I do not know Maartendas, sorry.
Yorkie, I might have switched the boys, right. I can't tell you anymore
Here comes my review, as usual you will have to forgive my poor translation.
Hi everyone
Sorry this review comes a bit late, but like I told before, I want to London with my grandma and we took 3 days to visit, after Arundel. We also were very lucky to discover Arundel and especially the castle (thank you very much Yorkie for driving us from the Inn, you saved us and saved us time too !). The weather was beautiful and we enjoyed the castle's gardens. From where, we were the ones reporting hearing Joyful Joyful coming out of the cathedral
Don't those Libera boys sing strongly ?
We then had to climb the hill up to the cathedral, where we met all the usual fans, eavesdropping, which in french is said "listening through doors" ! My grandma sat sunbathing, so I stayed with her most of the time and was nearly free of spoilers when entering the cathedral !
As soon as we entered, and after we got or signed programs of course, I noticed this would be the first time I was to attend a concert in day light (I reckon it was day in Ely last year but it rained !). It is a bit strange and probably stressfull for the boys who can see us very well.
We were unfortunatelly seated behind the pillar (which was not mentionned when I booked !), but fortunatelly Filiarheni had missing neighbours, and we were kindly invited to sit with her, so we had a perfect sight. Thank you so much to all Libera fans to be so lovely ! <3
It was the first time my grandma ever saw Libera. During the afternoon she asked to hear a bit of the choir to know what she was going to attend, so I made her listen to "Angel", Isaac's solo from Osaka live. She enjoyed it and asked me a lot of questions about the boys, rehearsals, etc. So I told her pretty much every thing you need to know about Libera. Patrick kindly came to talk to her in french (since she does not speak english apart from "Hello" and "thank you") before the concert and gave her a bit more information. In the end she knew enough so that the speeches would not be a missing part of the concert for her. By the way, do not expect me to tell you anything about thoses speeches, I never remember when they occur, who talks and that kind of things
As a musician (a violonist), my grandma took interest in the little orchestra accompagnying Libera, she even went to see the instruments closely during the entracte. I was surprised no one asked her to keep distance for security
In the end, though, she professed she would have liked to hear less instruments and the voices a bit more, like maybe a cappella sometimes.
The concert started with
Veni Creator Spiritus, which did not struck me despite being perfectly performed. I mean that I did not find it a very good introduction in comparison with Mysterium for exemple. The boys were far away, and it wasn't very mysterious, just not on stage somehow. I have to confess I am not into gregorian music, though.
Right after that, all the boys entered stage, and the mini-boys stood too, for
Orinoco Flow. Now that was an entrance ! My grandma was overwhelmed with the arrangement and the staging. I really like that choregraphy, there are two lines standing in the middle and one line on each side. They turn sometimes, and when they sing "
Sail away" they all walk to the front end, and then back (which I'm impressed by, as I wouldn't walk two steps back without falling or tempering with someone else
).
Then came
Sanctus, Beyon arr., with Samuel-F on the very high notes, very beautiful. I find him at his best when he is supporting the choir.
First surprise :
Angele Dei is back ! With Dominik as a soloist. I was a bit sad that he did not got to perform I am the day, but have to admit these two songs are as good as any song could be. His voice is very different from Rocco's, but yet very powerfull, I had goosebump. I hope there will be a record or a live capture of this performance.
Daniel then took over his old role in
The Prayer. Nothing special to say, he still is that good, this piece suits him, he is calm and humble like the lyrics... I have to say when the choir vocalises all together, I felt my heart bumping hard.
Next surprise :
Salve Regina, live, at last ! But as Rocco now is a big boy, Tadhg did the solo. A very nice interpretation, his voice fits the song. I expect he will grow in confidence during the US tour, he seemed a bit nervous and happy to be done, then again I've been told his whole family was there so nothing but normal ! Well done Tadhg !
From a Distance is now a classic during concerts, but without Merlin now (the boy was in the audience). Victor stepped in his boots, and I have to say I might have not even noticed, it sounded as if Victor had sang this his all life... but maybe he did, in the shower
I say Victor and Daniel are the pillars or the current group, able to take over any challenge. With Dominik and Oliver W-R of course.
Stay With Me have been a great surprise to me ! Some might have heard me complaining about that song, or read previous reviews. Well, Oliver made a great concert all along ! He grew in confidence, his voice is fluid and soft. Samuel-F did the high notes, and gave all night the best he could. Not a night to rest for him : he took the leader spot that Leo left, and scarcely could rest, really. So, I can easily forgive some blunders, and his voice has a cristal tone I envy
Then came
Angel, a good surprise for my grandma as she heard it during the afternoon. Daniel is waterthight ! Absolut control of his voice. Everything seems easy, it must be, right ?
