Schumann's Arabeske, Kreisleriana & Fantasie represent Romantic piano literature at its finest, demanding nothing less of the performer than musicianship of comparable distinction to do them justice. Stephen Hough's accounts, acutely alive to the works' rich interior worlds, are exceptional, making September's Record of the Month an important addition to the Schumann discography, and an absolutely unmissable acquisition. Keyboard wizardry of a very different sort is to be found in Northern Lights, another of those splendidly rambunctious organ recitals which are something of a Christopher Herrick speciality. Recorded on the recently restored Steinmeyer organ of Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim, the album fields an appropriately strong contingent of contemporary Scandinavian composers in music which is accessible, not to say entertaining, the fireworks—of which there are satisfyingly many—interspersed with gentler, meditative pieces.

With the Piano Trio & other chamber music by Max Bruch, The Nash Ensemble again demonstrates that there is so much more to this composer than a certain violin concerto. This is attractive repertoire, with echoes of Brahms and Dvořák never far away, which will come as a real discovery to most listeners.

Shortlists have now been published for this year's prestigious Gramophone Awards: the magazine's jury has selected six of the finest albums in each of various categories. We are delighted that Hyperion has received six nominations, with recordings by the Takács Quartet, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, pianists Steven Osborne and Marc-André Hamelin, violinist Alina Ibragimova, and The Orlando Consort all featured.
» Click here for more details.

An occasional series dedicated to choice selections of our all-time favourite recordings—ones you might possibly have missed? This time: Bruckner Motets from the Corydon Singers (‘very strongly recommended’—The Monthly Guide to Recorded Music), Rameau Keyboard Suites from Angela Hewitt (‘something of a revelation’—International Record Review), and Rejoice, the Lord is king! from Westminster Abbey Choir (‘anyone who has ever been in Westminster Abbey should be overwhelmed by the lifelike sound picture’—MusicWeb International). If you don’t know them already, a track from each is included on our monthly sampler which is free to download.

Recorded live in 2016, The Mozartists and conductor Ian Page present a rare performance of Il Vologeso by Niccolò Jommelli. Every bit as outlandish as the extravagant Württemberg opera house where it was first performed, the plot concerns itself with the machinations of a second-century Roman emperor, the music is startlingly forward-looking for the 1760s, and the vibrant cast assembled for this Signum album revels in it all.

New from 1equalmusic this month comes Burden of Truth which features two ambitious re-imaginings of older works: Gavin Bryars revisits his 1970s cult hit Jesus' blood never failed me yet, while Antony Pitts takes a single folio from the early Tudor Eton Choirbook as the starting point for his Jesus autem transiens. The Song Company—greatly expanded (these unaccompanied works are in 32 and 25 parts respectively)—rises admirably to the challenges posed.

New on Signum Classics this month is a debut solo recording from Anna Lapwood, performing on the magnificent Harrison & Harrison organ of Ely Cathedral. This luxurious programme is entitled Images and includes a beguiling transcription of the 'Sea Interludes' from Peter Grimes. And Tedd Joselson has recorded Piano Concertos by Grieg and Rachmaninov; Arthur Fagen conducts the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (in the Grieg) and the Philharmonia Orchestra (in Rachmaninov's No 2).

A second collaboration between Iestyn Davies and Fretwork on Signum brings us Lamento, in which the plangent synergy between voice and viol consort ranges widely over the German-speaking lands of the seventeenth century with music by Schütz, Schein, Scheidt, Sances, Tunder, Geist and Johann Christoph Bach.