Dream (new album 2024)

[bruinrules]

I won't bore you with the entire laundry list of all the songs for review; just original or new ones not mentioned in earlier posts. I've enjoyed all the other reviews with wonderful analyses of the musical structures and tonality. So this is just a goofy observation of what I like about it. I appreciate that three Prizeman arranged songs were included in the CD as a nice shout-out to his legacy. Each new generation singing these gems makes it all the more precious and timeless. My fave of the three is Twilight.
1. Dream You of- this one I was looking forward to hearing since as a song sung in the summer concerts-heard we not. Hmmm, very dreamy and nice choral arrangements. It may take a few more listening before the melody line becomes more memorable. It's very ethereal but not my favorite yet.
2. Once-well, to my hybrid Asian-American ear (both my parents immigrated as children from Guangzhou,China) I really enjoyed it. It's a nice blend of Eastern-Western musicality based on a soundtrack from a movie about culture clashes of honor and respect in a POW camp. No clash here, just a nice blend of tones that's evocative of the East. The lyrics are very ethereal about dreams, memories, and longings. It's a beautiful song with a nice solo by Tom M. (so glad we get at least one recorded solo before he moves on) and the choral accompaniment adds to the dreaminess.
3.When I am Laid to Earth- whoa, such a heavy theme of death for a young person to sing but Joseph pulls it off with such depth and gravity. It feels incongruous when a young person sings of heavy, adult themes. I still kind of laugh when I think of Josh, Tom C, Liam sweetly and innocently singing in Love and Mercy of being in a bar presumably to drown their sorrows or Luca singing that life isn't worth living in God Only Knows. I guess that incongruity can work as a sort of antitheses of innocence versus the harsh reality of life.
4. Veni Sancte Spiritu-nice jaunty tune. Not my favorite yet, maybe it will grow on me.
5. Resurrectio- I really feel like I can't critique someone's original song. It is so hard to create a new song out of a limited number of notes. Who am I to judge when I can't possibly ever write a song? This one is a nice tribute to the legacy of Robert Prizeman. It sounds like something he would have written. It sounds like a choral arrangement of old with the usual intertwining descants. Very pretty song.
6. Lullay- again, another tribute to the legacy of the Prizeman sound. It reminds me of a lot of the songs in the Hope albums. If they were all mixed up in a blind hearing, I might have problems distinguishing which song is which. Kind of like watching a bunch of Jurassic Park movies-it's hard to tell them apart. But it is very soothing to listen to, with the nice solos and the fullness of the choral back up.
7. Music was Born- it must have been awesome to hear this in concert. Beautiful arrangements with a full, rich sound. One of my faves!
8. Happy Xmas- Libera could be singing any old song and make it so special with that distinct blend of voices. So glad this has a lot of solos to let the young ones shine.
As of now, my favorite original song is Seabird. The melody popped out immediately , almost an instant earworm. The entire CD was very enjoyable. They pulled the theme of Dream together nicely. If I had an extra thumb, it would be three thumbs up! Good job to all. With the talented young ones coming up, the future is looking good.

[Surpinto]

I won't bore you with the entire laundry list of all the songs for review; just original or new ones not mentioned in earlier posts. I've enjoyed all the other reviews with wonderful analyses of the musical structures and tonality. So this is just a goofy observation of what I like about it.

Not goofy or anything at all! Thank you so much for the review highlights

[Luckdragon]

YouTube Music Second Week Counts

Singles with Video
Seabird 87,000
One Small Voice 83,000
Once 79,000
Happy Xmas 60,000

Album Songs with Video
The Lark's Last Song 28,000

Album Songs
Always There 3,100
Dream You Of 2,100
Veni Sancte Spiritu 1,700
Resurrectio 1,500
When I am Laid in Earth 1,300
Going Home 1,100
Music Was Born 1,100
Lullay 1,000
Twilight 1,000


Spotify Second Week Counts

Singles + Album Songs
Seabird 22,000
One Small Voice 17,400
Once 10,600
Happy Xmas 7,800

Album Songs
The Lark's Last Song 10,400
Always There 3,800
Dream You Of 3,800
Veni Sancte Spiritu 3,600
Twilight 3,100
Music Was Born 3,000
Resurrectio 3,000
When I am Laid in Earth 3,000
Going Home 2,400
Lullay 2,400

[fan_de_LoK]

The more I listen the album, the more I would like to enjoy Dream You Of being performed live someday.

