New album is called Hope

Talk about Libera CD/DVD

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TygrHawk
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Re: New album is called Hope

Post by TygrHawk »

Thank you Surpinto & Yorkie. I will try to be better about visiting this site more often :oops:
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tom413
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Re: New album is called Hope

Post by tom413 »

Thanks Yorkie and Tygrhawk for your excellent reviews! I decided to save on shipping and buy my copy in Japan. :roll:
Looks like no one has heard the studio version of Wayfaring Stranger yet. I'm really curious how that one turns out.
It has been such a good song in concerts for the past few years, I'm hoping that this rendition lives up to that standard.
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Re: New album is called Hope

Post by bachmahlerfan »

Well, after listening to the Salve Regina a few more times, I've warmed up to it somewhat since my first listen. If I'm not in the mood for "exciting" music and I don't think about the original piano piece, I find myself able to enjoy the music more. In addition, RP's writing for the woodwind instruments is very nicely done.
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john45
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Re: New album is called Hope

Post by john45 »

tom413 wrote: <span title="Tue May 16, 2017 5:14 am">6 years ago</span> Looks like no one has heard the studio version of Wayfaring Stranger yet.
It is on the regular Japanese edition which I have. Alex G does a great job - certainly lives up to the high standard of the previous soloists - to which those who heard him at St. George's and Ely can attest.
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JimmyRiddle
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Re: New album is called Hope

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Will Libera be able to score their first No1 in the UK classical charts when ‘Hope’ is released on 29th May? Their best chance is of course the golden first week, when all pre-orders sales are tallied up with those sold in the week following the ‘official’ release. The two main charts in the UK are; Official UK Top 50 and Classic FM. They are both very similar and use physical, digital downloads, and (Official UK Chart) also online streaming.

From previous history these have been Libera’s best placings;

Peak Pos.2
The Christmas Album (2014)
http://www.classicfm.com/radio/shows-pr ... -2014-5pm/

Peak Pos. 8
The Christmas Album (2011)
http://www.officialcharts.com/charts/cl ... 11113/147/


Peak Pos. 8
Peace (2010)
Official Classical Artist Albums Chart
http://www.officialcharts.com/charts/cl ... 00314/147/

Peak Pos. 19
Angels Sings – Libera in America (2015)
http://www.classicfm.com/radio/shows-pr ... mber-2015/

So as we can see they have never charted higher than 8th in the Official UK Charts, and no higher than 2nd in Classic FM’s. 8th is the best placing in both charts for a non-Christmas album.

The goods news is that two main heavyweights (Classic FM’s Pop goes Classical & The Piano Guys) are being released the week after Libera on 2nd June. Anything sponsored by Classic FM does well, and both albums are charting very high in the pre-sale charts so I’m fairly sure they would have placed above Libera’s album had they been released in the same week. The not so good news is the lack of promotional opportunity for Libera. They will be heavily concentrated and then involved with touring Japan during the weeks around the ‘official’ UK release. This lack of visibility could count against a top 3 spot. That said I’m Hopeful they will beat their highest 8th position for a non-festive album.

US - Libera have announced a release date of 16th June for the US. They have already scored a No1 in the billboard charts for the 2013 Christmas in Ireland album. However at the time this was a sub-category under the ‘Classical Album’ listings, and doesn’t appear to feature on their artist page on Billboard. Therefore 8th again is their highest placing for a non-christmas album; jointly shared by ‘Libera in America’ and ‘Peace’

Edit: Update, naturally the Japanese fans storm Libera to the top of their classical charts... http://www.billboard-japan.com/d_news/detail/51073/2 (if your using Chrome you can translate it into your language by clicking the translate icon near the star (favourite) in the browser link address bar)
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dani
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Re: New album is called Hope

Post by dani »

Does anybody know how many albums they have sold to get to number 1 in Japan ?


We never seem to hear sale figures
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Surpinto
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Re: New album is called Hope

Post by Surpinto »

My CDs arrived and I am overjoyed to finally have the ability to listen and to write a detailed, comprehensive review. :D I have listened to each song multiple times so as to formulate a comprehensive review and analysis of each and here it is.....

