New CD "Christmas with LIBERA" in 2019

[maartendas]

I'm really happy with this tracklist even though I understand Dani's complaints about certain songs that have been recorded already.

Hoping that the arrangements and choice of soloists are the same as in Brighton and Arundel:

Do You Hear - Camden and Oliver WR
In the bleak midwinter - Dominik
Silent Night - really, really hoping this is the sextet arrangement including Matthias
Wexford - Tadgh
Poor little Jesus - Luca

Noel Nouvelet - I know it from St. John's, Cambridge, in an arrangement by Stephen Jackson - I love it! My CD booklet tells me that it is a traditional French melody.

I think Daniel would be great for What Child is This (also a song I really love - I think I only know the Josh Groban version so far).

The Angel Gabriel is also an enormous treat to have on the album, whatever the arrangement will be (I'm curious though!).
Is it October already?

[Yorkie]

I think Daniel would be great for What Child is This (also a song I really love - I think I only know the Josh Groban version so far).

You only know the Josh Groban version? Errmmh...

[maartendas]

Ouch! My bad. I only watched the Christmas DVD once, years ago... And you know me, I don't really do Christmas music outside the season...

[fan_de_LoK]

Something interesting that has still to be confirmed: the number of 15 tracks is possibly not final.
We know that the Japanese CD will have 15 tracks + 3 bonus tracks specifically Japanese.
But yesterday Robert mentioned that the new CD will have 17 tracks.
So possibly the Western version of the Christmas CD will also have specific bonus tracks

[Surpinto]

Something interesting that has still to be confirmed: the number of 15 tracks is possibly not final.
We know that the Japanese CD will have 15 tracks + 3 bonus tracks specifically Japanese.
But yesterday Robert mentioned that the new CD will have 17 tracks.
So possibly the Western version of the Christmas CD will also have specific bonus tracks

Thank you for the information. This is big news! The bonus tracks for the Japanese release are unlikely to be the ones included on the international version as they are (mostly) specific to Japan. So these must be songs that have not been announced anywhere. As per the the Instagram account of Eimear their flautist they did some recordings in Minnesota as well. I have no recollection of them ever recording anything on any of their US tours; only of recordings arranged for them by specific record companies like Libera Records (aka Wisteria Project) while in Japan. Please correct me if that has not been the case as I am certain that they must have done some recording while on tour before aside from the special prearranged Japanese recordings just mentioned but it certainly isn't common or usual.

[dani]

Something interesting that has still to be confirmed: the number of 15 tracks is possibly not final.
We know that the Japanese CD will have 15 tracks + 3 bonus tracks specifically Japanese.
But yesterday Robert mentioned that the new CD will have 17 tracks.
So possibly the Western version of the Christmas CD will also have specific bonus tracks

Thank you for the information. This is big news! The bonus tracks for the Japanese release are unlikely to be the ones included on the international version as they are (mostly) specific to Japan. So these must be songs that have not been announced anywhere. As per the the Instagram account of Eimear their flautist they did some recordings in Minnesota as well. I have no recollection of them ever recording anything on any of their US tours; only of recordings arranged for them by specific record companies like Libera Records (aka Wisteria Project) while in Japan. Please correct me if that has not been the case as I am certain that they must have done some recording while on tour before aside from the special prearranged Japanese recordings just mentioned but it certainly isn't common or usual.

What makes you think the boys were also recording with her?


She seems to have a very busy schedule so that post seems to just indicate that she is recording her parts for the album as this would be the first chance she has had to do it.

[bachmahlerfan]

Thank you for the information. This is big news! The bonus tracks for the Japanese release are unlikely to be the ones included on the international version as they are (mostly) specific to Japan. So these must be songs that have not been announced anywhere. As per the the Instagram account of Eimear their flautist they did some recordings in Minnesota as well. I have no recollection of them ever recording anything on any of their US tours; only of recordings arranged for them by specific record companies like Libera Records (aka Wisteria Project) while in Japan. Please correct me if that has not been the case as I am certain that they must have done some recording while on tour before aside from the special prearranged Japanese recordings just mentioned but it certainly isn't common or usual.

What makes you think the boys were also recording with her?


She seems to have a very busy schedule so that post seems to just indicate that she is recording her parts for the album as this would be the first chance she has had to do it.

I spoke with someone (I don't recall his name) who was handling the Libera merchandise table at St. Louis, and is obviously a big Libera fan. He indicated to me that besides Eimear, there were vocal solos being recorded, but not necessarily the whole choir.

