Beyond

[bachmahlerfan]

Bachmahlerfan, you cause me heartbeating with your posts!

I've listened to the teasers, well, I'm always bad at guessing soloists. Could Ave Maria (Vavilov/Caccini) have been sung by ... Alex G.? The voice is a bit breathy. I have also thought about him at Do Not Stand, but I'm in no way sure regarding both songs, as said, I'm bad at this. I leave that to others.

I guess I can't rule out Alex G. for the Ave Maria (especially considering that he seems absent from the other major solos on the album), but the solo part would have to be modified because he can't hit the highest notes. I'm still leaning towards Gabe Collins for "Do Not Stand", because the voice seems too different from what I've heard from Alex, and because he sang it at the Christmas concert.

[filiarheni]

Bachmahlerfan, you cause me heartbeating with your posts!

I've listened to the teasers, well, I'm always bad at guessing soloists. Could Ave Maria (Vavilov/Caccini) have been sung by ... Alex G.? The voice is a bit breathy. I have also thought about him at Do Not Stand, but I'm in no way sure regarding both songs, as said, I'm bad at this. I leave that to others.

I guess I can't rule out Alex G. for the Ave Maria (especially considering that he seems absent from the other major solos on the album), but the solo part would have to be modified because he can't hit the highest notes. I'm still leaning towards Gabe Collins for "Do Not Stand", because the voice seems too different from what I've heard from Alex, and because he sang it at the Christmas concert.

Hi bachmahlerfan, just while you were writing your reply, I was listening to the song again, as I was SO unsure about my guess and then decided that it cannot be Alex G., exactly for that reason with the high notes. So I deleted that part of my above post, but you were too quick and had already quoted me.

I'm sorry for the chaos!

[bachmahlerfan]

Well, I have now heard the longer samples on Itunes as well. "Mother of God" sounds basically the same as the Libera Eternal album, but I can't say for sure that it's the same recording. "Benedictus Deus" on the other hand, is definitely a new recording, because it has a different soloist. As for the Vavilov "Ave Maria", I still can't rule out Alex G., because the sample doesn't get to the part that would surely be out of his range if it's like past versions. I really don't know who the soloist(s) is/are on "Lacrymosa", but my wild guess is Peter Kielty and/or Ben Bywater. The "Salve Regina" soloist has to be Rocco, because it's the same soloist as the one on "In Paradisum". I think Libera fans will enjoy the album for the most part, but a couple tracks may cause some "differences of opinion."

[filiarheni]

There is a duet on Salve Regina, so we have to guess one soloist more ...
Edit: Mistaken at first listen, several voices sing, not a duet.

I've just listened to Mother of God again, it is the old recording and that's ok for me, as I like it.

[Surpinto]

Just to summarize the situation, we currently have audio samples on Amazon, Google Play, and iTunes of the new CD and it looks like we also have the final track list too. I had trouble getting the iTunes link for any country other than the US. I think I may have succeeded in making it a generic link. But, as usual, iTunes has the longest sample tracks so I hope that everyone can access those.

(US Amazon) (UK Amazon) (Google Play) (iTunes)



Follow any one of the links to get the audio samples or to pre-order. If you use Amazon outside the UK or US please do a search for Amazon for "Libera Beyond" as I didn't want to have a million links here for every possible country. It also looks like the Japanese Amazon does not yet have audio samples.

[Surpinto]

Here is the track list.

1. Ave Maria (Caccini)
2. In Paradisum
3. Salve Regina: Based on Schubert ‘Impromptu in G flat'
4. Sanctus: Based on Pachelbel ‘Canon’
5. Ave Maria (Prizeman)
6. Lacrymosa: Based on Saint-Saëns ‘Aquarium’
7. Voca Me
8. The Prayer
9. Do Not Stand At My Grave And Weep
10. Benedictus Deus
11. Mother Of God (Tavener)

Here is my commentary based on the samples.

Ave Maria (Caccini)
New recording. Unknown soloist.

In Paradisum
New recording. We know Rocco is the soloist.

Salve Regina
New recording (to my personal shock!) with a new solo verse. Could it be Rocco again? He did a mini-solo on it on "Hope" so it stands to reason.

Sanctus
New recording and version per the UK and US concerts.

Ave Maria (Prizeman).
We know Merlin is the soloist. Same arrangement as previously recorded.

Lacrymosa
New recording with Latin words replacing the English; in the past the words were half in English and half in Latin. Unknown soloist. I hear more than one soloist here.

Voca Me.
Same version as used on the UK and US concerts. Same melody as the prior versions but different words; again, per recent US and UK concerts.

The Prayer.
Same arrangement as the America album, but it is Daniel on solo.

Do Not Stand At My Grave And Weep.
New recording. Unknown soloist. Sounds like the same arrangement as previous recordings

Benedictus Deus
At first it sounded like it was the same recording as "Hope" but it is not! On the solo parts you can hear a new soloist. I compared side by side (with headphones) to be sure and, unless the mix on the new album is throwing me off, I am certain there is a new soloist here.

Mother Of God (Tavener).
It sounds identical to the version on Eternal, but is it? I hear no differences, but it would seem strange to re-release a version that is 10 years old.

