Gerald Finley and Julius Drake for Schubert, Brahms (Hyperion)
“Gerald Finley is never an artist, one feels, to let himself be rushed, allowing his interpretations to mellow and mature in their own good time. It’s been five years since his superbly eloquent and refined Winterreise with Julius Drake (4/14) and his new recording of Schwanengesang – similarly eloquent and refined – is well worth the wait. Throw in the weighty coupling of Brahms’s own Lieder swansong and the result is a richly satisfying, moving album. …and he and Drake fully embrace the opportunities of performing the songs in their lower, broodier keys.” – Hugo Shirley
The Gramophone Awards will be announced on 6 October 2020