This will be terribly long now, and I apologize in advance to all who must read it.
Since I’ve heard about people in this forum who demand long reviews, I felt like a loose moose …
“Hope” for me is the Libera album not of “a million angels”, but of a million harmonies or rather: a million amazing harmonies! It is fascinating, musically extremely interesting CD with a huge range of everything and brilliant performances of all who were involved. Many reasons for goosebumps!
Two things were conspicuous directly at the first hearing:
a) This is Libera’s most symphonic CD, and the orchestra, with its many different sound colours, stands by Libera’s side. It not only supports them, but also has a distinctly own part.
b) Libera is so unique above all due to the special harmonies. But this album seems to me like one big
bathing in them! Only to mention
Venite Adoremus. And
Angele Dei. And
Salve Regina. And … so on. Gorgeous!
Robert had much courage in selecting such a lot of songs with melodies that are very challenging (e. g.
Stabat Mater, Three Ravens, Benedictus Deus) and they have all been greatly mastered! Since I have a special affection for beautiful melodies, this album is perfect for me.
Salve Regina
Usually, I’m no friend of this kind of Libera pieces that are based on classical music.
The Fountain eventually managed it and, after a long time, even
Going Home, too. I always think that if the composer had wanted to have it sung, he would have composed it like this himself. Probably, I’m somewhat puristic.
The greater was my surprise that I immediately agreed with
Salve Regina. Although it is not really that surprising. Schubert was the very composer for singing of all, and you can hear that also in his instrumental compositions. I certainly believe that Schubert would not be turning in his grave because of the conversion into singing, and, without any problems, the order could have been reverse as well: originally a singing composition by Schubert and afterwards a piano version derived from it.
This is a particularly peaceful piece, which once again calms me very well. A prayer, intensely warm and very quiet. When, in the second verse, the deeper voices sing, my heart becomes wide. I find this deep choir sound incredibly beautiful! At the end there is an increase in the music giving me goose bumps. It has not become a favorite piece for me, but I find it quite a beautiful song.
Would I have put it at the beginning of the CD? I do not know, but perhaps Robert’s intention was to make the listener come to rest before listening to all the songs.
Rocco, super soloist! He has a crystal-clear voice and is an outstanding singer, as we experienced in Ely. He would have deserved more solo! Why wasn’t he given a whole stanza? I am eagerly waiting for more songs (recordings) with him, which hopefully will be there!
San Damiano
This song with a new sound I had wished for - here it is. Wider, clearer, more self-assured than the 1992 version. I feel, in fact, motivated with "heart and soul". It is the liveliest piece of the CD. I like the somehow dramatic beginning, but as an introduction to this piece, I don’t find it harmonious: I think, what is coming now, prepare myself for something “heavy”, and then it becomes all harmless. The same music used as an interlude later on is quite different to me: no more strain, but a powerful commitment to Mary instead.
The easy-going San Damiano brings a breather under so many serious or “heavy” pieces of the album. However, it is SO easy-going that it might be precisely because of this that in both versions of the CD it has a position more at the margin.
Smile
Musically not mine. The harmonies create a strange mood in me that I don’t like. The lyrics are very encouraging, even though I do not agree with everything. Now … Libera! They sound very, very beautiful here! Also, I like Gabe’s solo and the duet with Alessandro a lot - this is always a pleasure: when the soloists sing together! Gabe’s voice is very clear. It is the sound of the voices, which will help me not to skip the song so often. All the more, as long as I have no other Gabe song at my disposal. But generally, I hope that they won’t go on singing this kind of music, and hopefully, Libera will give us more songs with Gabe as a soloist.
[I just wanted to say something with “salami” to my son and began to say “salve regina” instead.]
Stabat Mater
This song captured me within seconds! I felt strongly drawn into the music at once and had only one thought: "O God, how beautiful is this song! Robert, what have you
done? "Each time I listen, I sink into this song again. It is filled to the rim with intimate feeling, with an extraordinarily fine, round melody, and then this changing between minor and major key sounds! I love this kind of music. Only the string sound is too sugary to me here and there.
Robert’s setting is a perfect implementation of the text. Distress and grief are fully lived out. It moves me to the core. What touches me most is "cruce" (2:32). The music completely takes me over here.
Isaac's sensitive, painful, vivid (urgent?) and affectionate singing moves me to tears - Isaac, what have
you done? Do you know what you delivered here?