[filiarheni]

There is a new solo recorded on Benedictus Deus, I hear differences at the longer snippets on iTunes, which also contain a part of the solo (that the Amazon snippets don't have). They took choir and arrangement from "Hope" and did the solo voice anew?!

Comparing the two Salve Reginas from "Hope" and "Beyond", that's so similar that I'd agree it's Rocco. It would only be fair, after he started it. Only a bit strange to me to put two songs with the same soloist on an album directly in a row.

[niels]

I pre-ordered my cd now the waiting can begin.

I like the idea that there are a lot of songs in Latin. Can't wait now

[filiarheni]

Benedictus Deus
At first it sounded like it was the same recording as "Hope" but it is not! On the solo parts you can hear a new soloist. I compared side by side (with headphones) to be sure and, unless the mix on the new album is throwing me off, I am certain there is a new soloist here.

There is a new solo recorded on Benedictus Deus, I hear differences at the longer snippets on iTunes, which also contain a part of the solo (that the Amazon snippets don't have). They took choir and arrangement from "Hope" and did the solo voice anew?!

Oops - today I'm always late! Interesting: It's a mix of old and new .

[dani]

I knew Benedictus would be a new recording as it would of been totally redundant to have the same song with the same soloist on the last two albums.

So let’s hope this will now make the next lot of concerts set list as surely with it making the last two albums the team love the song.

Here is me hoping

[dani]

Is Do Not Stand Gabe with a deeper more mature voice?

[kinda_k00l]

Just to summarize the situation, we currently have audio samples on Amazon, Google Play, and iTunes of the new CD and it looks like we also have the final track list too. I had trouble getting the iTunes link for any country other than the US. I think I may have succeeded in making it a generic link. But, as usual, iTunes has the longest sample tracks so I hope that everyone can access those.

Thanks, Surpinto! A piece of good news really is what I need. I do think it can be Rocco on Salve Regina, what an emotional solo part - same as Merlin on Ave Maria (RP), full of emotions. In Paradisum seems to be written especially for Rocco! New Sanctus is totally lovely, this is for sure. The voice of the soloist Ave Maria (C/V) sounds really familiar, but I cannot make it out. Lacrymosa feels a bit strange with the Latin words, but I love the background 'sparkles' in the instrumental (y'all know what I'm talking about). Voca Me's new part will take me some time to get used to I think. I wonder who does the solo in Benedictus Deus, big shoes to fill in...

Is Do Not Stand Gabe with a deeper more mature voice?

I also have this idea - plus there's a part with additional harmony line, if I'm correct? And I like that part!

[filiarheni]

I knew Benedictus would be a new recording as it would of been totally redundant to have the same song with the same soloist on the last two albums.

So let’s hope this will now make the next lot of concerts set list as surely with it making the last two albums the team love the song.

I see it differently; for me a "new" Benedictus Deus is redundant so short after that masterpiece on "Hope". Above all as they only replaced the soloist and all else is left as before. What can be the reason for handling it like this, save money? Somehow I feel sorry now for both of them ...

It's highly demanding to sing live and I do not only mean the soloistic, but very much the choir part as well. However, I hope that you are right with your hope.

Is Do Not Stand Gabe with a deeper more mature voice?

Yes, exactly that came to my mind too. Gabe & Leo for Do Not Stand would be great, that very fine duet from the London concert last year.
This version seems extremely beautiful to me and I'm looking forward a lot to hearing it in full. The voice is clear and has a silvery shine - just like Gabe's voice btw.

Via snippet, I have now also found out what deceived me in Voca Me in the first verse to notice a modification of the older version. They kept the same melody in general, but due to the new Latin lyrics it had to be adapted accordingly in tune and rhythm. The tricky thing is that they also used two voices, prolonged here and split there. So sitting there and listening live, I didn't make it all out.

[andmar]

I've just listened to Mother of God again, it is the old recording and that's ok for me, as I like it.

Mother Of God (Tavener)
It sounds identical to the version on Eternal, but is it? I hear no differences, but it would seem strange to re-release a version that is 10 years old.

I did a quick comparison of the "Beyond" version and the version on "Eternal". First of all, they are different in length. The "Beyond" version is 2:40, while the "Eternal" version is 2:43.

Then I recorded the snippet and (to preserve identical clip acquisition conditions) I recorded the "Eternal" version. Then I compared both audio files in an audio editor. Indeed, the "Beyond" version is a little tiny bit faster. Moreover, the audio "shapes" do not always match.

So, I'm pretty sure (not 100% though), that there is a new recording of "Mother of God" on the "Beyond" CD.

I did a similar comparison for "Benedicuts Deus" too. Well, here the choral parts seem to be identical in the "Beyond" and "Hope" versions. Only a new solo voice is on "Beyond". But why should they do that ? Now, I'm really confused...

[bachmahlerfan]

I did a similar comparison for "Benedicuts Deus" too. Well, here the choral parts seem to be identical in the "Beyond" and "Hope" versions. Only a new solo voice is on "Beyond". But why should they do that ? Now, I'm really confused...

It also sounds that way to me, unless they duplicated the other parts so perfectly that you can't tell. I'm sure the lower voice that joins the soloist is also a new voice. As for the soloist, he sounds different than the soloist on "Voca Me", which makes me think it's not Leo Barron but some other high-note singer such as S-F Collins or Oliver W-R.