Search - Gerald Finley, Julius Drake :: Britten: Songs & Proverbs of William Blake

The unbeatable, multi- award-winning partnership of Gerald Finley and Julius Drake turns to the composer Benjamin Britten for their latest Hyperion release. Although Britten is particularly celebrated for the substantial body of music he composed for the tenor voice, the composer also left an important legacy of music for baritone. In addition to song-cycles, individual songs and folksong arrangements, Britten also included challenging baritone roles in his operas. This disc contains Britten s two important song cycles for baritone Tit for Tat, setting the poems of Walter de la Mare, and the more substantial Songs and Proverbs of William Blake. The latter was written for Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau; designed to showcase his unique blend of intense lyricism and dramatic characterization, qualities which are undoubtedly also exhibited by Gerald Finley. Also included are some of Britten s popular folksong settings, and a selection of later songs, which received exposure and publication only after the composer s death.