Gerald Finley’s second disc of Ives songs is every bit as wonderful as the first (read review here). Finley is the perfect song recitalist: his mellifluous baritone never acquires that “larger than life” quality typical of so many opera singers venturing into the more intimate world of domestic music-making. His diction is crystal clear, always natural, and he phrases the melodies without a trace of affectation while still shading his tone to highlight the meaning of the text. He can sound dreamy (“Mists”), tender (“The Children’s Hour”), raucous (“The Circus Band”), heroic (“They are There!”), and serene (“Watchman!”, the same hymn tune used in the Fourth Symphony), all without ever disfiguring his timbre or letting the pitch waver. Julius Drake offers accompaniments that are as perfect and knowing as the singing, and the engineering couldn’t be better. The sum total of this program of 30 pieces ideally displays Ives’ astonishing range as a song-writer. This is magnificent–vocal recitals don’t come any better. [3/3/2008]
