BBC Music May 2025

Elsewhere in the issue, we celebrate two very different anniversaries – the 20th of British vocal ensemble VOCES8, this month's CD stars; and the 50th of John Williams’s soundtrack to Jaws. Both have been groundbreaking in their own way, and highlight the wonderful diversity within our classical world.

Claire Jackson explores how music has been shown to bring a sense of calm; plus, our ten works to de-stress to. As the mighty organ of Notre-Dame sounds again after the fire of 2019, John Allison enjoys a Parisian visit. And, is there really a link between mental illness and creative genius? Rebecca Franks delves into matters of the mind.