Libera Dreams

Thanks for drawing our attention to the latest video from the superb Escolania de Montserrat boychoir in northeastern Spain's Catalonia region (or Catalunya as they say in the Catalan language). This is a wonderful choir that deserves a lot more international recognition. I follow them on Twitter but unfortunately they seem to tweet only in Catalan, which isn't very useful for communicating to audiences in other parts of the world.

Thought only Libera could tackle Bach's Air on a G string? This Dutch 11-year-old pulls it off, with some help of his peers and taking the words of the 'Agnus Dei' as lyrics, at a Dutch talent show from 2015:

My first introduction to the treble voice-- Mark Donnelly, backed by the High Park Girl's Choir in "Hallelujah Handel".
I spent many happy hours listening to this on cassette, crying at the sad parts. I can't find any other recordings by Mark, which is a real shame since he has a lovely voice.

Just happened upon this one from the Minnesota Boys Choir, and found it to be very moving.

It's evidently a tradition where they sing their version of May the Road Rise Up to Meet You as their last song, but the director gives a hug and thanks to the singers who are having their last concert. The rest of the group gets a chance to give the outgoing members applause also.

This might not work for Libera, since they are a smaller group and don't have as many leaving all the time. But I did feel that it was a creative and touching way to publicly share the bonds that have been made. The sacrifice and hard work gets noticed by everyone, and the fans get to have an 'official' goodbye without them just disappearing.

Merry Christmas everyone!

The Wiltener Sängerknaben (Wilten Boys Choir) are an outstanding boys choir from Austria. Their CD 'Laudate Dominum' is a great collection of lesser known songs and showcase material. One of their strengths is their range of great soloists and the style in which they sing - their sound seems to be produced higher in the head or in the throat which gives a wonderful depth and shine to the voices. Here is an excellent example:



The names of the soloists are never given, so we can only guess. The picture is a random one from the CD booklet.

They're quite good. Apparently they do theater also?

They appear in opera, yes. For instance as the three boys in Mozart's The Magic Flute.

To be honest it was apparent that they were trained for opera by the way he sang and that's why I didn't much care for it. Leave opera to the adult Sopranos.

OTOH adult sopranos attempting to sing children's parts in operas, such as the three boys in The Magic Flute or the title roles in Hansel and Gretel always sound wrong. I'd much rather hear those roles sung by age appropriate sopranos.

TullyBascombe wrote:OTOH adult sopranos attempting to sing children's parts in operas, such as the three boys in The Magic Flute or the title roles in Hansel and Gretel always sound wrong. I'd much rather hear those roles sung by age appropriate sopranos.

It sounds like we are (for maybe the first time ever ) in agreement then. Opera is the problem and nobody should sing it

Yorkie wrote: It sounds like we are (for maybe the first time ever ) in agreement then. Opera is the problem and nobody should sing it

Do you like musicals then? I saw the Artful Dodger played by a woman once, which was kinda sad.

j8000 wrote:

Yorkie wrote: It sounds like we are (for maybe the first time ever ) in agreement then. Opera is the problem and nobody should sing it

Do you like musicals then? I saw the Artful Dodger played by a woman once, which was kinda sad.

I like some musicals but not necessarily all. There is only one Dodger.

Yorkie wrote:. Opera is the problem and nobody should sing it

Because it's only for toffs. Right? Don't knock it until you've tried it - and I don't mean on YouTube.

Mark Twain is credited with saying, "I have attended operas, whenever I could not help it, for fourteen years now; I am sure I know of no agony comparable to the listening to an unfamiliar opera... that sort of intense but incoherent noise which always so reminds me of the time the orphan asylum burned down."

Of course Twain never had to listen to rap music!