skip to navigation

    Classic FM

    On Air Now

    Smooth Classics at Seven with John Brunning 7pm - 8pm

    Smooth Classics at Seven with John Brunning

    Now Playing

    Lewis - Main Theme Barrington Pheloung Download 'Lewis - Main Theme' on iTunes

    Lewis - Main Theme artwork
    • Playlist
    • Schedule
    Listen
    • Home
    • Radio
    • News
    • Discover Music
    • Composers
    • Artists
    • Win
    • Charity
    • Christmas
    • Quizzes
    • 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
    • Music Education
    • Humour
    • Women in Music
    • More Classic FM

    Classical music's biggest transfers

    Luis Suárez, Gareth Bale and Cesc Fábregas - they're all rumoured to be on the move before the transfer window closes. But who were the original movers and shakers in the classical world? Which conductors and composers were hot property in bidding wars, big-money transfers and controversial moves to the opposition?

    1. JS Bach

      1. Bach to Dresden

      Like Wayne Rooney, desperate to leave Manchester Utd but contracted to stay, Johann Sebastian Bach spent the best part of his professional career trying to escape St. Thomas' in Leipzig. It was a good gig for him, but he was keen to move to Dresden for a position as court composer - he even wrote the Kyrie and Gloria as a sort of 'look at me' statement for them, but sadly that never got back to him…

    2. Gustav Mahler

      2. Mahler to Vienna

      Footballers are often happy to change nationality to play for a better team (can you imagine what the England team would've been like if Ryan Giggs had managed to find an English grandma or something?), but Mahler went a step further and converted to Roman Catholicism to get a job at the Vienna Hofoper.

    3. London 2012 Olympics - The Opening Ceremony

      3. Rattle to Berlin

      If Gareth Bale does indeed leave Tottenham for Real Madrid as the pundits are suggesting, it'll be a move similar to Sir Simon Rattle upping sticks from the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra to join the even loftier heights of the Berlin Philharmonic.

    4. Valery Gergiev

      4. Gergiev to Munich

      Like a modern-day Kevin Keegan off to Hamburg, Maestro Valery Gergiev announced earlier this year that he's leaving the London Symphony Orchestra to take on a new challenge at the Munich Philharmonic in 2015.

    5. Gustavo Dudamel

      5. Dudamel to Los Angeles

      After transforming the classical music scene in his native Venezuela, Gustavo Dudamel (himself a dead ringer for Carlos Valderrama) was tempted by the bright lights of Hollywood when he had the chance to take on the Los Angeles Philharmonic in 2009.

    6. george frideric handel

      6. Handel to London

      Several composers made other countries their home, but few embraced their new country quite like Georg Frideric Handel, who left his native Germany in 1712 to settle in London, where he stayed for the rest of his life. Perhaps a parallel with Ivory Coast national Wilfried Zaha, who made his debut for England last year?

    7. joseph haydn

      7. Haydn to… nowhere

      Good old sensible Haydn. Like Paul Scholes or Ryan Giggs at Manchester Utd after him, he never once thought about deserting his position at the musical service of the Esterhazys.

    8. Antonin Dvorak

      8. Dvorak to New York

      He was known to tour around the place, but Antonin Dvorak finally settled on New York as his home when he was offered the directorship of the National Conservatory of Music in 1892. Let's just say it was a little bit more culturally successful than when David Beckham joined LA Galaxy…

    9. Frederic Chopin

      9. Chopin to Paris

      The pianistic genius decided he'd had enough of Poland by the time he was 20 and went to try his luck in Paris instead. He adopted the French version of his name, gained French citizenship and never once returned to the country of his origin.

    Latest features

    See more Latest features

    Mozart apparently liked to imitate cats

    Mozart apparently liked to imitate cats. Here’s the tail as we know it.

    2 hours ago

    Mozart

    Musical pig plays instruments, and it’s sow good

    Musical pig plays instruments, and it’s sow good

    2 hours ago

    Videos

    ‘Wolf choir’ echoes through forest

    ‘Wolf choir’ echoes in forest as pack joins together in breathtaking harmony

    8 hours ago

    Videos

    9 of the most relaxing pieces of modern classical music

    9 of the most relaxing pieces of modern classical music

    9 hours ago

    Dr Jake Kohut teaches flute between National Guard shifts

    A Capitol soldier didn’t want to abandon his flute pupils, so he taught on Zoom between shifts

    1 day ago

    More From ClassicFM

    The best live-streamed and archive classical concerts available online 2021

    The best classical music and opera online streams available in 2021

    Music at the Joe Biden inauguration

    Biden inauguration music: Lady Gaga’s national anthem and full performance schedule revealed

    Classical 100 was launched IN 2015 by Classic FM, ABRSM and Decca Classics, and has only been available to schools until now.

    ‘Classical 100’ music education resource is free for families in lockdown

    Classical 100

    Seven in 10 people say orchestral music improved their ‘mood and wellbeing’ in lockdown

    Seven in 10 people say orchestral music improved their ‘mood and wellbeing’ in lockdown

    Conductor Sir Simon Rattle applies for German citizenship

    Conductor Sir Simon Rattle applies for German citizenship, citing ‘absolute necessity’

    Simon Rattle

    Salisbury Cathedral becomes a vaccination centre

    Beautiful organ music soothes people having COVID-19 vaccination at Salisbury Cathedral

    Coronavirus

    Browse by

    See more Browse by

    Periods & genres

    Periods & genres

    Occasions

    Occasions

    Moods

    Moods

    Instruments

    Instruments

    Back to top

    Also on Classic FM

    • LBC News
    • handel
    • debussy
    • music theory
    • instruments
    • brahms
    • vivaldi
    • bach
    • tchaikovsky
    • chopin
    • andrea bocelli
    • beethoven
    • mozart
    • classical music tear jerkers
    • best classical music
    • Classic FM Live
    • classic fm requests
    • john suchet
    • piano world record
    • best pianists
    • harry potter music
    • classic fm app
    • saturday night at the movies
    • 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
    • Advertise

    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 2021
    30 Leicester Square, London, WC2H 7LA
    Privacy Manager