Ravel - Songs
Finley; Drake
Hyperion CDA67728

Release date June 2009

The latest recording from baritone Gerald Finley and Julius Drake, of Ravel songs, meets the high standards that we have come to expect from this award-winning duo. As the sleeve-notes suggest, the songs featured here fall into two categories, folk songs and art songs, and it is interesting to hear the two intermingled. The works chosen for this disc demonstrate a reasonable cross-section of Ravel's compositional career, spanning 1895-1932. The opening work, Histoires naturelles, has a beautiful and at times haunting piano introduction that within moments establishes the magic of this performance. Hints of folk song influences appear in the piano’s sparse chords, and Finley’s warm voice suits the music well. (Mezzos may have dominated the field of late, but don’t be put off!) Finley's vocal range allows him to sound at home in all these songs. Don Quichotte à Dulcinée, striking for the long phrases demanded of the singer, shows us a particularly emotive side of Ravel’s songs – just listen to the second song of the set, Chanson épique - whereas Noëls des jouets, for example, gives us a Ravel which is very familiar, both in harmony and texture. Further variety can be found in the folk songs, ranging from the joyful and playful (Tout gai! from Cinq mélodies populaies grecques) to the mournful: Kaddisch from Deux mélodies hébraïques is almost entirely unaccompanied and made up of a sustained modal vocal line. The effect is breath-taking. I enjoyed the inclusion of the folk songs, partly for showing me a side of the composer that I know less well, but also for breaking up the intensity and melancholy of the other works. Text and translations have been included. Gramophone has chosen this disc as an Editor’s Choice – and I for one can understand why!

Reviewed by Ruth Squire