Rondeau’s complete Louis Couperin set wins Recording of the Year, while Faust takes Artist of the Year and the Concerto Award. Other honours recognise Alexander Malofeev, Imogen Cooper and the Bamberg Symphony.
Harpsichordist Jean Rondeau and violinist Isabelle Faust received two awards each at the 2026 Gramophone Classical Music Awards, presented at London’s De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms on 7 October.
Rondeau won Recording of the Year for his eleven-CD collection of Louis Couperin’s complete works, released by Erato. The set also received the Instrumental Award.
Faust was named Artist of the Year and shared in the Concerto Award for a Ligeti album featuring the Violin Concerto, Piano Concerto and Concert Românesc. Released by Harmonia Mundi, the recording brings together Faust, pianist Jean-Frédéric Neuburger and Les Siècles under François-Xavier Roth.
Special honours
Pianist Alexander Malofeev received the Young Artist of the Year Award, while Dame Imogen Cooper was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award.
The Bamberg Symphony, led by chief conductor Jakub Hrůša, was named Orchestra of the Year, an award decided by public vote. Erato received the Label of the Year Award.
Saariaho, Martinů and Schubert among recording winners
The Opera Award went to the premiere recording of Kaija Saariaho’s Adriana Mater, performed by the San Francisco Symphony and Chorus under Esa-Pekka Salonen and released by Deutsche Grammophon.
The Pavel Haas Quartet won the Chamber Award for its recording of Martinů’s String Quartets Nos. 2, 3, 5 and 7. Bertrand Chamayou and Leif Ove Andsnes took the Piano Award for Schubert: Four Hands.
The Orchestral Award recognised Bacewicz: Orchestral Works, Vol. 2, featuring pianist Peter Donohoe and the BBC Symphony Orchestra under Sakari Oramo. The Contemporary Award went to the Hallé and Sir Mark Elder for their recording of Huw Watkins’s Fanfare, Symphony No. 2 and Concerto for Orchestra.
Vocal and early music awards
Capella Sollertia and Johanna Soller received the Choral Award for Johann Ludwig Bach: The Leipzig Cantatas. The Early Music Award went to Concerto Italiano and Rinaldo Alessandrini for Stravagante pensiero: Gesualdo & Napoli.
Mezzo-soprano Adèle Charvet and pianist Florian Caroubi won the Song Award for Belle époque!, while Ann Hallenberg and The Mozartists, conducted by Ian Page, received the Voice & Ensemble Award for Gluck Arias.
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