‘Marc-André Hamelin, a pianist of phenomenal virtuosity and insight, never misses a trick. Pierre-Laurant Aimard's Warner account was perceptive enough, but Hamelin characterises the four movements with even greater imagination and encompasses the 42-minute span and unconventional trajectory with complete control’ (The Daily Telegraph)

‘Hamelin's virtuosity has to be heard to be believed. There are places in both scores that almost defy what two hands are capable of. Yet Hamelin plays them as though he were unaware of their wrist-crippling certifiability’ (Classic FM Magazine)

‘Hamelin's account is more a mystical blending of textures than a studied delineation of them, with a ravishing soft tone and an almost childlike relish of simpler music’ (The Independent)

‘As the program unfolds, there's always what you're not expecting next—moments of piety or exultation, sarcasm or simple grief. When you're done, you've heard one of the most stimulating and provocative of song recitals, as well as one of the most varied and difficult’ (Opera News)

‘Brilliantly sung by Canadian baritone Gerald Finley, it has become the gold standard by which all future recordings of these pieces will be measured. Finley meets the daunting vocal and dramatic challenges with total commitment and superb musicianship’ (The Scene Musicale, Canada)

‘Gerald Finley's ebony-rich voice and lively imagination gets a workout in this wide-ranging program … Finley is superb throughout, with alert support from Julius Drake’ (Time Out)

‘The perfect match of singer to song’ (Financial Times)

‘Ives, an insurance man for whom composing was an avocation, deserves wider recognition as one of the art-song greats. It's flawless, arresting performances like Finley's — and his supremely elegant accompanist, pianist Julius Drake — that will help make this happen’ (Toronto Star, Canada)

‘Gerald Finley, Julius Drake, and Hyperion here give us the best-ever male-voice selection from one of the most astonishing volumes in vocal history … we ordinary citizens have the right to hear the whole Ives songbook, from these artists. So don't stop now, Hyperion’ (Fanfare, USA)

‘Listening to this disc is like walking into the perfect bookshop; with reams and reams of unusual volumes to leaf through at leisure, and no one to disturb you … Finley's singing is communicative, assured and colourful, Drake's playing neat and proper. Absolutely brilliant’ (The Independent on Sunday)

‘This range calls for a voice of great flexibility, which Finley exhibits in singing that at will can be wickedly humorous, touchingly heartfelt or transcendentally awed. Julius Drake is an ever resourceful accompanist, matching Finley's ability to span Ives's breadth from Victorian ballad style to polytonal modernism’ (The Daily Telegraph)

‘Gerald Finley and his accompanist Julius Drake are fully able to convey the expressive range of these songs … Finley brings an refreshing refinement to many of these songs, and always cleans his boots thoroughly after tramping around in the great Ivesian outdoors’ (International Record Review)