Christmas time! the first noël

Works by Joanna Marsh, Roxanna Panufnik, James MacMillan, Dobrinka Tabakova et al The Choir of St John’s College, Cambridge/ Christopher Gray et al Signum Classics SIGCD893 68:02 mins Christopher Gray

There are gig venues, and then there’s York Minster, where symphonic metal band Plague Of Angels are playing a show backed by an enormous pipe organ. Unless a bunch of irate Christians get their way

Marc-André Hamelin (piano) City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra/ Mark Elder Hyperion CDA67143 The practical requirements of Busoni’s Piano Concerto – a chorus and enormous orchestra – on top of the f

Maurice Ravel has been an enduring part of my world, both as a performer and teacher. As a little girl I played the Mouvement de menuet from his Sonatine at a piano competition, which the renowned pia

When sudden tragedy struck, NATALIE BERGMAN found solace in the New Mexico desert. Shedding indie rock for psychedelic gospel-soul, music played a big part in her healing – while her latest album finds fresh hope in new life. “People form bands because we’re lost,” she tells Kevin EG Perry. “We’re like: ‘Hello, we’re looking for our home here on Earth.’”

Complete Suites and Other Music for Keyboard Cristian Sandrin (piano) SOMM Recordings SOMMCD0702 61:09 mins In the first complete recording of Purcell’s eight keyboard suites on the modern piano, Roma