The choir sings particularly emotionally as well. I am deeply impressed by the overall performance of this very serious song.
It is a quiet song, but that makes it clear all the more: Despair is there, but you also know that it can’t be changed and that you have to deal with it. Towards the end, the music suddenly becomes more urgent, it accelerates clearly and gets louder. Here, once more, something rears up and then withdraws and calms down. But Maria's pain remains: "dolorosa" is the last word.
Interesting is a comparison with the
Stabat of 2001, which was one single revelation for me. I feel
Stabat to be a silent, introverted, sympathetic, praying pain (small tone steps make it clear) with a focus on the harmonies, and it seems to me that the pain is more observed and described with sympathy. Somehow, it is obvious that the purpose of the whole situation ultimately was a good one.
Stabat Mater is quiet, too, but at the same time screams with despair, with many sighs, prolongations of central words (like "dolorosa") and big musical intervals. Robert has put everything into the melody. Mary herself seems to talk about her suffering, and at the same time I share it directly with her, I feel her pain.
Stabat - heart-softening;
Stabat Mater - heartbreaking. I am at the mercy at both of them. Robert knows extremely well how to handle Stabat Mater words!
This is the song of the CD that speaks to me most strongly.
I’m Dreaming of Home
The piece triggers an immediate longing for a Libera concert in me! Every time I am reminded of the atmosphere in the Ely concert, and during Libera’s days in Japan, as I hereby confess, I felt kind of envious of the concertgoers over there. Although at first, I had thought I might be tired of the song soon. But at the moment, I can’t imagine it. The music is so beautiful, this streaming sound of the choir! When listening, I really feel that "Sound of rivers singing, a song flows through me now, my heart opens wide". After the song, I always feel even-tempered and contented, even if the words look different: The peace you long for is not yet there. But hope exists. The whole music seems to tell a story. It is becoming ever more intense, and in this song, too, the music gets faster towards the end: I want nothing but peace.
Unfortunately, Camden's voice sounds somewhat shrill at one bit in this song which is so soft song. He is
notto blame for this - what did the technicians do here?
I listened to the song on various devices with and without headphones, and it is more or less always there. Camden has such a great voice! It sounds like a ray of sunlight and on the other hand it is like a light, pleasant wind blowing. And it sounds very adult (how old is he actually?). He is so sensitive at 2:14. The seamless changeover between him and the choir from there is a mere delight, and then that mentioned sound at 2:53, too sudden too loud, and Camden's singing steps out of the song here. This doesn’t do justice to him!
It’s very short, yet affecting enough. A shame and so unnecessary that it has not been balanced properly.
However, overall the song makes me go weak at my knees.
Angel
The music is comfortable, and I do like the dreamy mood, but it isn’t able to keep up my interest after a while. Somehow, I find it “too” nice. On the other hand, I am very pleased with the trusting text as well as with Isaac's singing. It sounds so effortless! The voice is gentle and light, but never weak. His way of singing
Angel requires protection, which fits perfectly with the text. Everything is in harmony.
From A Distance
Regarding the words, I had only known the refrain before. I always thought of it as comforting: God watches us, he may be far away, but he surely is there for us. However, since I know the whole text, I wonder whether it could also be interpreted as a warning. Go on well with each other, for you are seen. Perhaps, I’ll find an answer in your reviews. If not, I would like to ask here and now, because this is very interesting for me. I don’t know if it is only a matter of language. Can the meaning of “watch” be the same as “look after, take care”? For in German, this does not apply, “watch” is neutral there.
In any case, this is an idealistic, longing text full of hope, which I, to be honest, haven’t yet fully understood. In terms of the music, the song sounds especially engaged with an intensive increase in the middle part that gets under my skin! The extended repetition of "God is watching us" shows the focus. Very successful arrangement of Sam Coates!
And at this point, I would like to pay a compliment to all singers that there are no sentimental “curves” at all on the CD, as it was with
Eternal Light: This is a beautiful song, but those curves are horrible.
Angele Dei
Aaaahhh! Harmonies, harmonies, harmonies - this song seems like overall rays of light! A totally composed "illumina”!
At the beginning, the introduction seems to tell me something. Then I'm on my way and I know I'm heading for something brighter. It is not the now that is important, but that what lies ahead. Then, suddenly, a radiant light that includes every corner. And I am standing still and full of amazement and awe in the middle of this light, I am part of it.
