Summer Concerts 2022 - Brighton & Chichester

[Celtic]

Maybe I’m alone with this, but I’d prefer another, “less important” song to start off the concert. To defer the best for a little while, so that the anticipation can stay with me (Surpinto and Celtic: NO! ) longer.

*slowly and reluctantly closes his book of puns and puts it sadly back on the shelf*

Let Me Make Songs
This song would make the better opener, I think, a strong announcement of what is to come with its energetic, emotional music, reinforced in particular by the haunting sound of the French horn.

I was thinking about the opener, and I wondered whether Lux Aeterna might make the better concert opener, especially with that procession on to the stage? But perhaps a stronger more lively opener would be better, especially for those kept awake by seagulls the night before.

Lighthouse
Later it went into the Latin jazz area even more, a musical style I love very much for that mentioned relax it brings.

I think that's probably why I didn't enjoy it as much, that's not a musical style that has ever appealed to me much.

If
in an earlier review I interpreted as human heartbeat. While in the first verse this was still quite discreet, it urged into the foreground in the second verse, incessantly marking the beat on the way through the song or – through life. From my seat I heard it mainly being played by the piano. It was very stirring and left a huge echo in me, and I understood it as an encouragement to use our lives for what is really important: love, kindness, care.

what a fantastic way to interpret the song.

Libera
Another all-time favourite of mine. Stunning lighting which reached far behind the choir screen and gave the song a great depth.

The lighting was fantastic in Chichester, it just seemed to reach past the screen on occasion and completely grab your attention.

Orinoco
I have a high stack of song suggestions available to fill the place of Orinoco. ;P

Awwww, no, you have to leave it in! Especially for a concert near the coast (or a river (or a lake!(or a pond!!!)))

Sacris Solemnis
Freddie has that very own singing style, which for me sometimes could be a bit less.

From my perspective I would like more! I really like his style. He was stood directly in front of me in March singing "Ich folge dir gleichfalls" and listening to his voice un-miked was an absolute joy.

Daniel sang a sensitive solo. The most important job in this song however is done by the choir, because their accompaniment is so versatile, interesting and uplifting.

I think when I have a soloist I really like singing I have a tendency to forget the contributions of the other singers to an extent. You are of course entirely correct in your assessment!

The aesthetics of lighting

I’d like to use Come My Way to compliment Luke Avery on his terrific lighting in Chichester! It was fine in Brighton’s church as well, but as a Cathedral, Chichester possesses that beautiful choir screen (jube? jubé?), whose bows, constructed in two rows, form the ideal scenery to create amazing images. Such architecture allows the light not only to draw pretty images, but, more important, widen the sense of room into the back and thus also widen the songs’ meanings in a particularly perceptible way. Normally appreciating, but still neglecting the lighting much in favour of the music, I was all awe this time. Here and there the lighting even caused tactile sensations, because, when the bows for instance were rose-coloured with a white frame, I almost tasted raspberry-vanilla ice-cream or an artfully manufactured cake.

What an amazing way to describe the lighting!

The lighting did occasionally catch my attention in Brighton, but it was in Chichester that it really came to life. With the concert set in front of the choir screen/rood screen/jubé in such a narrow nave there was a real feeling of intimacy in the Chichester concert, but what the lighting did was to bring those other spaces back in. Like being wrapped in a Libera cocoon and seeing the colours and shapes of the wider world through the silk of their songs.

Smile gave me one the most precious moments of the concerts: Victor, whose signature song it always had been and we all know why, stood in the front together with Mitchel, a newbie.

Edit: *puts his hand up* Miss! Miss Filiarheni! I know! I know why!

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2022-07-30 - Libera Chichester (96).jpg (322.19 KiB) Viewed 5174 times

2022-07-30 - Libera Chichester (96).jpg (322.19 KiB) Viewed 5174 times

It's because he has a wonderful smile!

Victor started the song just as usual, but after the first section Mitchel suddenly continued and Victor joined again later for the duet’s second voice. It was practically a long-established soloist handing over a responsibility to the next generation. Such a charming idea! The way this was executed touched me a lot.
Mitchel is an astounding soloist. He was very good, and he did smile. His singing style gave the piece an own character already, quite interesting and pleasant to listen to. His voice is clear and distinct.
Especially in Chichester I loved watching him sing, because he looked so relaxed, in dreams, fully content! I imagine that he had received plenty of deserved compliments, and so he could let himself just fall into the music and enjoy. What a feeling this must be!
After the lively Sing which caused frenetic applause, the thoughtful Smile was an appropriate final song to calm the audience down again, have them accept the concerts’ end and go home pleased and with a smile.

