October's Record of the Month is something rather special. Pavel Kolesnikov's earlier Chopin recital for Hyperion was hailed by Classic FM as 'exquisite', and this new recording—a selection of Chopin Impromptus, waltzes & mazurkas—promises to be no less successful, composer and pianist again in perfect accord. Pianophiles are especially well served this month: the repertoire may be very different, but a hugely exciting programme of Shostakovich Preludes & Piano Sonatas from Andrey Gugnin—making his Hyperion debut—demonstrates piano playing of an equally impressive order.

The London Haydn Quartet, meanwhile, presents Haydn String Quartets Opp 71 & 74, the next instalment of a much-admired series. This cycle is establishing itself as one of the glories of the Haydn discography, and its familiar virtues of eloquent, idiomatic music-making are again in evidence throughout these six wonderful works. And lastly from Hyperion this month, the twin peaks of Schubert Schwanengesang & Brahms Vier ernste Gesänge are powerfully rendered by Gerald Finley. As usual, he is partnered by Julius Drake, whose sensitive, sympathetic accompaniments add to the attractions of this distinguished release.

Tamsin Waley-Cohen has joined James Baillieu in the studio to record the Complete Original Works for Violin & Keyboard by CPE Bach. This most pioneering of composers contributed eight examples to the violin sonata genre, spanning much of a career that took him from fashionable Baroque to subversive forerunner of the Enlightenment. New to Signum this month is a reissue of Classical Opera's 2011 debut recording featuring Mozart Apollo et Hyacinthus. Klara Ek and Lawrence Zazzo head up the cast in this most precocious of operas (Mozart wrote it to pad out a school play when he was just eleven).

New from LSO Live this month is a powerful rendition of Shostakovich Symphony No 4, the latest instalment in Gianandrea Noseda's highly regarded cycle with the London Symphony Orchestra. Humiliatingly withdrawn by its composer on the very morning of its intended premiere in 1936, the symphony is now regarded as one of the most extraordinary of the period.

The first two releases in a wide-ranging survey of Schubert Piano Music come courtesy of Signum Classics and Llŷr Williams. Volume 1 includes the wonderful D959 sonata, while Volume 2 juxtaposes the concluding D960 with the famous 'Wanderer' fantasy. Six further albums will follow next year. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Paul Bateman have recorded Oliver Davis Arcadia, a further collection of the young composer's trademark and balletic works with soloists Benjamin Baker, Kerenza Peacock and Huw Watkins—plus the more unexpected quartet comprising The Hanke Brothers.

Something a bit different comes courtesy of Signum Classics this month as Alexey Bogorad and the Ural Philharmonic tackle the Saxophone Concerto & Bass Drum Concerto by Gabriel Prokofiev. Branford Marsalis performs the former, while Joby Burgess gets to explore the possibilities of what can be done with (and to) the bass-est of instruments in the 'conventional' orchestra.

A generously filled album from Robin Tritschler and Malcolm Martineau examines the idea of Song's first cycle, early experiments in the embryonic genre from Mozart, Schubert, Beethoven and Weber. Also on Signum are The last rose of summer, twenty-two British folksong arrangements from the glorious voices of The Queen's Six, and Alexander Chapman Campbell's Contemplations, a new EP of his trademark genre-defying solo piano.

On LSO Live, and following the conclusion of his acclaimed Mendelssohn cycle, Sir John Eliot Gardiner turns to another pioneer of the Romantic orchestra with Schumann Symphonies Nos 2 & 4. The latter is performed in its original 1841 form, as championed by Brahms, and both receive committed performances from the London Symphony Orchestra.

Evensong Live 2019 is a new collection of anthems and canticles from King's College Choir Cambridge. These live recordings once more stand testimony to the unwavering abilities of this most august of choirs to 'deliver' day in day out. Stephen Cleobury shares the privilege of conducting with Ben Parry and Christopher Robinson.