In our December issue Ivan Moody looks at Christmas carols today and speaks to some of the composers – James MacMillan, Gabriel Jackson, Francis Pott – who are keeping the Christmas carol tradition alive for future generations of choirs and listeners. Also in our Christmas issue:

● Lindsay Kemp speaks to conductor William Christie, founder of Les Arts Florissants, who shows little sign of slowing down at 70

● Gramophone's peerless panel of critics choose their favourite recordings of 2014

● Paul Griffiths surveys the music and recordings of composer Gerald Barry

● Beecham's classic recording of Puccini's La bohème from 1956 is reconsidered by Mike Ashman and David Patrick Stearns

● Jeremy Nicholas offers a specialist's guide to the 10 best recordings of orchestral Christmas carols

● Conductor Emanuelle Haïm gives a guided tour of the score to Handel's most performed work: Messiah

The December issue is available to subscribers now and on general sale on December 9. If you would like to subscribe to Gramophone, the world's leading classical music magazine, choose an option below:

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