A breathtaking song with mystic harmonies all over the room and a great solo by Alex M., whose voice is rather mystic here, too. As a live performance, it is unbeatable, no recording can ever be the same. In fact, at the first hearing of the CD, I was disappointed. Luckily, this feeling went away; however, the song does belong to the concert situation, where it can only unfold its full effect: these enormous sounds, which enfold you and soar upwards. A cathedral is the ideal place for this song. I can’t imagine it half as impressive in a concert hall.
I like the unusual text distribution at "of my life with me" after the normal "Ever this night be at my side". That attracts my attention.
Musically, I assign
Angele Dei to the category of
Beata Lux. I would like a revisiting of this song with drastically reduced drums. But now we have
Angele Dei.
And that may please remain in the concert program for a very long time.
Benedictus Deus
Splendid and sparkling! A feast for the ears. I had liked the teaser snippet very much, and what a gift that it belonged to this song! Together with
Three Ravens, it is the musically most complex song, but in contrast,
Benedictus Deus is full of joy. Compared with the short former version, this is a real opus now. Mark McKenzie has pulled out all the stops with this extension. It is the chord at 1:19 ("Gloria "
in) that indicates that the song continues. With this chord, I feel a physical weakness in myself. I enjoy this feeling, and it echoes for a while.
The central point for me is the “Gloria” bit from 1:56 onwards. Only a few days ago, I became aware that every time, shortly before this bit, my hearts starts beating stronger from a pleasant anticipation of what is coming in a moment. This happens very, very seldom to me. Looking forward to musical bits, yes, of course. But almost never with heart palpitation.
When the “Gloria” bit comes, I pleasantly feel like having given away all control. I’m slowly lifted up, float away, more and more into the height, wow! Until reality brings me back to the ground (I’ve just realized that the melody steps downwards here, too
), but down there, it is also fine.
Very good setting of the Gloria statement, by the way.
I like the text distribution of "deo" at 2:04, and it took me several repetitions in listening until I could sing the word correctly. The quiet end of the song is like a long breathing out: the calm after the partly stormy feelings before.
Do you also hear this special kind of sound of single notes? For example at 0:30 "BeneDIctus", 0:41 "NOmen", 0:43 "Je-e-E-esus)? This sounds like a glow. I like it very much, it sounds like an additional lighting up.
How I’d love to see the marvelous
Benedictus Dei live one day! But it will be difficult, because this song requires an exquisite soloist like Thomas Delgado-Little who did an 1A job here. The next boy to sing it is going to inherit a huge challenge.
Three Ravens
Gregor's masterpiece! Magnificent, magically attractive piece with a scary content – it’s a ballad, isn’t it.
Dramatic, morbid, stirring, gripping, overwhelming. Here, all musical possibilities were sounded out. Text and music form a unity, the orchestra reflects the events.
The arrangement is, with some changes in the instrumentation, that of John Harle's original version of the song, just adapted to a choir. Already with the first flickering sounds, a sense of threat creeps over you. Then very quickly, the (supposed saxophone) runs begin, imitating the nervous flapping of the hungry ravens, who don’t achieve their goal and therefore cannot calm down.
I love the moving rhythm of the stanzas, it pulls me right with it. After the 4th stanza, there is a roaring interlude, in which the already high excitement increases once again. Pure adrenalin! The tension simply does not decline, there is no relief in the whole piece, not even at the end. That sharp screams (e. g. 4:53) - that's Alexander, right? The atmosphere remains eerie. Finally an exceedingly long ending tone, which gives you the time to adjust your pulse beat again.
Gregor,
Three Ravens is your true work of art! The sound of Gregor’s voice is as beautiful as never before when I heard him, and his expression is just perfect. That consternation in his voice in the 4th stanza from "She got him up ..." – his voice nearly falls over itself! In the next "down, derry" I can almost see him singing with horrified widened eyes. And the last "down" here is sung in a way that I’m not able to describe.
The melody has violent jumps, then those many dissonances - a challenge to all singers, and they did very well. A fantastic piece whose attraction I can’t escape! Turn it up
loud …
Live, it must be gigantic.