Salve Regina
I found this song to be extraordinary, moving, and one of my instant and absolute favorites from any album they have ever made. I do not say this lightly. The descants, the melody, and the arrangement are very moving and beautiful based on the piece by Schubert. The harmonies are well balanced and move the song along like a gentle meditation. Some may not like such a soft and, for lack of a better word, “pretty” classical melody and could prefer something with a bit more edge or dissonance. But songs of this style are definitely an important part of the Libera repertoire and an excellent one at that. The ending with Rocco on solo elevates further this excellent song. This song to me would be the best introduction to Libera for a casual classical music fan that enjoys composers such as Mozart or Schubert. I love the video too. :D

San Damiano
As someone who has only ever heard the versions they recorded in the 1980’s and 1990’s, this was definitely an enjoyable reboot of this song. The arrangement has been redone once before from the original 1980’s album “Sing For Ever” to the first Angel Voices album; mostly with the deletion of the lower adult male voices. This third version also has a few extra flourishes and new parts such as the introduction and transitions; the parts where they sing “sancta maria”. Well done.

Smile
This song does a good job balancing the lower and higher parts. And as much as we were all afraid that this more “pop” song would be unpleasant they have added their unique Libera sound to the song that makes it enjoyable. Gabe and Alessandro do an excellent job in their parts. Having said that, I find that with each listen, I find the song less and less moving as the novelty wears off. This is not said as a dig on the song or its performance, but to point out that this song does not really break new ground for them. It’s enjoyable and I like it well enough, but overall it’s nothing special.

Stabat Mater
When I first listened to it, I did not care much for the piece because it’s a higher register song with a highly noticeable and unwelcome absence of a proper lower range. This would have served to counteract the listener fatigue that one gets listening to music exclusively in that same higher register. Part of the error here appears to be in recording Isaac with a closer microphone and then backing him with strings as it makes everything sound shrill; especially during his solo parts. Since this is how the song begins it in effect ruins the piece for me and makes it hard to enjoy the rest.

Nevertheless, if we needed another demonstration of Isaac’s abilities, this latest, deeper foray into the higher register that we first heard with “Santa”, demonstrates his excellent range and abilities even more so -- fantastic! Although I have not counted, he may now exceed Tom Cully or Ben Crawley for the number of recorded solos on Libera albums. He is certainly one of the best soloists they have ever had! :D

Anyway, this totally original piece by Robert Prizeman has a good melody and is well constructed, but could be so much better if this shrill element was addressed and eliminated. This work has all of the components of a good Libera piece: the harmonies, the excellent soloist, the descants, and the haunting “ancient” melodic style for which Libera is famous. But those very same high parts that make this song what it is are fatiguing even after just one listen and this, I am sorry to say, ruins the song for me. I have every reason to like it but I just can’t. My other complaint is that several times (e.g. 1:45) there is a loud, forward instrumental interruption that I find off-putting; it doesn’t make any sense in the song to my ear.

Dreaming of Home
This is a song that I have never heard before and so, while others opined about how they wished TDL would have been recorded on the solo parts because of his excellent performance on this song in live concerts, I had no such basis for comparison. Camden does a first-rate job on this more challenging solo and his performance is not to be maligned. But the huskiness of his voice does seem somewhat inapt for the song. I noticed this immediately, and then when I recalled the discussions about TDL performing the piece, I could totally imagine his more pure tone, which I have heard both live and recorded, making this song an absolute smash. With that said, the song is excellently done and was a great choice for them.

Angel
As this is a re-release of the same recording we first heard in November 2015 I will not comment beyond the positive things fellow fans and I said at that time about the piece and Isaac’s performance.

From a Distance
This song was a pleasant surprise for me. Although I knew that this was not an original, the performance by the choir and Alex Montoro’s good solo parts make the song feel like it was written just for them. The arrangement makes the song sound somehow sweeter and more pure than the original, which I had never listened to before, but took the time to sample so as to make a proper comparison. The ending (4:20 to end) where the treble voices, the older boys with lower voices, and finally the soloist himself, alternate verses is brilliant and only adds to the purity of the piece in a way that resolves the song without breaking its spell. The positive lyrics calling on us to see beyond petty concerns only add to the enjoyment of the music; and can certainly be said to justify the album name.

Angele Dei
Listening to the song completely bewitches you and holds you on the edge of your seat as you try to grasp for the musical direction that it is going. You wait for the song to resolve or switch to a different theme or melody that never comes, teasing you but captivating you at the same time. I find this song to be the most mysterious on the album, but it is so in a very positive way. And am I hearing themes from “A New Heaven” from the album Free when they sing the word “Illumina”?! :shock: Has this song been in development since that time? :shock: I disbelieve it to be a coincidence that the notes are the same and with the same word. This is a song that is certainly worthy of all of the accolades it received at the recent concerts and certainly a song that would be even more suited to a live show with all of the lighting and stage effects thereof. I can't say that it is an instant favorite for me, where I would listen to it again and again, but it is really good and something I hope to see live.

