Described as a baritone with a voice of ‘easy luxury’ by The New York Times, Canadian Gerald Finley performs an entertaining selection of music from Europe and the United States accompanied by pianist Julius Drake.

Schumann found great inspiration in the poetry of Heinrich Heine and Finley performs a selection of the composer’s settings including two of his finest ballads Belshazzar and The Two Grenadiers. Finley and Drake also perform Ravel’s humorous Histoires naturelles, songs by Barber including Solitary Hotel, a setting of text from Ulysses in a fast tango style, and songs by Ives including the swashbuckling Slugging a Vampire.

‘A tremendous performance’ (The Independent)

‘an impulsive ardour I’ve never heard equalled’ (Gramophone Magazine)

www.eif.co.uk/finley

Broadcast by BBC Radio 3 on Friday 3 September at 1pm

Duration: 1 hour 45 minutes approximately
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