[j8000]

I just bought this album as a digital version from 7digital as FLAC files, but was disappointed that it didn't include a digital copy of the booklet. Does anyone know of anywhere I can obtain a pdf booklet? I know that they're sometimes available as a free download from sites that sell digital classical music, but not sure if that's the case with Libera.

[Surpinto]

I just bought this album as a digital version from 7digital as FLAC files, but was disappointed that it didn't include a digital copy of the booklet. Does anyone know of anywhere I can obtain a pdf booklet? I know that they're sometimes available as a free download from sites that sell digital classical music, but not sure if that's the case with Libera.

None of the albums have ever featured a digital booklet since Libera moved to the independent label of Invisible Hands. Can't say whether this is because they choose not to offer it, or because the label makes this impractical for some reason.

[j8000]

I just bought this album as a digital version from 7digital as FLAC files, but was disappointed that it didn't include a digital copy of the booklet. Does anyone know of anywhere I can obtain a pdf booklet? I know that they're sometimes available as a free download from sites that sell digital classical music, but not sure if that's the case with Libera.

None of the albums have ever featured a digital booklet since Libera moved to the independent label of Invisible Hands. Can't say whether this is because they choose not to offer it, or because the label makes this impractical for some reason.

Ok thanks. I guess I'll just have to buy the CD as well then

[katyafan]

Part 1 of 2 (because I am both wordy and a master procrastinator)...


Well, that didn’t take me forever! I decided to not comment on the music videos, as they speak for themselves, and really are more art than music. I am keeping my reviews based on aural enjoyment alone. This is part one. Yes, I’m wordy. I’ve had a nasty cold this past week, so have had plenty of time to listen to music and write down my thoughts.

This album, upon first listen, had less than it did as I continued to peel away the layers. My taste is strong classical and baroque melodies, sharp changes in mood, and overall less subtle music. An album like this, as well as Libera’s last one, frankly, takes multiple listens to appreciate fully. If the listener is willing, this can be a very rewarding journey to take. I like it more with each pass, and am excited each time I pick out something new to enjoy.

My first Libera album was 2007’s “Angel Voices,” I discovered them either shortly before or shortly after this release, mainly through Youtube. I always loved boychoir music, but didn’t really have the opportunity to listen in person, as I live in the US, on the West Coast (where my Los Angeles peeps at??). So buying CDs was basically the only exposure I had, until YouTube came along and changed it all! Since then, let’s just say 2007, I have been a stalwart fan, and been fortunate to see—8(?) live concerts. Been on message boards since then, and joined this one when a previous one went under. I have just seen that that was 15 years ago, and now I feel positively ancient. I’m 43, and female. I give this paragraph only because we have a very nice community here, and sharing a bit about ourselves helps us connect more, especially on the web, where human connection is—different than in real life. My mom really likes Libera, but finding fellow choir enthusiasts is rare, where I live. So, hello all, from California! We have been so spoiled with albums these past few years, haven’t we??

I also will generally point out the things I like about performances. Both the boys and the Libera team can read everything we write, and I wish to be nothing but encouraging to their efforts. Music, even with talent and opportunity, is difficult and time consuming as a hobby, let alone as a profession. The countless hours these boys put in, singing phrases over and over and over, is difficult to convey to those who haven’t witnessed it themselves. Most people sing their favorite song, and while they may acknowledge that their voice is untrained, many think singing is not particularly difficult. It isn’t, if you are taking a pop song and rocking out in your car. At the level these boys are at, it means they are spending hours a day, point blank. I was, at my peak, a relatively high-level pianist, though I was not good enough to do it as a profession. I was practicing 4-5 hours a day at that point, and I really was nothing special. The effort and skill it takes for something like Purcell’s “When I am Laid” is quite high. So I will be highlighting what the boys do well.

I will, however, not pull punches when it comes to comments on arranging and choir “choices,” made by adults. I am not a professional, so my opinion is just that—my opinion. It does not mean I am right and someone else is wrong, or vice versa.





Seabird


What can I say, we all know Luca is incomparable. There are many young soloists who sing with emotions, and connection to the music. There are also may brilliant technicians. Having them both, at a high level, in one young chorister is much more rare, and Luca is that type of gem. I can’t imagine how far he is going to go, but he is way ahead of the game should he pursue music as a vocation.

