Hyperion Records

A diverse offering makes up Hyperion's October 2012, and our Record of the Month presents the wonderful Alina Ibragimova in thrilling new performances of the Mendelssohn Violin Concertos, impassioned support coming from the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment under Vladimir Jurowski, making his first appearance on the label.

The Cardinall's Musick's multi-award-winning Byrd Edition now turns to the composer's English repertoire, Andrew Carwood expertly guiding his singers through the astonishing Byrd Great Service. Stephen Layton has recorded the Britten Ceremony of Carols & Saint Nicolas with Trinity College Choir Cambridge (plus the Holst Singers, Temple Church Choristers, City of London Sinfonia …); Allan Clayton is the eponymous Saint and Sally Pryce the harpist in these fine new performances of perennial favourites.

Other big guns of the label are out this month too: Angela Hewitt takes a wide-ranging tour through Debussy Solo Piano Music, Gerald Finley and Julius Drake capture the essence of the two Schumann Liederkreis cycles, and Steven Isserlis takes Thomas Adès through enchanted byways of the cello and piano repertoire in Lieux retrouvés, culminating in Adès' own ferociously difficult creation after which the album is named.

Reissued this month are The King's Consort's wondrous Vivaldi Concerti con molti istromenti, and the opulent Advent at St Paul's from St Paul's Cathedral Choir.