Three Ravens has been very special to me all the time, since I was kept so busy with it last year. I was eagerly waiting for the result and now I’m very pleased. I’m also very happy that it obviously is very well received. It is, of course, something entirely different from anything else Libera has sung so far. But why shouldn’t they go on an excursion now and then as long as they come back?
Transition from Three Ravens to Hymn to Mary
This is worth an own point, because putting the order like this is simply brilliant Even better than
Angel on the international CD, because it totally goes from one extreme to the other.
Hymn to Mary brings exactly the rest that is so urgently needed after the uproar before:
Fear and horror - security and tranquility. Choir and several soloists - complete solo. Maximum orchestra with its own role – very restrained accompaniment. Extroverted - introverted. Very dissonant - very consonant. Threatening - friendly. Whipping melody - gentle melody. All is terrible – all is fine. Like a nightmare - like a good night song. With
Hymn to Mary, you can recover.
Hymn to Mary
This is a lovely song that - even though the choir is completely excluded this time – I like very much, which is exactly because of its simplicity and, also resulting from that, gentleness: just a fine melody and a fine accompaniment. It is soft and unobtrusive and makes me feel just comfortable. If I couldn’t sleep I wish that someone would sing this song to me. An ideal song for Isaac with his so friendly voice. He sings in a fully balanced manner, and this is immediately transmitted to me.
Again, something appealing in one word: Singing "run" in the 2nd stanza, Isaac obviously runs out of air, and with this, he sings this "run" particularly irresistibly. And at "my" a bit through the nose. These small charming things in the songs!
Venite Adoremus
Really
wonderful, Gregorian-influenced song and in every respect Libera-typical! The introduction is an overabundance of sound! Just stunning! Exceptionally long and a unique play with sounds, an ever-increasing interweaving of voices and harmonies. I don’t know where this comes from, but I have an underwater vision, where the long stalks of aquatic plants move easily back and forth in the current. Another picture I get is monks in a medieval monastery. They appear, move through the corridors, meet, go through each other like ghosts and disappear again, and they become more and more. Then the “Venite” begins with a full, streaming choir sound, and I have the feeling of stepping out of the old masonry into the warm sunshine, and the subliminal uncanny is banished.
Merlin's clear vocals fit very well into the character of this song, and the strong reverberation also adds its own. Now who sings the vocalises? There is a very successful change from soloist to soloist at 3:32, and I would have liked to make a compliment here by name. Outside the rather “down-to-earth” (?) Gregorian/choral part a spherical, floating song. It breathes deep and I feel calm and serene.
Home
The song where Muramatsu stole from himself too clearly ... This was the snippet of which I thought it was Angel. And promptly, this picture has been fixed in me, and I do not get rid of anymore (well … I make no effort in this direction.) At "spreading its light …" I believed it was the angel who spreads his light over the sky. .
Don’t you think this idea is beautiful enough to keep it? But of course I also accept that the new day does the same ...
I like
Home better than
Angel, because it is less predictable, and I enjoy Ciaran's gentle singing, he has a very good voice as well. The choir sounds cautious, softly rocking at "Not a bird ...". As if they would protect this bird. Then the sound increases to the most touching lyrics, which are, by the way, great and fit perfectly to the worries of now, especially:
„In our mourning can we hold together? / How can we face a future all alone? / For the hope we hold amid the crying / is the dream we find a way back home.”
Extra bonus to Robert! Very consoling words; also sad, yes, but above all, filled with hope. It is absolutely right to let both album versions end with
Home!
Jupiter
Let's leave that text aside and focus exclusively on the music. I like all three versions of this piece, and
Jupiter is suitable ice-skating music in a wide hall. Solemn and well orchestrated, even with organ sound and gong. I like Isaac singing in Japanese, even if I don’t understand anything. And Taichi solo could never have been omitted, of course.
Can anyone transcribe the words? I’d love to be able to read them.
Choir
The frequent use of the lower register suits me very well! Radiant sound of the high register is an absolute pleasure, but the warm, calm sending sound of the lower one is equally loved by me.
And otherwise? Libera is Libera, with their so wonderfully pure singing and their clear, beautiful wonderful choir sound, which can make me take pleasure even in the songs I like less.
I simply cannot grasp how Robert always brings the best out of these children, not only technically, but above all, in terms of expression.
My deep admiration and respect, Libera, and again and again thank you so much, Robert!
I leave it at that – because referring to Libera I ran out of superlatives already a long time ago!
