Re: Summer Concerts 2022 - Brighton & Chichester
Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2022 8:39 am
*slowly and reluctantly closes his book of puns and puts it sadly back on the shelf*filiarheni wrote: ↑<span title="Wed Aug 10, 2022 1:20 am">2 years ago</span>
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.
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.filiarheni wrote: ↑<span title="Wed Aug 10, 2022 1:20 am">2 years ago</span>
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 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.filiarheni wrote: ↑<span title="Wed Aug 10, 2022 1:20 am">2 years ago</span>
Lighthouse
Later it went into the Latin jazz area even more, a musical style I love very much for that mentioned relax it brings.
what a fantastic way to interpret the song.filiarheni wrote: ↑<span title="Wed Aug 10, 2022 1:20 am">2 years ago</span>
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.
The lighting was fantastic in Chichester, it just seemed to reach past the screen on occasion and completely grab your attention.filiarheni wrote: ↑<span title="Wed Aug 10, 2022 1:20 am">2 years ago</span>
Libera
Another all-time favourite of mine. Stunning lighting which reached far behind the choir screen and gave the song a great depth.
Awwww, no, you have to leave it in! Especially for a concert near the coast (or a river (or a lake!(or a pond!!!)))filiarheni wrote: ↑<span title="Wed Aug 10, 2022 1:20 am">2 years ago</span>
Orinoco
I have a high stack of song suggestions available to fill the place of Orinoco. ;P
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.filiarheni wrote: ↑<span title="Wed Aug 10, 2022 1:20 am">2 years ago</span>
Sacris Solemnis
Freddie has that very own singing style, which for me sometimes could be a bit less.
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!filiarheni wrote: ↑<span title="Wed Aug 10, 2022 1:20 am">2 years ago</span>
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.
What an amazing way to describe the lighting!filiarheni wrote: ↑<span title="Wed Aug 10, 2022 1:20 am">2 years ago</span>
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.
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.
Edit: *puts his hand up* Miss! Miss Filiarheni! I know! I know why!filiarheni wrote: ↑<span title="Wed Aug 10, 2022 1:20 am">2 years ago</span>
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.
► Show Spoiler
It's because he has a wonderful 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.filiarheni wrote: ↑<span title="Wed Aug 10, 2022 1:20 am">2 years ago</span>
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.
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.filiarheni wrote: ↑<span title="Wed Aug 10, 2022 1:20 am">2 years ago</span>
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.
Yes, I think it would be good to include the speech information in the database.filiarheni wrote: ↑<span title="Wed Aug 10, 2022 1:20 am">2 years ago</span>
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.
I'm sure he will make certain there are no moosetakes.filiarheni wrote: ↑<span title="Wed Aug 10, 2022 1:20 am">2 years ago</span>
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.
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!