Benedictus Deus
First released as part of the movie soundtrack "The Great Miracle” (El Gran Milagro) by Mark McKenzie, this extended version is fantastic. TDL does a great job on the solo parts and high notes with that incredible, pure voice of his. The new parts are great and make this song even better than the previous version from the film. As this forum has discussed the song itself I won’t comment further. This piece is excellent.

The Three Ravens
Incongruous with the rest of the album this ancient poem set to music is certainly well performed by Gregor with descants being done by Alex M. I found the music mostly uninspiring at first but then it began to grow on me. Technically and musically there is nothing flawed about the piece, the performance, or the arrangement; and, the Libera team have managed to go in a unique direction with a song that many will likely enjoy not least of all for that very uniqueness. I like that Libera conducts forays into all sorts of musical genres and the song as a standalone is perfectly fine. However, while it is a neat song, it just seems out of place when put side-by-side with the other tracks on the album.

Hymn To Mary
Another beautiful song by Isaac which was discussed and reviewed in detail upon its release in November 2016. I really love this song; so serene and such a great performance. Since this is a prior recording I will defer to the reviews written at that time.

Venite Adoremus
Wow! It’s songs like this that initially interested me in Libera. This original piece has it all: the harmonies, the great balance with the lower voices, perfect instrumentation, and the excellent original score. The song starts out with lower voices on the main theme counterbalanced by high descants, giving the song a mysterious air. Finally the first words “Venite Adoremus” are sung and the song launches into its repeating lyrics but with the whole choir now involved in multi-part harmonies that I still haven’t fully decomposed even after a dozen listens. And did I mention the solo by Merlin? He has such a great tone to his voice and sings his parts exceptionally. As this is his second recorded solo I am hoping that there will be more by him. He has been used a lot more in concerts in recent times but here’s hoping we get more recordings with him. This is an amazing song and one of the best on the album.

Home
Another Muramatsu song arranged for them by Prizeman and that was previously released on a different album. An excellent job by Ciaran; nice song. Not adding anymore as this is not a new recording.

Jupiter
Already released and reviewed prior to this album. I have never been a big fan of this piece but it is well done.

Wayfaring Stranger
We first heard this arrangement of an American folk tune on the “Libera in America” live album featuring Sam Wiggin on solo and it was met with much acclaim. So I was looking forward to this studio recording with a new soloist so that a comparison could be made. I must say that it is neither better nor worse than the original from 2015. The echo and acoustic of the live performance in the Basilica certainly enhances the song in subtle ways but this new, studio recording is a bit cleaner – whether that is an asset or not is debatable. Having said that, Alex Gula does a good job and the song is well performed. I personally prefer the live version better because of the acoustics, but it’s a toss up as the cleaner studio sound brings out a few subtleties of its own – some parts are more present than on the live take. Alex is a worthy successor to Sam and the song is mixed and performed well.





Overall this is an excellent album which is well produced and well performed. The flaws are few and the new pieces are a welcome addition to their repertoire.

If you made it this far, thanks for reading. :D
bachmahlerfan

Re: New album is called Hope

Post by bachmahlerfan »

Surpinto wrote: <span title="Thu May 18, 2017 1:20 am">6 years ago</span> Stabat Mater
When I first listened to it, I did not care much for the piece because it’s a higher register song with a highly noticeable and unwelcome absence of a proper lower range. This would have served to counteract the listener fatigue that one gets listening to music exclusively in that same higher register. Part of the error here appears to be in recording Isaac with a closer microphone and then backing him with strings as it makes everything sound shrill; especially during his solo parts. Since this is how the song begins it in effect ruins the piece for me and makes it hard to enjoy the rest.
I haven't received my CD yet, but I've heard audio samples from the first minute or so featuring Isaac's solo, and I'm not hearing what you're hearing. To my ears, the lower strings are strong enough to balance out the higher instruments and soloist.
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tom413
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Re: New album is called Hope

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Thanks for the detailed review Surpinto. I enjoyed reading it!
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Re: New album is called Hope

Post by andmar »

Thanks for the excellent review Surpinto. It was really a joy reading it. Though I am still waiting for my copy of 'Hope' to be delivered, I couldn't resist reading your review as well as the other ones. Having also heard the music samples I am the more looking forward to hearing the complete CD. Hopefully it arrives next week. :)
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Re: New album is called Hope

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andmar wrote: <span title="Thu May 18, 2017 11:37 am">6 years ago</span> Though I am still waiting for my copy of 'Hope' to be delivered, I couldn't resist reading your review as well as the other ones.
And I do the opposite. Although it is very hard, I have restrained myself so far and haven't read any of the reviews, as I want to listen to it for the first time without any influence in mind. Not even the new samples. Afterwards, I am going to read everything, and it will be very interesting to compare the opinions.

