Concert St John’s Smith Square (2021)

[Padmachou]

While I know that “Nearer My God to Thee” is not a favorite song for you, I think it would have been better if it had been done acapella rather than with instruments. The recording from 2018 especially when the high note specialist (Luca or Leo) rises above the words “Sun, moon, and stars forgot upward I fly” seems much more pure somehow than the rendition of in concert and on the album. I think this makes a big difference in the effect, at least it does for me because I was completely mesmerized by this song in past concerts.

I feel that this piece is best with some harmony in the bass range. That's the one thing I feel is lacking in the 'a cappella' version. The other version covers the bass range with strings. Strings do change the feel of the piece somewhat, but I would rather have those low strings instead of 'a cappella' with no bass at all. There are a couple strings that are mid-range as well in the recent arrangement, but I think they work just fine.

To be honest, there are many other Libera songs/arrangements that I enjoy more than either of these arrangements. I find the melody to be rather boring, and the only way to really make it interesting is to compose a more unconventional arrangement like the one featuring the BYU men's choir.

Oh yeah this one is interesting ! For anyone who would like to discover it :


To be honest I never notice if there is a musical arrangement or if it is a cappella, what I find mesmerising with pieces like "Nearer my God to Thee", "Silent Night" or "Danny Boy" (the three I can remember), is the way you get to hear the boy's voices and not just as a soloist but harmonizing. It shows how good they are and I am just listening not even daring to breath... It's not the arrangement, it's the vocal performance that pleases me.

(Fun memory : I think it was last concert in Arundel, Rocco had a serie of hiccups during Nearer my God to Thee - if I remember the song correctly but it does seem plausible - and I was very impressed how he managed it, making sure he closed his mouth before the hiccup and still singing parts in between).

Bagatelle?! Such WORDS! And here I thought I was the one proficient with the English language .

This is actually a french word
You seem disappointed with the change in the opening of "Vespera" ? I actually like it better. It sounds more dramatic.

[john45]

Bagatelle?! Such WORDS! And here I thought I was the one proficient with the English language .

This is actually a french word

I remember wasting many hours playing bagatelle at my grandmothers house. Her mother was French.download/file.php?mode=view&id=1121

[bachmahlerfan]

Oh yeah this one is interesting ! For anyone who would like to discover it :


To be honest I never notice if there is a musical arrangement or if it is a cappella, what I find mesmerising with pieces like "Nearer my God to Thee", "Silent Night" or "Danny Boy" (the three I can remember), is the way you get to hear the boy's voices and not just as a soloist but harmonizing. It shows how good they are and I am just listening not even daring to breath... It's not the arrangement, it's the vocal performance that pleases me.

It's a very interesting arrangement, and perhaps too interesting? It feels like an entirely different piece of music at times, but I quite enjoy it anyways. Perhaps Libera's arrangement of "I Saw Three Ships" would be a good example of making a boring piece interesting, without making you feel like you are listening to an entirely different piece of music. I agree that the vocal performance is most important. However, I'm always open to instruments if I feel that they make a positive contribution to the overall sound.

[filiarheni]

Thanks to you all for your nice comments and thanks to everyone for your reviews; I'm now slowly reading them one by one.

One melodic element was modified, seemingly a bagatelle, but it does affect the mood there: It's the change in the Gregorian chant intro from originally being a whole step to a semitone now, which causes a moment of woe. It sits on the word "clementia", which has me wonder if this was a very subtle sign from Robert, a mix of hope and resignation in the face of his illness. It is my very own speculation, but as artists do express themselves in their art, who knows and there must have been a reason for this strange change.

Bagatelle?! Such WORDS! And here I thought I was the one proficient with the English language .

​ No worries, oh please, because of course you will still remain the very one proficient (thank you for that word which was new to me ), since bagatelle, as Padma already stated, is French. In fact, I just wrote it, presuming that it's used in English like it is in German. Only when I was about to submit the review, it suddenly was like "hey, how about a little reassuring?" So I looked it up in the dictionary and it confirmed ... But yesyes, we know the dictionary is not always correct. So ok, with bagatelle I mean "trifle". I hope from the bottom of my heart that I hit it now.

Seeing the posts, the bagatelle very obviously was no bagatelle. Btw, it's also a musical term. So that fits to this forum again.

But yes I did also notice this change. I wonder why?

I wrote my thoughts down; do you have any on that? I think that's really interesting; does the change compared to the earlier version affect the listeners' feelings at that bit? It defnitely does about mine.

[Surpinto]

Bagatelle?! Such WORDS! And here I thought I was the one proficient with the English language .

This is actually a french word

I remember wasting many hours playing bagatelle at my grandmothers house. Her mother was French.download/file.php?mode=view&id=1121

Had to look that up too. Seems like we get to learn something new here every day!

But yes I did also notice this change. I wonder why?

I wrote my thoughts down; do you have any on that? I think that's really interesting; does the change compared to the earlier version affect the listeners' feelings at that bit? It defnitely does about mine.

I actually agree with what you said. It makes it more dark I guess but it's such a slight and subtle change. To sound maybe more plainchant-like?