Seabird is not generally my type of song. I tend towards a more classical, baroque style for my personal listening, and generally “new age-y” songs aren’t my cup of tea. This one is undoubtably well done, though. The writing is relatively solid, nothing too special, but not boring, and it takes advantage of the classic Libera combo of strong solo/harmony/descant highlights. It is more story-based, which I like, but that is a personal preference, so neither here nor there. I hope the Hills continue to write for Libera even long after their boys have left the choir!


One Small Voice

Having been trained as a classical pianist, this one piqued my interest immediately! Based on the adagio cantabile movement of Beethoven’s Pathetique, this was one of my favorites to play back in the day. The young lad who starts it off (Julian, I believe) has the perfect innocent, sweet timbre for the verse. I appreciate that they kept the arrangement simple and didn’t mess with the melody. Joseph is incomparable, we will get to him later…. The final descants and harmonizing are glorious, and they really did Beethoven proud with this arrangement. As a composer, he used crescendos and building tension to take you from a simple melody through to a magnificent complexity over the course of one of his works, and this one was actually (dare I say) improved upon with Sam’s touch. Arrangements of classical compositions have to balance highlighting the strengths of a work, with inserting something new and fresh, all without changing the original voice of the composition. Obviously this is not always the goal, but as a general rule of thumb Libera seems to work this way, and they are very good at these types of arrangements.



Dream You Of

This one seems a bit sleepy at first, then quickly knocks you over the head with the harmonies. Josh has a wonderful arrangement here, and the use of the sweeter, lighter voice Morgan has was a very good choice. I am very interested to see what Josh has in store for us as he continues to develop as a composer. He is really finding his own voice and style, and I think we should be really excited to see what is next. He seems to have a versatility within his own style that will serve him well, should he branch out beyond Libera. This parallels Morgan gaining confidence in this album, as he finds his own voice and settles into the songs more as he matures into a young man. This is my favorite age and stage for treble boys—when they seem to start putting the pieces together and you get a peek of what is in store if they keep working hard and believing in their talent. This age, when people have been seriously at their craft for 5+ years of solid practice, is when the magic really starts.



Lark’s Last Song

Liebestraume is faultless in general, though again, not my particular style. Solid arrangement, solid solo, nothing spectacular, but if everything is an absolute grand slam (sorry, Yankee here!) then nothing is. Well done here.



Always There

Morgan does a very good job on this one. I just think it’s really just that—good. Simple, effective, nothing to write home about. Very Muramatsu—and I mean that in a neutral way.

Twilight

Ah, a throwback! First time I noticed the parallels between Morgan’s voice and Ben Crawley’s. A sweet, pure, innocent timbre and tone. Diction that is not too crisp, which can detract from the more soothing songs, so this was a great choice. This song is a cool composition that really bridged the years—I can hear the original Libera here, along with the more modern iteration of the choir. Very neat experience!

Once

Way too contemporary a feel for me. I think I can’t really offer an accurate rating for this, because I simply do not care for the style, and I don’t want my predilections to color what I’m sure is a solid, professional song. Fine job by Thomas!

When I am Laid in Earth

Oh sweet, sweet baby Jesus, Purcell!! Now we’re talking. If I may indulge, I would like to recommend the finest portrayal of Dido that has ever inhabited this earthly realm, singing this very song: Warning: adult soprano alert.

Joseph is phenomenal here. This is a difficult song to put together—the timing, phrasing, and emotion leave no room for error. Try singing this, just sing along, ignore the notes, just try the phrasing—it’s very difficult. He captures what he really shouldn’t be able to—the story of this aria is that of a queen, who, upon being betrayed by her lover, is about to take her own life out of despair. This is her final ode to life, to those she loves, and to the death she is about to inflict. That is an awfully large burden to place on a preteen’s shoulders, but man, this boy does nail it. Last year at the American concert, it was clear that Joseph thinks very much about what he is singing. It is easy to get lost in the nerves, or even lost in the overall mood of a piece when performing. It is very difficult to stay present and focused in the phrase you are currently in, while maintaining your grip on the piece as a whole, especially when you are young. This isn’t something you can teach, it’s a way of approaching life that some people just have. So happy this era of music found its way onto this album, rescuing me! Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must listen to this track a few dozen more times.

[Luckdragon]

Part 1 of 2 (because I am both wordy and a master procrastinator)...

Hey, it was worth the wait. Thanks to you and everyone else who spent time on these reviews.

[Mercurial909]

Part 1 of 2 (because I am both wordy and a master procrastinator)...

This album, upon first listen, had less than it did as I continued to peel away the layers. My taste is strong classical and baroque melodies, sharp changes in mood, and overall less subtle music. An album like this, as well as Libera’s last one, frankly, takes multiple listens to appreciate fully. If the listener is willing, this can be a very rewarding journey to take. I like it more with each pass, and am excited each time I pick out something new to enjoy.

Great review. Thanks for sharing.

So far I’m still preferring the previous album, probably because there was a greater number of soloists, some of whom were at their peak.

The quality of songs written by former choristers is the highlight of “Dream” for me. Dream You Of and Resurrectio are my favourites, along with One Small Voice.

The progression of Joseph is of no surprise on “Dream”. He has music and singing in his DNA and along with his brother, and with Morgan, he’s been given plenty of opportunities to shine on this album.

Morgan still sounds as though he is yet to peak so it looks as though the coming year will see him, the Hill brothers (and increasingly Jerome) being the dominant soloists.

I hope Hal Avery is able to have an opportunity for a good solo on Libera’s next album, since he’ll be hitting his peak in the next year or so (turns 13 this academic year). He is one of a number of boys who I would like to have heard more of on “Dream (i.e Cameron, Pietro, and Oskar), especially Lewis Q, who will now not have another opportunity even if he does return.

I’m a wee bit disappointed that Tom M got a very tame solo for this album. I’ve heard him sing live twice now and from what I heard, “Once” doesn’t even begin to challenge and showcase his talent. It’s likely he won’t get another opportunity for a solo on an album, since he’s nearing 14 and his voice is already peaking.
I’ve said before that I think Libera sometimes miss out some boys, or leave it late to give them a quality solo. For fans who can’t attend concerts, they never get to hear just how good some of those boys can be.

[Surpinto]

Part 1 of 2 (because I am both wordy and a master procrastinator)...

Hey, it was worth the wait. Thanks to you and everyone else who spent time on these reviews.

Second! Keep it coming and great review so far.

I’m a wee bit disappointed that Tom M got a very tame solo for this album. I’ve heard him sing live twice now and from what I heard, “Once” doesn’t even begin to challenge and showcase his talent. It’s likely he won’t get another opportunity for a solo on an album, since he’s nearing 14 and his voice is already peaking.
I’ve said before that I think Libera sometimes miss out some boys, or leave it late to give them a quality solo. For thise who can’t attend concerts, they never get to hear just how good some of those boys can be.

It's also a matter of a particular boy being suited for a particular song, rather than just about capability. In other words, and as a hypothetical, if they had a boy super suitable for operatic singing because he had small roles a London opera house, he may not be the ideal choice on most Libera songs. So I don't know that Libera misses out on certain boys, I think it's just the nature of a choir with so much talent!

[fugalharmony]

When I am Laid in Earth

Oh sweet, sweet baby Jesus, Purcell!! Now we’re talking. If I may indulge, I would like to recommend the finest portrayal of Dido that has ever inhabited this earthly realm, singing this very song: Warning: adult soprano alert.

I will also post an alternative interpretation by a female soprano for those who might prefer a more understated version:

[Cat-a-tonic]

Great review. Thanks for sharing.

So far I’m still preferring the previous album, probably because there was a greater number of soloists, some of whom were at their peak.

The quality of songs written by former choristers is the highlight of “Dream” for me. Dream You Of and Resurrectio are my favourites, along with One Small Voice.

The progression of Joseph is of no surprise on “Dream”. He has music and singing in his DNA and along with his brother, and with Morgan, he’s been given plenty of opportunities to shine on this album.

Morgan still sounds as though he is yet to peak so it looks as though the coming year will see him, the Hill brothers (and increasingly Jerome) being the dominant soloists.

I hope Hal Avery is able to have an opportunity for a good solo on Libera’s next album, since he’ll be hitting his peak in the next year or so (turns 13 this academic year). He is one of a number of boys who I would like to have heard more of on “Dream (i.e Cameron, Pietro, and Oskar), especially Lewis Q, who will now not have another opportunity even if he does return.

I’m a wee bit disappointed that Tom M got a very tame solo for this album. I’ve heard him sing live twice now and from what I heard, “Once” doesn’t even begin to challenge and showcase his talent. It’s likely he won’t get another opportunity for a solo on an album, since he’s nearing 14 and his voice is already peaking.
I’ve said before that I think Libera sometimes miss out some boys, or leave it late to give them a quality solo. For fans who can’t attend concerts, they never get to hear just how good some of those boys can be.

Interestingly, although Joseph and Morgan dominate the solos on Dream - I think there are as many, if not more soloists as on Forever though fewer perhaps at their peak. I haven't done an exact comparison but on Dream I count at least 4 soloists on their first album (Ben, Caleb, Edward, Theo) and several more doing their first recorded solos (Thomas M, Pietro, Lewis Q, Oskar, Hal, Julian and possibly more) as well as Luca getting 3 sizable solos and Freddie H 2. From my observations of the last few albums it's not been unusual to have 1 or 2 soloists dominate: If has Dominik and Luca, Forever Luca and to a lesser extent Joseph but they've also had quite a few other soloists. If had several by retiring trebles but also managed to introduce Daniel C and Freddie while Forever also had quite a lot of different soloists. I agree with Surpinto that it's always going to be difficult with the amount of talent they have and sometimes it's a question of what songs they want to do and who suits that song. Clear first trebles like Luca and Joseph are always going to get a lot of solos and Dream has used Morgan's soft tone a lot and Luca and Freddie H's maturing voices because it's fitted the song. Equally it is possible that some boys get fewer chances both recorded and live depending on the repertoire at the time. And as someone who can't often make it to concerts I definitely share your frustration that not every soloist gets recorded.

I also think that a few years' intakes from 2018/19 to 22 have been badly affected by Covid as they got less concert and even for a while service experience so were less likely to be ready to sing on albums unless they were like Luca or Joseph and peaked quickly. Plenty of boys don't however and need some more concerts under their belt first and those are the ones I think Covid really affected.

I absolutely agree with you about wanting to hear more from certain soloists even as I recognise the difficulties of recording everyone. Oskar should have time if he stays with the choir and hopefully Pietro and Hal too. I was also disappointed Cameron didn't get a solo on Dream as this was probably his last treble album.

I find your comments on Thomas on Once really interesting as you and a couple of others have said you don't feel it does him justice. Once isn't my favourite song but I do like Thomas's solo on it - its very pure and poignant and haunting. However, I've only heard Thomas live once (no pun intended) singing God Only Knows which is a very different style of music and I suspect this affects my view whereas those of you who have heard him more will have a better idea of what he can do which perhaps Once didn't show.

Sorry this is a very long-winded way of saying thank you for your comments which I found very thought-provoking and I agree with many though not all.

[Luckdragon]

Josh talked about "Dream You Of" for 15 minutes in his December Q&A. What he says is well worth your $5/month support if you like the song (and Josh in general).

https://www.patreon.com/c/joshmadine/

Here are some highlights as a teaser:

• He started writing the song in March 2024, but the chord sequence was written years ago for a project he was doing as Almanac. He played the original audio for us.
• The verse is in a challenging key for boys, D minor, and he told us why. High praise for Morgan in taking that on and the professional approach he took for all of his solos.
• He wanted a powerful chorus utilizing the "full might" of their orchestral resources. The synthesizers and drums were intentional callbacks to the early Libera albums. He also mentioned another song somebody else had written for the album that had intentional callbacks.
• The phrases in the acapella opening were so long, they were almost impossible to do in one breath. He told us how they dealt with that.
• The song has an unusual (for Libera) three-phrase structure. He needed a way to end the song without having it sound unfinished.
• The title is from a poem called "Why" by Walter de la Mare, and the theme of the poem inspired the lyrics. Sam suggested using Latin for the bridge and chorus.
• Finally, more praise for Morgan and Ben.

[Surpinto]

Josh talked about "Dream You Of" for 15 minutes in his December Q&A. What he says is well worth your $5/month support if you like the song (and Josh in general).

https://www.patreon.com/c/joshmadine/

Here are some highlights as a teaser:

Thanks for this information and interesting factoids we wouldn't have known about without you!