My CD keeps being stuck in the Frankfurt Airport customs (for one week today :evil: ), and I am very, very sure that every singler customs officer down there is listening to it and, after this, refuses to give it away - and who could blame them when it comes to listening to Libera? :mrgreen:

But, it's myyy copy ... :cry: I'm longing for it.
"But in the dark and cold of things there always, always something sings"
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Re: New album is called Hope

Post by andmar »

filiarheni wrote: <span title="Thu May 18, 2017 11:57 am">6 years ago</span>
andmar wrote: <span title="Thu May 18, 2017 11:37 am">6 years ago</span> Though I am still waiting for my copy of 'Hope' to be delivered, I couldn't resist reading your review as well as the other ones.
And I do the opposite. Although it is very hard, I have restrained myself so far and haven't read any of the reviews, as I want to listen to it for the first time without any influence in mind. Not even the new samples. Afterwards, I am going to read everything, and it will be very interesting to compare the opinions.

My CD keeps being stuck in the Frankfurt Airport customs (for one week today :evil: ), and I am very, very sure that every singler customs officer down there is listening to it and, after this, refuses to give it away - and who could blame them when it comes to listening to Libera? :mrgreen:

But, it's myyy copy ... :cry: I'm longing for it.
I wish I could support you in the hard times - abstaining from reading the reviews and waiting for the custom officers to become familiar with the music :wink: must be really hard. I keep my fingers crossed for you, that you will be freed from the tortures very soon.

And yes, I have read the reviews. Well, I couldn't help :? . My eyes didn't want to skip them. Apparently, my will is not as strong as yours.
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filiarheni
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Re: New album is called Hope

Post by filiarheni »

.
andmar wrote: <span title="Thu May 18, 2017 12:16 pm">6 years ago</span> I keep my fingers crossed for you, that you will be freed from the tortures very soon.
Thank you. :) It is hard, it is torture. The name of the CD and I are one. :wink:

In the meantime, I eat a healthy diet by constantly listening to the fine Benedictus Dei. (I allowed myself to hear this song, since it was published in the radio programme beforehand.)
"But in the dark and cold of things there always, always something sings"
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Re: New album is called Hope

Post by Yorkie »

@Surpinto

Thank you for your review - I think!

I thought we were on the same page musically before this but we couldn't be further apart on Salve Regina and Stabet Mater. Shrill :( that nearly made me choke on my tea. Poor Isaac, I hope he doesn't read that :wink:

We're pretty much swapped over on all the other songs too :shock:

If I remember correctly it was Ralph Skan's mum who recommended to RP that they should sing Dreaming of Home after she watched the film.
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JimmyRiddle
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Re: New album is called Hope

Post by JimmyRiddle »

Thanks Surpinto for your review....It will be useful to see if they mirror my thoughts when I hear the album in full.
dani wrote: <span title="Wed May 17, 2017 8:44 pm">6 years ago</span> Does anybody know how many albums they have sold to get to number 1 in Japan ? We never seem to hear sale figures
Not sure about Japan, but sales figures are not available to the general public, it's within the Q&A from UK Official charts website;
[quote]Sales information on releases is also only available to business users, for business purposes - due to confidentiality agreements with the music and video companies, the Official Charts Company cannot supply sensitive sales information to members of the public, even for academic study.

On occasion, we will use this data to celebrate the success of artists within the Official Charts and when reaching performance milestones, in collaboration with the artists, their representatives and our partners, including the BPI, Era, retailers and music companies.

So you're only likely to hear about number of sales when a specific landmark as been passed. Probably why we hear so much about Adele ;)

I noticed that Libera's UK release has been pushed back to 2nd June according to Amazon. I'm not sure if this is just specific to Amazon or includes other vendors. If it does, then the HOPE for a debut No1 has just got a little more tricky with the number of high profile releases that week. Anything above 8th will be progress.
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