I didn't mention the two singers but both Mitchel and Victor were superb in the song, and I genuinely did smile through the piece from start to end.

The position of the orchestra members in Ely, sitting in one row along in front of the stage, brought chickens on a perch to my mind, and I found them being treated like a mere scenery for the choir, although they provide such an essential contribution to the whole. In Brighton the feeling was better – my memory may deceive me, but I think Ely’s stage was higher and so the musicians were less in the field of vision. In Chichester all was different anyway: Due to the small stage, the orchestra sat in blocks.

In terms of seating and position I still love SJSS the most with the orchestra high on the back. They are clearly visible to the audience but there is no chance of positioning affecting sound balance for those in the first couple of rows. Sound quality wise Brighton was best for me out of the last three.

Regarding the speeches: I love them all! They form an important part in a Libera concert, they announce, inform and make us laugh, and they are mostly admirably well performed by the boys. Speaking well is also a skill. Therefore (looking over to The Furby ) I advocate providing an own mention of them in the individual concert listings of his fabulous Libera database, as they’d deserve it.

Yes, I think it would be good to include the speech information in the database.

Moose has advanced from their mascot and from being the most traveled moose in the world to also being Libera’s executive producer. So, under the professional management of Moose, I have no idea what could go wrong with the upcoming album.

I'm sure he will make certain there are no moosetakes.

An amazing review again, your observations and way of describing what you see and hear put my plain vanilla descriptions to shame! I much prefer your raspberry-vanilla!

[Surpinto]

An amazing review as always with your usual poetics and highlighting of fine details. Bravo!

We fans, who hang around there, hopefully do not bother them and other church visitors who aren’t familiar with Libera can be tempted to change their evening plans to attend a Libera concert. Libera can only gain that way.

Quite the salespeople we have become

To defer the best for a little while, so that the anticipation can stay with me (Surpinto and Celtic: NO! ) longer.

YES!

Sanctus
Sanctus is just Sanctus.

How dismissive and blasphemous you are about their signature piece! But yeah, we know this song too well now, though it showcases the multipart harmonies they do exceptionally.

Orinoco
I have a high stack of song suggestions available to fill the place of Orinoco. ;P

MOCKERY! SNEERING!

I like this one in concert, especially the "ah's" parts where the sound seems to sweep across the stage. Of course it's not my favorite or anything, but such INSULTS shall not be borne well today.

I couldn’t take my eyes off that, while I listened and it was really like a guiding light that still lives on as dark as life may be, and there’s no reason to lose hope as this light will be forever. Very suitable to a song called “Come my way” and its lyrics - - - and noooow, while I’m having a look at these very lyrics again, I see that in the lyrics a comma is set between “Come” and “my Way”. I hadn’t identified that it’s about Jesus being Way, Truth and Life. That’s quite a difference now. I had interpreted “come my way” as an encouragement coming from God to follow him. But perhaps this is only Genglish.

I don't think your religious interpretation of the lyrics is incorrect. I think the words mean both the things you stated, and are equally valid perspectives of the lyrics. When reading it from this angle I clearly see both modalities.

Moose has advanced from their mascot and from being the most traveled moose in the world to also being Libera’s executive producer. So, under the professional management of Moose, I have no idea what could go wrong with the upcoming album.

As Celt said earlier they're in good hands hooves.

[filiarheni]

to defer the best for a little while, so that the anticipation can stay with me (Surpinto and Celtic: NO! ) longer.

*slowly and reluctantly closes his book of puns and puts it sadly back on the shelf*

This brakes my hard(ness).

The end of this mini section was Salva me, with its insistent drum beat waking you from your reflective musings (or Seagull induced sleep...)

But perhaps a stronger more lively opener would be better, especially for those kept awake by seagulls the night before.

Those seagulls, I will never get rid of them again, I think. (And who would believe me: Normally I like them!)

I have a high stack of song suggestions available to fill the place of Orinoco. ;P

Awwww, no, you have to leave it in!

Sounds good, sounds as if I have the power if it's left in or not. I can do something with that.

MOCKERY! SNEERING!

I like this one in concert, especially the "ah's" parts where the sound seems to sweep across the stage. Of course it's not my favorite or anything, but such INSULTS shall not be borne well today.

The part with the "not my favorite or anything", you did really well with that part.

Chichester possesses that beautiful choir screen (jube? jubé?) [...]

With the concert set in front of the choir screen/rood screen/jubé [...]

Now you just enumerate, too! I was hoping for help which ONE is the right word!

Like being wrapped in a Libera cocoon and seeing the colours and shapes of the wider world through the silk of their songs.

