From Beethoven’s aching solo piano works to Tchaikovsky’s swelling ballet themes, here’s our guide to the pieces we think are the perfect place to start, on your journey into classical music.

Their soothing tones and hypnotic arpeggios amass gigantic listening figures on ‘chill’ Spotify playlists, but composers such as Nils Frahm are shunned by the classical world Pitch darkness. Then a ...