[dani]

I spoke with someone (I don't recall his name) who was handling the Libera merchandise table at St. Louis, and is obviously a big Libera fan. He indicated to me that besides Eimear, there were vocal solos being recorded, but not necessarily the whole choir.

Thank You



that’s interesting as i assumed that it would of cost too much to hire studios for the boys in the U.S.

I hope to hear Dominic get a few solo’s on this album. I just love his voice at the moment.

[filiarheni]

I will make one slight complaint here but I don’t get the point of Carol of the Bells or Dulci again.

They have been done to death by the group and it’s not like they are even improving the songs. If they were doing a new spin on them it would be slightly more acceptable but it’s more than likely going to be the same old same old. So I wish they could add in something new as so many Christmas tunes to pick from.

I am excited for some of the others songs but I just wanted to put that out there as Carol of the Bells has been on the last 3 Christmas albums. I know it’s popular but even so it’s over kill and lacks imagination.

ETA - I can add in Gaudete in to that mix as well.

Carol of the Bells was recorded on international albums in 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016.
In Dulci Jubilo: 1997, 2011, 2013
Gaudete: 1996, 1997, 2001, 2008, 2013

I think that Gaudete belongs to the track list in order to have an album recording of a solo by Sam Collins and it's in the current Christmas programme. That makes it readily rehearsed and thus time can be saved. One album every year in addition to their concert and tour plan is tight.

The other two songs offer no solo part except for the small ending line in Carol of the Bells. I could imagine them to take that as another opportunity to save time and also money by going back to one of the previous recordings, in favour of other, new songs with longer solos that demand time and care. 17 songs within one year, that's a lot. It remains to be seen of course. Or rather heard. And why else exactly these two? Maybe just because they are magnets.

I like the set list very much. The only song which for me is strange to be found on a Libera album is Ding-Dong Merrily on High. It would be great if Robert or Sam arranged the song, which is played too often for my taste, in a really innovative way with a kind of eye-opener. Certainly, I'll like Libera's singing, but the song itself is just not mine. It remains to be seen as well.

[fan_de_LoK]

It sounds a million times better in French than English imo

I asked a boy about it during the bowling M&G, the CD will have the French original old lyrics.
It was recorded in April.
I didn't ask about soloists.

[dani]

It sounds a million times better in French than English imo

I asked a boy about it during the bowling M&G, the CD will have the French original old lyrics.
It was recorded in April.
I didn't ask about soloists.

Super excited to hear this now

Thanks for the update as well. I am glad the tour is going well.

[Surpinto]

It sounds a million times better in French than English imo

I asked a boy about it during the bowling M&G, the CD will have the French original old lyrics.
It was recorded in April.
I didn't ask about soloists.

Thank you for finding this out. Excluding the special songs that they have sung and recorded in specific languages because of recording arrangements or tours in specific countries, they seem to limit themselves to English and Latin exclusively. There is of course the use of Irish on "Wexford Carol" so exceptions exist no doubt, but I am still surprised because that is not their usual approach. With that annotation being said I couldn't care less what language it is recorded in as I am sure that it will sound great!

[Padmachou]

That is a very good news indeed ! Some of you are pointing the fact that Libera does not usually sings songs in foreign language unless they perform where it is spoken. I would not disagree to a concert in France But I do not have a lot of hope.

[Yorkie]

It sounds a million times better in French than English imo

I asked a boy about it during the bowling M&G, the CD will have the French original old lyrics.
It was recorded in April.
I didn't ask about soloists.

Thank you for finding this out. Excluding the special songs that they have sung and recorded in specific languages because of recording arrangements or tours in specific countries, they seem to limit themselves to English and Latin exclusively. There is of course the use of Irish on "Wexford Carol" so exceptions exist no doubt, but I am still surprised because that is not their usual approach. With that annotation being said I couldn't care less what language it is recorded in as I am sure that it will sound great!

Well, actually Wexford Carol was first performed in Ireland for the Christmas DVD so....

[Surpinto]

I asked a boy about it during the bowling M&G, the CD will have the French original old lyrics.
It was recorded in April.
I didn't ask about soloists.

Thank you for finding this out. Excluding the special songs that they have sung and recorded in specific languages because of recording arrangements or tours in specific countries, they seem to limit themselves to English and Latin exclusively. There is of course the use of Irish on "Wexford Carol" so exceptions exist no doubt, but I am still surprised because that is not their usual approach. With that annotation being said I couldn't care less what language it is recorded in as I am sure that it will sound great!

Well, actually Wexford Carol was first performed in Ireland for the Christmas DVD so....

True, but they added an additional verse in Irish when it was released the second time a few years later....