The holiday season typically brings an expected harvest of albums. But, every once in a while, a seasonal release seeks to surprise, delight and refresh our love for the music of snow and celebration in a new way.

Volume 2 of the complete string quartets by Philip Glass is the latest recording from the multi award-winning Molinari Quartet. This digital-only release features string quartets 5 to 7 and will be followed by a third volume to be recorded next year. The complete set of quartets will eventually be released as a box set.

Hailing from the North Carolina countryside, or “The Middle of Nowhere,” as it is lovingly dubbed on their debut album, the 6-headed musical monster known as “Big Something” has steadily become one of the most unique and exciting rock bands to emerge from the Southeast.

With nine exceptionally strong trio and solo albums Espen Berg (40) has become one of the most central and tone-setting Norwegian jazz musicians today. November 24 marks the release of his new album Water Fabric on Odin Records, which shows completely new sides of Espen as a composer. He has put together a hand-picked ensemble consisting of six high-profile Norwegian musicians with a background in jazz, classical, Norwegian folk music and Indian classical music. This composition reflects Espen's ability to make any musical expression his own, and with Water Fabric he has created a melodious, boundary-breaking, and breathtaking work that both oozes with the joy of playing and also shows a deep respect for musical traditions and craftsmanship.

Ralph Schnell: My first serious studies of contemporary piano music took place during my university years. The works of Schoenberg, Berg, Webern, Hespos and others were still quite new, and playing them was no fun - not because of the music but because of the instructions given: everything 'old' was to be avoided. No phrasing, no rubato, no emotions, and most of all, nothing was supposed to sound beautiful! These rather intellectual studies ended when I met Darryl Rosenberg and witnessed his performance of 'For Bunita Marcus'.

Amos Lee celebrates the legendary catalog of renowned songwriter Lucinda Williams by offering his signature soulful sound to interpretations of 11 classics.

The outstanding conductor Benjamin Bilse also fulfilled himself as a composer. He left over 40 compositions, which were published in Legnica and Berlin, but also in England, France, Russia, the United States, and even down under – in Australia. The demand for them was so great that almost all his works were soon arranged for home use for piano (for two or four hands) and for piano and violin. According to press announcements, the young artist’s first compositions were a Galopp and a Schottisch – both published by Johann Friedrich Kuhlmey.

Italian trumpeter and flugelhorn player Paolo Fresu pays musical homage to the spirit and excitement of Christmas with his project Christmas Songs.

On the "Soul Of The Ballad", Hank Crawford is backed by The Marty Paich Orchestra. The crossover sensation performs with effortless ease as he plays a dozen flawless ballads. With riveting arrangements, the repertoire includes the standouts “I Left My Heart In San Francisco”, “Whispering Glass” and “Time Out For Tears”.

One of the great originals in the jazz hierarchy, Lester Young was without doubt the most influential tenor saxophonist after Coleman Hawkins. A highly sensitive, graceful player, and an enigmatic personality, Young had a winning sense of time and space and a most engaging gift for improvising on songs rather than chord sequences. He played with great feeling for the lyric of a song with a very special, bittersweet brand of melancholy. There are some jazz exponents whose recorded work is worth preservation and close attention. Lester is one such jazz exponent. 2xHD are proud to bring present this historic recording to the digital high resolution world.

The album was recorded in August 1973 following the tour supporting the previous album. The group set aside a short period of time to write new material, which covered a number of themes, including the loss of English folk culture and an increased American influence, which was reflected in the title. Critics and the band have given mixed opinions of the album, though guitarist Steve Hackett has said it is his favourite Genesis record. The album has continued to sell and has reached Gold certification by the British Phonographic Industry and the Recording Industry Association of America.

Elizabeth Poston’s long and distinguished career included significant work for the BBC during the Second World War, where she performed as a respected pianist and later composed scores for numerous radio and television productions. Describing herself as ‘a littlemonger’ who never wanted to write big pieces, Poston’s supreme talent for composing vocal and choral miniatures is fully represented in this recording, the first to be dedicated entirely to her work. Poston’s music reveals timeless melodic charm, a great sensitivity of word setting and her profound appreciation of ancient folk-song traditions.

What can you say about George Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra? No other conductor and orchestra has ever turned in performances of such discipline and transparency of sound–not Karajan and Berlin, not Solti and Chicago–no one! In Brahms, where the natural thickness of the orchestral writing is always a peril, they never put a foot wrong. And all of this at budget price, too! Simply amazing."

Celebrating the 10th Anniversary Edition of Olafur Arnalds For Now I Am Winter, the album has been remastered.

With this recording, Piotr Anderszewski returns to Bach’s English Suites after more than 10 years. In 2002, when Virgin Classics (now Warner Classics/Erato) released his interpretations of Suites 1, 3 and 6, The Sunday Times spoke of “Bach playing of the highest order,” enthusing that: “His playing throughout is wonderful, laying out Bach’s contrapuntal writing with a clarity and subtlety of touch that removes these works far from the realms of technical exercises. His fingers dance in the Courantes and Allemandes, and positively sing the melodies of the sublime Sarabandes”.