'Hyperion' and 'Seasonal Schmaltz' may not be exact synonyms, but some of the finest albums are here: from The Sixteen's pioneering Christmas Music from Medieval and Renaissance Europe to Polyphony's perennially popular album of John Rutter's Music for Christmas and Trinity Cambridge's recent Yulefest! spectacular. Click on the holly for details of these and the full smorgasbord available …

One of the greatest symphonies written in the twentieth century (or indeed any other), the Vaughan Williams London Symphony may need no introduction, but the same cannot be said of the version recorded here. This is an infrequent outing for its 1920 first publication, and comparisons with the final revised edition are fascinating. Much more importantly, the performance—from Martyn Brabbins and the BBC Symphony Orchestra—is simply outstanding. Coupled with three rarities, this is a landmark addition to the Vaughan Williams discography, and a very special Record of the Month for November. In contrast to RVW, the name Roger Sacheverell Coke will be new to many. His richly melodic music has long enjoyed the persuasive advocacy of pianist Simon Callaghan, who now makes his Hyperion debut with Coke Piano Concertos Nos 3, 4 & 5, volume 73 of our Romantic Piano Concerto series. Martyn Brabbins again conducts, this time the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.

It is a particular pleasure to welcome back conductor David Hill to the label. His sensitive readings of the evergreen Fauré Requiem & other sacred music here also mark the Hyperion debut of the Yale Schola Cantorum, one of America's leading chamber choirs. Finally, Cédric Tiberghien brings his considerable pianistic finesse to bear on the Chopin Préludes, Piano Sonata No 2 & Scherzo No 2; a wonderful recital which must count as one of the year's most distinguished Chopin releases. No repertoire, however familiar, can fail to astonish anew given such superlative playing.

For LSO Live an all-star cast joins Sir Simon Rattle and the London Symphony Orchestra for Debussy's Pelléas et Mélisande. This gripping rendition of the composer's only opera was recorded live in January 2016 and is testimony to the conductor's long relationship with this exquisite work.

The Hallé label this month sees the latest release in its majestic Vaughan Williams Symphonies cycle. Sir Mark Elder conducts The Hallé Orchestra through the boisterous No 4 of 1935 and the cinematically liberated No 6, written during the dying years of World War II.

Paul McCreesh and his Gabrieli Consort delve into the vast seam of what might be termed 'modern madrigals' in Silence & Music, their latest album for Signum Classics: a bitter-sweet programme infused with tragic beauty. The Hertfordshire Chorus has recorded James McCarthy's Codebreaker and Will Todd's Ode to a Nightingale, conductor David Temple and the BBC Concert Orchestra revelling with them in these significant new works. Peter Donohoe continues his successful cycle with a lithe new recording of the Shostakovich Piano Concertos & Sonatas; David Curtis conducts a responsive Orchestra of the Swan.

A new release from SDG brings us the Bach Magnificat & Missa in F, the former in its explosive original version, the latter being one of the so-called 'Lutheran Masses' dating from the 1730s. Sir John Eliot Gardiner conducts The Monteverdi Choir and The English Baroque Soloists in these compulsive performances.

Mozart's Il sogno di Scipione (Scipio's dream) was composed in 1771, but quite possibly not performed until some two centuries later. A celebratory homage to the Prince Archbishop of Salzburg, this one-act drama from the teenage composer brims with writing that is consistently accomplished and vibrant, as indeed is this new recording of it from Classical Opera under the direction of Ian Page.

David Goode has recorded the fifth volume in his Complete Bach Organ Works series for Signum. The programme focuses on the 'Neumeister' collection and once more shows off the vibrant colours of the organ in Trinity College Cambridge.