Gerald Finley, has just received a 2008 Gramophone Award for a recital of songs by Barber. 

This imaginatively conceived recital, recorded in October 2007, brings together works by Tchaikovsky, Musorgsky – the quintessentially Russian Songs and Dances of Death – and Ned Rorem, born in Indiana in 1923; it also includes encores by Charles Ives, Einojuhani Rautavaara and Charles Wolseley. 

Hilary Finch, speaking on BBC Radio 3’s CD Review programme, described this recital and CD as “Gerald Finley in his prime - I think he’s never sung better than he’s singing now”, and chose it as her favourite CD of 2008. In the same programme, Rob Cowan spoke of Julius Drake as “marvellous - the things he was finding in the piano part of that song I don’t think I’ve ever heard anybody bring out so much in Musorgsky’s piano writing”. 

'It is with great sense of pride that this disc becomes the 25th release of the Wigmore Live series, in a musical partnership I have enjoyed for many years with Julius Drake. Performing at the Wigmore is always a highlight of any career. The others in the series are distinguished performers I have admired for years and the performances are wonderful. The audiences at the Wigmore are always welcoming and knowledgeable, and this atmosphere is captured perfectly. Already a fine catalogue, I hope the Wigmore Live series continues its honour roll' Gerald Finley