In a free three-part lecture, esteemed tenor Ian Bostridge examines the capacity of music to capture the otherwise indescribable phenomena of life: identity, existence, and death.

It’s been a strange, difficult year for the music world, which is all the more reason to celebrate musical excellence.

From the Chicago Cultural Center, cellist Paul Kosower and collaborative pianist Kuang-Hao Huang present works of Nadia Boulanger, Claude Debussy, and Ludwig van Beethoven.

On the 250th anniversary of Ludwig van Beethoven’s birth, the Avalon String Quartet gave a deft and passionate performance of one of Beethoven’s finest chamber works.

As we celebrate Beethoven’s 250th birthday, WFMT looks back on the eminent composer’s most important works. Here is our ranking of Beethoven’s top 10 most important compositions.