‘The Fabelmans’?

    What classical music is in Spielberg’s ‘The Fabelmans’, and does Michelle Williams really play the piano?

    Williams

    Best piano works

    The 16 best pieces EVER written for piano

    15 most famous opera songs and arias

    15 most famous opera songs and arias

    Back to top

    Also on Classic FM

    • Listen to Global Player
    • Alexander Armstrong on Classic FM
    • Google Doodle
    • Quizzes
    • Mozart
    • Debussy
    • Music theory
    • Instruments
    • Classic FM Live
    • Brahms
    • Vivaldi
    • Bach
    • LBC News
    • Tchaikovsky
    • Chopin
    • Andrea Bocelli
    • Florence Price
    • Beethoven
    • Best classical music
    • Classic FM Requests
    • Best pianists
    • Harry Potter music
    • Saturday Night at the Movies
    • Star Wars soundtrack
    • Composer or pasta
    • Music for Studying
    • Best violinists
    • Classical music tearjerkers
    • Relaxing classical

    Useful Links

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

    Download the app

    Get it on the app store Get it on Google Play

    Follow Us

    Follow Classic FM on Twitter
    Follow Classic FM on Facebook
    Follow Classic FM on Instagram
    Follow Classic FM on Youtube
    © Global 2023
    30 Leicester Square, London, WC2H 7LA
    Privacy Manager