Julius Drake’s fifth instalment in his cycle of Liszt works for Hyperion, recorded with tenor Allan Clayton, has been released to critical acclaim.

Writing for Gramophone, critic Tim Ashley writes: “Julius Drake’s survey of Liszt’s complete songs reaches its fifth volume with a recital by Allan Clayton, carefully tailored to his talents as both lyric tenor and vocal actor… In the fourth ‘Lorelei’ from 1860, with its weighty, turbulent piano-writing, Drake unleashes a virtuoso storm as the boat founders on the rocks and Clayton’s rapt vocal line fragments into terrified, expressionist parlando. Drake, meanwhile, invests every phrase with weight and meaning, and is, as ever, outstanding. Another fine disc in an exceptional series.”

Read the full review on Gramophone here.

Please click here to purchase Liszt: The Complete Songs, Volume 5.

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