Voca Me was powerful, lights adding to it in my opinion, bright white. The choir really sounded as one. Samuel-F missed a vocalise, maybe he could not see RP properly as mentionned before. Most of the people won't have noticed, though. The boys on stage did notice, and eyed each other with little smiles
Like I said before, busy night for Samuel, so kudos !
First half of the concert ended with
Joyful joyful, with particularly smily boys. I was just in front of little Hal, 6 years old, and I can tell you that when he knows his lyrics his voice is powerful and I could clearly hear it from my spot. Being so little and young that is something ! But... I can also tell you that when he doesn't know the lyrics, he mumbles, pretending he does
In french we say "do yogurt". Well, Joyful joyful is a huge piece of yogurt
- ENTRACTE –
Second half started again with
How Shall I Sing That Majesty, Dominik singing the solo. Unfortunately I can't tell you much about it, my grandma was sort of lost and needed information so I do not remember the song really. But I am happy the song is back on the concert setlist.
Wonderful World was sang by Victor, huge smile on his face, and that song is very easy to sing too, if you believe it ? Maybe I should not
In Paradisum was maybe the best that night, with Oliver W-R doing the solo. I recall his voice being soft and warm, but here it was sharp and bright ! An absolute YES for this performance. Do you think the song might make it to the Christmas album, or is it to far from the christmas theme ?
How Great Thou Art used to be Oliver W-R's, so I was a bit disappointed not to hear it, I liked it so much. But I was also very happy to hear Mathias on his own (Libera is just too much emotions, guys ! Sad and happy at the same time !
). He was very involved and it was perfect.
Always with you was next. I heard a rumour about it and I had a hint that Oliver M would be the soloist, great knews it turned to be ! One of the best of the concert too ! Oliver was supported by no other than Luca Brugnoli... the boy was on stage for the first time (after being mini-boys for 2 concerts), being a soloist and wearing a microphone. He clearly was the second to Samuel-F on the high notes. Incredible pure and very steady voice, he made me think of Thomas DL. I hope the song will stay and get recorded, it's been a while since Tom Cully's one.
Amazing Grace meant a little surprise, as we did not know who would be soloist. The boys, around ten of them, kneeling in the middle as usually, and Tadhg and Cassius were at the far end. Which one would sing the solo part ? Well, it was Cassius. A wonderful childish still voice, very soft. That kid smiles a lot ! Thank you Cassius for this very sincere solo.
Libera rang in the church. Not a surprise... except, it was Tadhg and Neo singing the solos ! Neo had an amazing night, he seemed so happy to be performing I couldn't help but smile back. By the way, he had a microphone and for most of the songs, stood between Luca and Samuel-F who did the high notes. But often, I could see his mumble lyrics when the other two did vocalise, so I do not know exactly what was his role. But a major one I say, and hopefully we will hear Neo more in the future.
Poor Little Jesus was a strange moment for me. I did not know the song before, and I liked it, especially the part when Luca did a solo, talented boy (then again, aren't all Libera boys ?). But after the concert I could not remember anything from the melody, and so I've been heard saying to Yorkie that I wasn't impressed. Sorry. Really sorry.
I listened to the song since, and it is a very complex wonderful melody ! So, I decided it MUST be recorded on the Christmas album, and MUST also be sang for Christmas, with candlelight, please. Thank you very much.
I know
Exultate did not make everyone happy as some can't bare it anymore. But I have to say I enjoyed this arrangement a lot. The first verse wasn't a solo, but was sang by half of the boys, answered by the second half with the second verse. Then they all sang together, except for the dramatic part "we hear a distant music" which was sang by Oliver W-R and Samuel-F, one of them singing the lyrics, the other one vocalises. Their voices fitted together.
The encore was
Smile, are you surprise ? That is an other really easy solo by Victor, why don't they give Victor something challenging ?
I mean, it must be easy, it has to. Victor is Libera's smile, please I want him in the group forever ! Alex G's soft (great) voice was discreet but a highlight to the melancholy of that song that has grown onto me.
A last word about the newbies, which I saw perfectly, all seven of them. I didn't take pictures myself, but if you see one, I can tell you that the 3rd one starting from the left and the 4rth one, sometimes the 6th too, knew all of the lyrics by heart, I can't say if they sang (were allowed to !) or just mumbled though. Hal is a mischievious boy like Cassius, and can't stay still just like Nick (even danced a bit) ! I hope this funny guy will have a carrieer with Libera, I say he was born a musician.
