Ives: Songs, Vol. 2 "Romanzo di Central Park"

Gerald Finley, Julius Drake

Released on 1/2/08 by Hyperion
Main artists: Gerald Finley Julius Drake
Genre: Classical

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The very first thing a dyed-in-the-wool Ivesian will note upon turning over baritone Gerald Finley's Hyperion disc Romanzo di Central Park is the nice selection of songs are listed. This isn't some chronologically based survey of Ives' songs or a program directed into one vein of his activity or another; Romanzo di Central Park -- it literally ranges from Ives' first song, "Slow March" (1888), to his last, "They Are There!" (1943), and seems to reflect both Finley's own favorites and the material he personally feels strongest in. Finley clearly cares about all 30 -- count 'em, 30 -- songs in this package, and even adds a little magic to numbers that, generally only recorded as part of "complete" or "clean-up" type programs of Ives' voice and piano works, haven't seen a lot of love on recordings or are merely rushed through. "Down East" is truly wonderful here, as is "In the Alley." Admittedly, an additional unifying element in this program is that it's a little slanted toward Ives' sentimental side -- one he often disdained -- but Finley has a real feeling for this material and it is such a pleasure to hear these songs sung so well. There are a few inconsistencies, mainly related to the accompaniment; Julius Drake's tempo in "The Circus Band" seems a little draggy in spots, and there's a violinist in "They Are There!," though Hyperion does not let us in on who this is. However, these are such small details that none of it takes away from enjoying Romanzo di Central Park's main virtues, which are considerable -- this features what are probably some of the finest recordings ever done of Ives' songs with male voice, and it's certainly the best ever of songs like "Premonitions" and "In Flanders Fields." In previous versions, one hears them and thinks -- "Okay, that's how that Ives' song goes"; here, they make sense, both musically and emotionally.
Ives didn't want his songs to be in the domain of trained singers exclusively; he was hoping that anyone would feel free to sing them, but rather limited his options by making so many of them so difficult. Finley obviously has a strong baritone voice that is as ready for the opera stage as it is for the recital hall. Rather than barrel through all of these Ives songs with the same voice he'd use to sing Wotan, Finley elects to utilize a pop voice most of the time, bringing up the barrel only when needed to sustain notes and gain power for emphasis at critical emotional points. Ives' songs have so many things to offer, musically, philosophically, and through their humor, variety, and transcendence. Hyperion's Romanzo di Central Park with Gerald Finley and Julius Drake is transcendent in itself, and should prove highly entertaining to one and all, not just those who fancy Ives' music to begin with.

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Ives: Songs, Vol. 2 "Romanzo di Central Park"

Gerald Finley

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Julius Drake

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Gerald Finley, Baritone, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Charles Ives, ComposerLyricist - Julius Drake, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer