There it is, the surprise album ... or who of us counted on one so soon after "Hope"?
Okay, it comes back to many songs from previous albums. And thus it automatically provokes some comparison you will find here and there in the following review.
Ave Maria (Vavilov (Caccini))
Oh dear, this one was my fright and fear song, after the news were out that it would be included on "Beyond". Yes, I know, it had already been executed simply perfectly not only once, but twice by Steven Geraghty and Tom Cully. But tempt fate a third time??
Steven and Tom left huge footsteps to follow, but it's true, they did have a new soloist again capable of doing it - Gabe. I'm happy with him! He has that splendid silvery voice and he sings this aria in a simple and modest way, which does the song justice. The bit making me most nervous was the one from 3:20 onwards, when the melody reaches up to the high C, and Gabe masters it flawlessly. Afterwards the song slows down to a short pause - very speaking. All along this enchanting
Ave Maria, Gabe's voice is just floating above the instruments and the choir. The overall sound is balanced and fine. This is such an enjoyment for my ears, I just lean back and fall, fall into the music.
And Gabe, I will miss your treble voice!
I've always liked this crystal clear voice and am so glad to have heard him live and to have long recordings with his voice.
One side remark about the piece itself: It is highly doubted that the composer is actually Giulio Caccini (1551 - 1618). More probable is an authorship by Vladimir Vavilov (1925 - 1973). Vavilov used to sign compositions with baroque composers' names. The reason is guessed to be his safety in a Communist system which didn't allow this kind of music, but obviously there exists also a quotation by his daughter saying that her father didn't believe that music under his own name (unknown, banal) would ever be published and so he credited any former composers. This "Ave Maria" was apparently published under "Anonymous" by himself and after he had died, someone ascribed it to Caccini. As far as I've seen it wasn't even intended to be an Ave Maria.*
I'm not entirely sure, but - also for some other reasons - I lean towards believing in Vavilov's authorship.
For those interested, here is one of the relevant links.
http://www.musicaantigua.com/el-engano-musical/
*[
EDIT 01.11.2018: It
was an Ave Maria from the beginning. I have found the original recording from 1970.]
In Paradisum (Robbins)
This song can move me to tears. I was lucky enough to witness the song as a Libera premiere in Ely this year and found it enthralling! I can't stand listening to the original for the cold voice of the singer, but Libera's version is amazing, full of emotion and beauty and it captivates me indeed. It is a beautifully orchestrated piece, sung by the choir with soft intensity and Rocco's voice and singing are beyond all doubt anyway! His voice is wonderful, his intonation has been admirably secure from his very beginning. I'm really pleased about having an extended solo by him now; the opportunity was very well used.
Well ... but still ... I confess that in my heart of hearts I wish we had a recording with Rocco singing
Angele Dei, actually rather than
In Paradisum. Not only because it's an original by Robert, whose compositions I love and value high, but
Angele Dei is just unique music, while
In Paradisum is pleasant, but rather conventional. Normally, I would supposedly lose interest after a while. However, for all I mentioned above, I find the Libera interpretation fabulous.
And they did give us another Rocco song with ...
Salve Regina
They didn't get away with the ridiculously tiny solo bit of the "Hope" version. Our lament was loud and honest and it's fine that Robert and we agree so nicely.
Although we know that Libera sometimes finishes a mere choir song with a short solo bit, I felt this approach a bit out of place in
this piece. I'm glad about the change to a larger solo part. Now the song feels balanced to me.
At my first listen to the iTunes snippet released in advance, I somehow missed the warm choir sound I love so much in this piece, although I was immediately touched by the expression in Rocco's voice. But already my second listen had me fall in love with it and I came back to it constantly. Goosebumps by a snippet!
I have always considered
Salve Regina as radiating a particular calm, which gives the song its justified place in the Libera repertoire. The calm results from its quietly flowing music without a big increase and a big climax, reinforced by the warmth of the voices. While the only new in this song is changing the first part from choir-only into solo & choir and the rest, including the ending solo, was taken over from "Hope" (only discreetly shortened by a repetition), the song now appears in a brighter, clearer sound than before. But the warmth is still there, I've found it again.
The singing mainly takes place in the lower registers, which I highly enjoy. It's really not all about the brilliance of high notes, which are of course wonderful and special, but don't ever miss the beauty of the lower ones! - So
Salve Regina is very contrastive to the stirring
In Paradisum, which brings out such intense emotions. I find it wise to place the latter one directly after
In Paradisum on the CD, even though it's two songs with the same soloist, which I normally would prefer avoided.
I liked
Salve Regina before, but with the extension of the solo and Rocco's shimmering voice, it has been beautified once more.
Sanctus
(In the following, I mark the three Sanctus versions with I, II, III to avoid misunderstandings)
I know that
Sanctus obviously is a must-sing in Libera concerts and is considered more or less like their trade mark song, different from their other one,
Libera, and I think labelling it like this is based upon combining the famous and popular (so people are satisfied to hear it) Pachelbel canon with the typical Libera sound. Yet, it has never become a favourite of mine and secretly I've wished the song to give way for another one. There were other opinions saying the same and it has been in the programme for so long ... so perhaps this was a reason for Robert to renew the song. It may be the common denominator for those who liked the former concert version and those who didn't.
It would have been sufficient for me to get
Sanctus II in the concerts, as this setting is already more interesting than
Sanctus I. Now there exists a 3rd version suddenly. And this one for me is the best. The choir sound is full and straight; a new part was added which gave room to add new lyrics as well. The result of working the piece over is diverse and cheerful - just fresh!
I've just looked up what I wrote about
Sanctus II in my "Luminosa" review: "I am gladly prepared to warm to this
Sanctus II now. It uses more melodies of the Pachelbel original and thus displays a wider variety. I also find it more delicate than the other one. I'd like to hear it without the drumset, which in my opinion is too 'heavy'". Now - here I am! Perfect.
Ave Maria (Prizeman)
Two Ave Maria on one CD that contains only 11 songs? Isn't it too much?
The answer is no, because they are entirely different from each other. The Vavilov one is composed in style of an aria. With its minimum of lyrics, the focus on the feeling couldn't be clearer. Its attitude is contemplative, descriptive. I would make the distinction "passive", while in Robert's
Ave Maria is "active": Someone seems to have taken action in urgently praying for succour. I hear and feel the imploring in the piece, strengthened by the interval jumps from down upwards of its particularly beautiful melody. Listening to it, I always have its religious component in mind, while the Vavilov
Ave Maria just evokes feeling ... and
much of it, but detached from religion.
Well, yes, a recording of this favourite of mine with Merlin, whom I heard in Ely with it, was my dream. And I'm just so happy to have it now. To tell the truth, I don't consider his voice as one of the best, when it comes to the mere sound alone. But for me he is one of those who show their personality through their singing the most, and this counts a lot for me! It's very charming and I greatly enjoy Merlin singing.
My deepest wish had been a recording that would be capable of catching the silky choir sound Libera presented in Ely. It was definitely extraordinary and never before or in another song I heard them that way.
In my concert review I noted: "I am longing for a recording of that and I HOPE with all my heart that the CD recording of the song has reached this high level and intensely touching interpretation." And ...
... it has, it really has! I can't tell how happy that makes me. When I heard the "Beyond" version in full first yesterday, I was nothing less than enrapt! Silky, deep feeling, even passionate - somehow urging, but never obtrusive, still humble and honest. The song has actually been upgraded: It was gifted a haunting instrumental intro and was affectionately newly arranged, it also received a very touching new ending, all of which, as I believe, underlines the significance of the song for Robert.
I am intoxicated.
Lacrymosa
It's not easy for me to become friends with
Lacrymosa. I like the instrumental original, "Aquarium" from "Carnival of the Animals" by Saint-Saëns, but a sung version still sounds strange to me. "Aquarium" is mysterious and correlating with the swaying fish swarms, this is perfectly set. But the sung version is separated from that original meaning and now it feels eerie to me, to a degree I can't bear very well. While I acknowledge that it is excellently sung and the typical Libera clarity of the voices works especially well in this song. I like the beginning best, that solo intro is really good. Alex's a bit breathy voice is the perfect one to contribute to the mysteriousness of the song and this does attract me, because the song in itself is "round". However, due to the overall mood it's no song I'd go to for its own sake.
Voca Me
New recording in full. It's the song that simply blew me away at my first Libera day. It had me sit like hypnotised in front of Youtube and not believing that they sing such a piece of music, taylor-made for me (and I know, not only for me). As I consider the "Free" version as 100 % perfect in every single regard - the piece itself, arrangement, choir sound, dynamic treatment, soloist's voice colours, their crystal clear sound, the special way of emphasising certain syllables in the "Lacrymosa" solos -, I knew that a new version would have a hard time with me.
After Ely, I wrote that both versions can very well co-exist. And they can, as the new doesn't contain those awesome solo parts anymore, but has other very attractive highlights.
It's completely in Latin now and the melody of the verses was adapted to fit the rhythm of the Latin words right. Robert did a magic trick to, at one bit, prolong the melody by taking it from the former instrumental part, and at the other bit handing the previous melody over to the 2nd choir voice. Very well solved!
While
Salve Regina was "de-softened" in sound, it's the opposite with
Voca Me. The dissonances appear less sharp, the dramatic factor has been reduced in favour of a more floating sound. I like it a lot, it conveys a different mood. (And I'm aware that I didn't mention the America live version, but I just never listen to that one.)
The new
Voca Meis very enjoyable and I will listen to both the "Free" and the "Beyond" version in the future for sure.
I love
Voca Me, and this love is forever.
The Prayer
I know my opinion will not be popular now, but I don't like the song. To be very clear: It's only the song itself. I can't even say what it is exactly that disturbs me. The bad is: Now it hurts, because Libera is the best also here and Daniel's solo is incredible! As I already mentioned before, I admire his voice's maturity. When I close my eyes listening and then open them and see him, it still surprises me. Like other fans, I notice a similarity to Isaac's voice. It's very gentle, very pleasant, and he sings just so well! Daniel is young enough to have me confident that there will be more Daniel solos and then at songs I like. I do enjoy the beauty of Libera's sound when I listen to the song, but ...
Do Not Stand At My Grave And Weep
Oh, this song is so very much one of my number one songs of all time and the new version is mesmerising again!
And now that they - to my big joy - came back to the harp accompaniment, I'm certain now that the piano only serves as a replacement, when there's no possibility to have a harp. which just fits the song like no other instrument. - What a beautiful song this is! Every time I surrender to it directly during the first sung notes. The whole song showers me with goosebumps. Actually, this is also a result of the lyrics, but both lyrics and music are in entire accordance. I sure said it already somewhere else, but repeat it here: I can't imagine a more touching setting of these very lyrics! A stunning composition by Robert.
Gabe has a darker voice than Ben (whose version had been my favourite), which makes it different, somehow drier (not sure about the word), but he definitely conveys the tenderness the song needs. Very well done, Gabe! In the second voice an instrumental part is now sung by the choir and so it's even more heartfelt. And the bit "Of quiet birds in circling flight" is beyond words..
The end of
Do Not Stand is amazing with the slowing down in tempo. It moves me more than the "Free" version (which I still just adore); in fact, I've only now become aware of it.
The last sounds in all versions express hopeful confidence, by finishing a minor pitch song with a major harmony and upgoing notes of the enchanting harp.
Benedictus Deus
I'm just listening to it. It retains its awe feeling for me each and every time I hear it. Another song from "Hope", where only a part was modified by the exchange of the soloist. It's highly welcome to have Leo not only with vocalises, but with a full solo. Anyway, it's still a question why it had to be exactly this song after Thomas DL's brilliant performance with a comparably short time for savouring the unsplit credits. Perhaps we'll never know.
And there is something else that makes me wonder: The "Gloria in excelsis part" at 1:59 has always sounded to me like a solo melody, by Thomas of course. But this part is not new now either. So am I wrong in assuming that it's solo? Or was it just not replaced by Leo? And if so, why?
By the way, this Gloria part practically feels like a magnet to me, quite a unique sensation.
In general, I'm fine that, if
Benedictus Deus had to be on "Beyond" again, they kept the first recording, this sparkling sound of the voices just can't be repeated in this way.
At the beginning I like Thomas's brightly shining voice better, but then at the "Benedictum nomen" (1:28) Leo softens what I, as I confess, have felt as a bit too hard and wished that Thomas's voice had been embedded more in the instrumental accompaniment. It's not his fault, I had only the feeling of a gap between voice in the height and the orchestra below. And this is gone now in the new solo recording. I very much appreciate that. Well, and this is all I say about this song, which is and will remain the one which is best described by one word: Magnificent!
Mother of God
It was taken over from the album "Eternal" (2008), only worked upon in sound, and is one of "Eternal"'s few songs which had not appeared on another international Libera CD. By including it on "Beyond", furthermore taking in mind that there are only 11 songs, it has gained value. I often had the feeling that it lives more in the sidelines. Now it is here once more, and I'm very pleased about that. I love this quiet song, interpreted with care, making me totally believe its lyrics which express so much modesty. It is a very introverted song. The sound is filigree and very balanced.I heard versions by other choirs, but Libera's reaches into my heart like no other.
Technically, I like the unusual way the melody processes.
It's the only a cappella piece of the album and represents one end of the stylistic range, while I can't decide which one would be the other:
In Paradisum?
The Prayer?
Benedictus Deus?
And so we wake up from the stillness of the beautiful
Mother of God.
Quintessence, or: Review in a nutshell:
Top favourite:
Ave Maria (Robert)
Voca Me
Further favourites (just alphabetical order):
Ave Maria (Vavilov (Caccini))
Benedictus Deus
Do Not Stand At My Grave And Weep
In Paradisum
Mother of God
Salve Regina
Very fine:
Sanctus
Less:
Lacrymosa
The Prayer
"Beyond" is a huge enjoyment. I was a bit afraid before, because I found it too early for a whole new album and because I was unsure what to think about taking existing recordings and mixing new solos in there. But I feel very good now.
Congratulations to Libera and all who participated in this album to another masterly result with plenty of highlights!
.