[filiarheni]

I actually agree with what you said. It makes it more dark I guess but it's such a slight and subtle change. To sound maybe more plainchant-like?

I don't really think so, because in this case I guess that more than only one modification is being made. Did Robert ever change an original he took and change one element, tiny but exposed, of a whole tune? I'm inclined to stick to my initial suspicion that it was meant to be a final sign by a woeful personal "note" here. We'll never know, though.

As for his [Daniel's] memory... well all of the Libera boys deserve great respect for that. They spend many hours at home memorizing their songs, many of which are in a language they don't know or have complex harmonies that have to be sung perfectly. As a result, there are no songbooks at concerts.

I agree with you. And it's indispensable for them to learn it all by heart, as due to their choreographies they can't use sheet music. Which again is even more amazing, as they do not only have to remember the words and their individual voice parts, but also when to move how and where. I think that for me the latter would be the most demanding. It's incredible how they always know which formation belongs to which song and then during the song it can change or not change ... Children do have much better memorising capabilities than us adults, but still it's admirable.

[Luckdragon]

It's incredible how they always know which formation belongs to which song and then during the song it can change or not change ... Children do have much better memorising capabilities than us adults, but still it's admirable.

[filiarheni]

Yeah, I knew they practise blindfolded and always wondered how that goes, so that's a very precious video. Thank you for posting it here! But the most impressive is that they manage to transfer that to different stage conditions at the various venues. Fascinating, isn't it?!

[Luckdragon]

Yeah, I knew they practise blindfolded and always wondered how that goes, so that's a very precious video. Thank you for posting it here! But the most impressive is that they manage to transfer that to different stage conditions at the various venues. Fascinating, isn't it?!

I remember seeing one boy's eyes fill with tears after making a minor mistake in the choreography (I think it was the 2015 Libera in America DVD), so I know they take it very seriously despite their playfulness in the video.

[Padmachou]

Which again is even more amazing, as they do not only have to remember the words and their individual voice parts, but also when to move how and where. I think that for me the latter would be the most demanding. It's incredible how they always know which formation belongs to which song and then during the song it can change or not change ... Children do have much better memorising capabilities than us adults, but still it's admirable.

Ah, it's funny, I would have much more difficulties with "when" should I move At least one boy had the same trouble during the last concert It's like, "yes, I know I have to do that, just tell me when".

I remember seeing one boy's eyes fill with tears after making a minor mistake in the choreography (I think it was the 2015 Libera in America DVD), so I know they take it very seriously despite their playfulness in the video.

Oh no I mean, I'm sure everyone knows it's hard work, and also we do not always notice the mistakes, there is plenty happening on stage and we do not spot everything. Also sometimes it's cute. I remember [a young boy] being very dreamy on stage and once, one of the older boys pushed him gently when he forgot to move. This is more like a precious memory to me, not at all a mistake, it's just part of the Libera experience. Choirs who do not move don't have the same issue... but also it can be boring. I like little 'mistakes" much better than boring.

Edit by Padmachou : I erased the name of the boy, I did not know we were talking about the same one, so I'd rather like him to stay anonymous

[Luckdragon]

Oh no I mean, I'm sure everyone knows it's hard work, and also we do not always notice the mistakes, there is plenty happening on stage and we do not spot everything. Also sometimes it's cute. I remember [a young boy] being very dreamy on stage and once, one of the older boys pushed him gently when he forgot to move. This is more like a precious memory to me, not at all a mistake, it's just part of the Libera experience. Choirs who do not move don't have the same issue... but also it can be boring. I like little 'mistakes" much better than boring.

I wasn't going to name him, but coincidentally, guess who. I think they were lining up by size or something and he got into the wrong position. Everybody thought it was precious except for him, I guess. Poor guy was only 9 at the time.

[Padmachou]

Ah, it did not occur to me that we could be talking about the same concert, I erased the name in my post so that he stays anonymous, so if you'd like to do the same you can edit the part where you quote me. He is a grown man now, but still it clearly made him sad when he was young so I'd rather not give the name. It's time to underline how the kids from Libera always give everything on stage and also before the concert to be able to perform, thank you guys We love everything you do, even when you don't like what you are doing ! We are always proud of you.

[filiarheni]

Poor one. They should never be unforgiving nor even hard with themselves, as no-one else will be, and often the audience doesn't even notice. But of course, no-one wants to be the one to whom it happens.

[filiarheni]

Which again is even more amazing, as they do not only have to remember the words and their individual voice parts, but also when to move how and where. I think that for me the latter would be the most demanding.

Ah, it's funny, I would have much more difficulties with "when" should I move

I meant the entire movement aspects in contrast to learning the words or the voice. Studying the choreography and doing this along the singing would be a very high challenge ... Exactly because the movements sometimes are so subtle like folding the hands, placing the hands on the back and so forth. It's not like a 1:1 relation of a song and a dance; some movements and formations are repeated here and there. How to sort that out from song to song ...

[katyafan]

Nooooo!!!!!! I missed it!


Stupid life, always getting in the way.

Any idea if the concert will be available elsewhere, at another time?