Songs by Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky, and Ned Rorem

1	Don Juan's Serenade, song
2	It was in early spring (A
3	Amid the noise of the bal
4	Does the day reign?, song
5	The mild stars shone for
6	None but the lonely heart
7	Over Burning Ashes, song
8	Songs & Dances of Death (
9	Songs & Dances of Death (
10	Songs & Dances of Death (
11	Songs & Dances of Death (
12	War Scenes, cycle of 5 so
13	War Scenes, cycle of 5 so
14	War Scenes, cycle of 5 so
15	War Scenes, cycle of 5 so
16	War Scenes, cycle of 5 so
18	Memories, song for voice
20	Sonnets (3) of Shakespear
22	The Green-Eyed Dragon, fo
Songs by Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky, and Ned Rorem
1.	Don Juan's Serenade, song for voice & piano, Op. 38/1 2:58
	Composed by Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky
	Performed by Julius Drake and Gerald Finley
2.	It was in early spring (At the ball), song for voice & piano, Op. 38/2 2:50
	Composed by Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky
	Performed by Julius Drake and Gerald Finley
3.	Amid the noise of the ball, song for voice and piano, Op. 38/3 2:39
	Composed by Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky
	Performed by Julius Drake and Gerald Finley
4.	Does the day reign?, song for voice & piano, Op. 47/6 3:43
	Composed by Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky
	Performed by Julius Drake and Gerald Finley
5.	The mild stars shone for us, song for voice & piano, Op. 60/12 3:40
	Composed by Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky
	Performed by Julius Drake and Gerald Finley
6.	None but the lonely heart, song for voice & piano, Op. 6/6 3:35
	Composed by Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky
	Performed by Julius Drake and Gerald Finley
7.	Over Burning Ashes, song for voice & piano, Op. 25/2 2:21
	Composed by Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky
	Performed by Julius Drake and Gerald Finley
8.	Songs & Dances of Death (Pesni y plyaski smerti; 4), song cycle for voice & piano 22:16
	Composed by Modest Mussorgsky
	Performed by Julius Drake and Gerald Finley
9.	War Scenes, cycle of 5 songs from Whitman for voice & piano 15:11
	Composed by Ned Rorem
	Performed by Julius Drake and Gerald Finley
10.	Work(s): Spoken introduction to Charles Ives's "Memories A 0:04
	Composed by Spoken Word
	Performed by Gerald Finley
11.	Memories, song for voice & piano, S. 297 (K. 6B26a) 3:46
	Composed by Ives
	Performed by Julius Drake and Gerald Finley
12.	Work(s): Spoken introduction to Einojuhani Rautavaara's "Sh 0:23
	Composed by Spoken Word
	Performed by Gerald Finley
13.	Sonnets (3) of Shakespeare, song cycle for high or medium voice & piano (or orchestra): Shall I compare thee? 2:03
	Composed by Einojuhani Rautavaara
	Performed by Julius Drake and Gerald Finley
14.	Work(s): Spoken introduction to Wolseley Charles's "The Gre 0:11
	Composed by Spoken Word
	Performed by Gerald Finley
15.	The Green-Eyed Dragon, for voice & piano 4:48
	Composed by Wolseley Charles
	Performed by Julius Drake and Gerald Finley

All Music Guide

Wigmore Hall Live's Gerald Finley -- Julius Drake is taken from a recital given by the exciting Canadian bass-baritone Gerald Finley on October 18, 2007. The main part of the program consists of a selection of songs by Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky's "Songs and Dances of Death" and the cycle "War Scenes" by Ned Rorem, set to poems of Walt Whitman. Then, three encores are presented; the song "Memories" of Charles Ives; Shakespeare's "Shall I Compare Thee?" as whimsically set by Finnish composer Einojuhani Rautavaara; and a light selection, Wolseley Charles' "The Green-Eyed Dragon," once a staple of the repertoire of legendary singer John Charles Thomas. Finley announces the encores himself; applause is thankfully brief and only included at the ends of cycles and each encore.

Finley is fantastic for this whole program; he's a great singer, storyteller, and his Russian is so accomplished it's enough to make a babushka begin to bluster. Finley knows what he is comfortable with in terms of repertoire, something he can project to an audience with conviction and yet pleases him to hear, as well. While he may not have the vocal depth of a Bulgarian bass in delivering the Mussorgsky, he makes up for it in his expressiveness, portraying Golenischev-Kutuzov's tragic poetry as would an actor, but never sacrificing vocal beauty for the sake of drama, even though he could. Rorem's important cycle "War Scenes" are also done here, if not better, than they've ever been done. Julius Drake, likewise, was in top form on this date, rendering pathos right along with Finley; just check out how gently Drake eases into Tchaikovsky's "At the ball," both setting the mood and providing a clear mark for Finley to land on. Of course, all accompanists are expected to do this, but Drake goes beyond the call of duty, even pitching in on the whistling with Finley in Ives' "Memories."

We can all be thankful to Finley and Wigmore Hall Live for recording "The Green-Eyed Dragon" and forever answering the question as to what the devil Bela Lugosi is babbling about in Edward D. Wood's masterpiece of schlock cinema, Glen or Glenda. Wigmore Hall Live's Gerald Finley -- Julius Drake is also a masterpiece (though not one like Ed Wood's!) and deserves a place in the library of anyone who cares about vocal music and great singing. Uncle Dave Lewis

Gramophone

Gerald Finley can do no wrong at present, and this Wigmore Hall Live offering makes a cherishable keepsake of what was evidently a memorable event.... A genuine treat, this, and not to be missed. Andrew Achenbach

BBC Music Magazine

This latest Wigmore Hall Live recording is among the finest so far, a really superb recital by this accomplished Canadian bass-baritone and his celebrated accompanist.... Altogether a strongly recommended disc. Michael Scott Rohan