In February we published a Collection on Elgar’s Violin Concerto, a guided journey from a characterful portrait of its first run-through in a house in Gloucester Cathedral’s College Green, through more than a century of recordings. That the Concerto has spoken in different ways to every era since – and does so in our own times – is testimony to the qualities of this poignant Romantic masterpiece. In that feature, as we do in all Collections, a selection of recordings are recommended, with a top choice named. Yet just half a year later, here we are, in this issue’s Recording of the Month, recommending another one, this time from Vilde Frang. That’s not designed to confuse matters – it simply underlines that new interpretations of great works will always be made which offer something different and equally glorious.

This applies even more so to our 2024 Award-winners, which we celebrate in this special issue. While there will always be recital albums that are necessarily unique, many if not most albums are contributing new interpretations to a catalogue already packed with recordings of the same work. And it’s vital they do. Many of the winners will become the new benchmark recommendation for anyone wanting to explore a work for the first time, but even more than that, they’re extraordinary representations of the creativity of today’s most gifted artists, and they enrich our appreciation of the music itself.

I’m thrilled that our winners this year include soloists recognised as the very finest working today, as well as a remarkable young name that was new to us only relatively recently. Our Recording of the Year meanwhile is a truly magnificent achievement, one I believe will long stand out as an compelling example of what the art form can offer.

In our Special Awards we also celebrate artists’ contributions more broadly, an important reminder that recordings are but one facet of a musician’s work. Our Artist of Year – the wonderful soprano Carolyn Sampson – is honoured for her commitment to recording, but equally for her year-round brilliance on stage, in recital, oratorio and operas. Our Lifetime Achievement Award winner, Micheal Tilson Thomas, has had the most transformative of careers, his leadership of orchestras in London and San Francisco going hand in hand with composing, education and outreach, as well of course as a huge commitment to recording. We’ve devoted our largest feature this month to honouring this very special musician in his 80th year, one for which so many will feel so much gratitude. His legacy lies not just in a remarkable recording catalogue, but in the fact that there are works of music cherished by so many largely thanks to his advocacy, and that there are audience members who might never have been drawn to classical music in the first place were it not for his belief that everyone has the potential to be so.

We hope you enjoy reading this Awards edition as much as we have preparing it (including the months of listening and voting by our critics, to whom I extend my heartfelt thanks). This annual moment in which we step back and celebrate the very best of our art form is always a very special one.

martin.cullingford@markallengroup.com

Explore all of this year's Gramophone Award winners in the 2024 Awards issue – out now. Never miss an issue – subscribe today