The December issue of Gramophone celebrates the voice – and what better time than that of Christmas to do so?

First, we look at choral music, and commemorate 500 years since Martin Luther’s declaration of his ‘95 Theses’ by exploring the influence of the Reformation on music.

Meanwhile, we meet with The King’s Singers as they celebrate 50 years of bringing choral excellence to audiences worldwide through recording and touring.

Turning to opera, we go behind the scenes of Erato’s complete recording of Berlioz’s Les Troyens, featuring 250 musicians and an all-star cast including mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato.

Elsewhere in the issue, our reviewers reveal their personal favorite releases of the past year in Critics’ Choice, Michael Tilson Thomas talks about recording Schumann’s Rhenish symphony, and Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker is the subject of this issue’s Collection.

Plus, as always of course, we review this month’s classical releases, and award the best of them Gramophone’s Editor’s Choice accolade.

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