Soloists
I just love this colorful mix - so many different soloists on one CD! I always prefer musical variety, especially with the Libera soloists. Accordingly, I feel very well served by "Hope". And I won’t make any sort of ranking among the soloists, because they are all good.
I only want to write a small tribute to Isaac, because I admire his special versatility and expression. He sings, for example,
Stabat Mater in an entirely different way from
Hymn To Mary, as it should be with such different songs, but you have to be capable to do it! Basically, his voice is light as a feather, gentle, it is like a smile. The friendliness in his voice is its main feature, in my opinion. But it can also be so haunting, sad and longing. And yet he is still -
- such a rascal. He reminds me of Tom Cully: rascal, too, and both pert and fooling around, but at the same time both of them take the music so seriously, with all their devotion and are capable of deeply felt interpretations; they are both very musical. That touches me a lot. I have a great weakness for this combination.
Here, Isaac convinces me without any restriction. He can be very satisfied with his treble life. He made the most of his voice.
Title "Hope"
It certainly hits the nerve of the times, and there are definitely a whole series of songs on the CD that will put the theme into practice. Therefore, the title is fully justified. In my opinion, not each individual song of a CD has to subordinate to its title. But even in
Three Ravens something positive can be found, if you want (friendship, faithfulness)..
Cover
The DVD/C and the international CD cover illustrate the title "Hope" in a completely different way. The softer Japanese version, somewhat dreamy due to the pastel colour, is the one I like better, also because of the more hidden symbolism. The rising seeds express hope for life, new beginning, and everything aims at one higher goal there. The other cover is completely different, sharper and more direct: a boat with three persons (numeric symbolism, trinity) drives through the stormy sea to a great light, everything in this picture also aims upwards. The journey of life in a suitable Christian way. And its colours are so reserved, not to say: boring, that it does not distract you from the statement. And that is good.
Booklet (CD/DVD version)
Finally, a lot of criticism!
At first the positive: The lyrics are contained. This is normal, but it should remain that way, so I mention it. But carelessly made. I don’t care for typing errors, but I don’t like the disunity of presenting the lyrics. The selective, partly incorrect translation of the Latin. In addition, I would have wished for a transcription of the Japanese verses of
Jupiter.
All this is not really important. However, the following is: Why they didn’t list all singers who were involved, but only the current line-up? Also, the accompanying soloists, I say that again with all emphasis, always deserve to be mentioned. In fact, this has improved with his booklet: Alessandro and Alex M. appear at
Smile and
Three Ravens. Good! And right! But who is the complementary voice to Thomas Delgado-Little? And, the everlasting question, who are the singers of the vocalises?
An indication of the year of recording each song would also have been an interesting info.
Concerning the "user friendliness"; I find the “here and there” annoying. All relevant information like title, composer, writer, arranger, soloist are distributed over the back of the CD and the booklet, they are all provided, but you never have it all at a glance. I’m permanently scrolling back and forth in search of the details, and this bugs me.
Happy ending
A completely successful CD full of fantastic music! The selection of songs is excellent - a CD that is balanced in every respect: in style, in dynamics, in solos, etc. Mystical Libera songs, classical, folk etc., all united – I find it great!
My favourite songs are (in alphabetical order, as I can’t pick a top one):
Angele Dei, Benedictus Deus, Hymn To Mary, Stabat Mater, Three Ravens
And what about the other Libera songs now? It’s quite clear: Not a single song has lost its previous place.
Voca Me has remained my favourite song of all. Still, nothing can compete with this very song. For me, it stays unique. Otherwise, only a few shifts have taken place, because "Hope" fortunately, has added a number of new favourites. In fact, I listened to "Hope" for a few days exclusively, but soon, I felt a very strong desire for listening also to the other songs again. At the moment, I listen to "Hope" predominantly, but not only.
With this album, Robert Prizeman and the choir have developed further
and have remained true to themselves at the same time. In my opinion, this is the best thing that could have happened to us. I am very happy with this CD.
Rejoice, I have finished. And now I'm going on a long, long holiday (how nice that would be ...) to read everything, from the speculations about the second teaser up to the most recent review. I'm enormously curious and really looking forward to find out all about
your discoveries! Something that feels very nice to me is the thought that we all listen to the same CD most of the time in these weeks and how much we all enjoy it. This is also a sense of togetherness which I appreciate very much.