That sounds cosy and sheltered and beautiful.

Smile gave me one the most precious moments of the concerts: Victor, whose signature song it always had been and we all know why, stood in the front together with Mitchel, a newbie.

Edit: *puts his hand up* Miss! Miss Filiarheni! I know! I know why!

Okay okay: A+. You may sit down now.

An amazing review again, your observations and way of describing what you see and hear put my plain vanilla descriptions to shame! I much prefer your raspberry-vanilla!

Thank you so much, Celtic, for such a deliciousghtful compliment, and *whisper* vanilla is one of my favourite ice-creams, much more than raspberry.

We fans, who hang around there, hopefully do not bother them and other church visitors who aren’t familiar with Libera can be tempted to change their evening plans to attend a Libera concert. Libera can only gain that way.

Quite the salespeople we have become

Once in Arundel (or was it Brighton) I took some flyers with me and ... um ... forgot the ones or the others at restaurants & pubs ...

Sanctus
Sanctus is just Sanctus.

How dismissive and blasphemous you are about their signature piece!

I have not made any assessment in terms of positive or negative, haven't I.

[...] and noooow, while I’m having a look at these very lyrics again, I see ...

I don't think your religious interpretation of the lyrics is incorrect. I think the words mean both the things you stated, and are equally valid perspectives of the lyrics. When reading it from this angle I clearly see both modalities.

I love it when a meaning is ambiguous or can be enhanced like that.

Moose [...]

I'm sure he will make certain there are no moosetakes.

As Celt said earlier they're in good hands hooves.

Unstoppable!

Ah, I can't deny, I DO recognise a flower when I see one But I am not such an expert with trees as Sabine is, very knowledgeable when it comes to footballtrees.

And sage.

[Celtic]

Those seagulls, I will never get rid of them again, I think. (And who would believe me: Normally I like them!)

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orinocoseagull.jpg (125.33 KiB) Viewed 4951 times

orinocoseagull.jpg (125.33 KiB) Viewed 4951 times

Sounds good, sounds as if I have the power if it's left in or not. I can do something with that.

You deliberately missed the bit where I said it has to be included if the concert is held near water!! So, just to be sure it is included, I shall bring this to every concert...

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PaddlingMoose.jpg (62.08 KiB) Viewed 4951 times

PaddlingMoose.jpg (62.08 KiB) Viewed 4951 times

The part with the "not my favorite or anything", you did really well with that part.

Ouch, Surpinto! Shall I fetch you some salve for that burn?

With the concert set in front of the choir screen/rood screen/jubé [...]

Now you just enumerate, too! I was hoping for help which ONE is the right word!

Well, to be serious for a moment. (no, really, I can be!) The three terms seem to be interchangeable. However, the Rood screen is so named because it usually has a rood on top (a sculpture or painting depicting Jesus' crucifixion). As Chichester doesn't have this, then it is perhaps not a Rood Screen. A jubé got it's name from when someone would stand on top of the screen to read scripture. I can't be certain Chichester hasn't been used for that, but I would suspect not. This then would leave the plain old vanilla term, 'choir screen'.

Okay okay: A+. You may sit down now.

Phew, thanks! My feet were starting to hurt.

[john45]

This then would leave the plain old vanilla term, 'choir screen'.

What about pulpitum?

[Celtic]

What about pulpitum?

ohh, much better fit.

Now you just enumerate, too! I was hoping for help which ONE is the right word!

Ignore everything I said before, john45 has your one word.

[Mercurial909]

New music!

Does anyone get absolute wonderment when watching just how much Dominik and Daniel seem to absolutely ENJOY singing with every fibre of their being when they perform?
Not saying the other boys don’t, but those two are so animated and it’s such a joy to watch.

Also, it appears to me as though Nathan has become a high note specialist, doing descants and maybe sharing some first treble duties? I’ve watched this clip many times () and worked out that he’s hitting the highest notes, in this footage anyway.

[Mercurial909]

Is that Cameron doing the high notes?


I am extremely excited for the concerts. I was not expecting many changes from Ely so a new song is a lovely surprise. I hope it helps boost ticket sales

It’s Nathan. Watch him closely and you see.

[Surpinto]

So many of the members derive a genuine joy from singing and from being part of this amazing choir. Though anyone here who has ever been part of a musical ensemble knows it's a lot of work too!

[Choirfan]

Also, it appears to me as though Nathan has become a high note specialist, doing descants and maybe sharing some first treble duties? I’ve watched this clip many times () and worked out that he’s hitting the highest notes, in this footage anyway.

Nathan is simply amazing, he blew me away at both recent concerts.