New Album "If" (Oct 2021 release)

[Surpinto]

Thanks to fan_de_LoK's tireless research we have unofficial confirmation of a new Libera album set for release October 15, 2021. The album title is to be If which corresponds to a song by the same title first sung in concert at St John's Smith Square in December 2020 during the brief lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in the UK.

So far we have the album cover which continues the theme of the Libera boys


This follows the trajectory of their major, non-Christmas album covers in which they are journeying first across a sea, then mountains and valleys, and finally are arriving at the entrance to something....something we do not know!



Other than the title song no tracks are yet known. However, one vendor has already released it for pre-order. I can't help but notice that item ID number is wrong. IHCD90 is the item number for the Apart But Together EP which Libera released after their June 2020 virtual concert; so the correct number should be IHCD91 or higher.

[Yorkie]

Interesting cover art (which I assume is by Mrs Kielty again). At first look it is rather dark for a Libera album but given the lyrics of the title track I think it works:

"If at the sound of wish
The summer sun would shine
And if just a smile would do
To brush all the clouds from the sky

If at the blink of an eye
The autumn leaves would whirl
And if you could sigh a deep sigh
To scatter them over the earth

I'd blink my eyes
And wave my arms
I'd wish a wish
To stop all harm

If at the wave of a hand
The winter snows would start
And if you could just light a candle
To change people's feelings and hearts

I'd whisper love
In every land
To every child
Woman and man

That's what I'd do
If my wishes would come true
That's what I'd do
If my wishes could come true"

The idea that by our actions we can bring light in to the world; a smile, a wish, a kind word, love.

[dani]

Released the day after my birthday so this will make a wonderful gift.



We can guess a few songs

Let me make songs for the people
Sing for our world
If

[Padmachou]

I wonder if (hey, "if" ) the "Pie Jesu" we heard Luca sing in one of the videos might be on the CD, too. Great news that the CD is coming soon anyway, I am eager to hear anything from dear Libera ! I miss them and you fellow fans.

[maartendas]

Fantastic news!
Highly anticipating the recording of ‘If’ and all the forthcoming details of the new album

[dani]

Thanks to Patrick


The track listing has been put up on the the plastic head website.

TRACK LIST
1. Once an angel
2. Let me make songs
3. If
4. Cum dederit
5. Total Praise
6. Ave Maria
7. Sing for our world
8. Nearer my God
9. Vespera
10. O Lord support us
11. Sacris solemnis
12. Deep peace - Gaelic Blessing
13. Nunc dimittis
14. Home
15. Lux aeterna

[Surpinto]

Let's go track by track and see/discuss what we think we know Only big surprise is the title track is that the third song. While it's certainly not unheard of to do that in an album arrangement, I was surprised by it all the same. So come speculate with me!

Once an angel
Another collaboration with Takatsugu Muramatsu along the same lines as the similarly named "Angel", or perhaps it could be the Neil Young song?

Let me make songs
We know this one from the December 2020 St John’s Smith Square concert which was streamed due to Covid. A cool song!

If
A very tender song we also heard sung for the first time at St John’s Smith Square in December by Daniel. I look forward to this one as it was a fave from that concert for me.

Cum dederit
The Vivaldi piece perhaps?

Total Praise
First sung at World Youth Day in 2016 and poorly captured on video, this was only sung again in 2020 both in December and at the fully virtual concert in June which was released as an EP titled Apart but Together

Ave Maria
Considering that their last non-Christmas album Beyond had no less than two versions of Ave Maria (one by Caccini and the other by Prizeman), would it be a far-out suggestion that the Schubert is being reintroduced? The last time it was performed was by TDL in 2014 in DC and the piece requires a particular voice and an exceptional amount of vocal control. Since we now have Luca whose singing is exceptional and in the same vocal range I would surmise we have our song and soloist -- barring some new form of Ave Maria suddenly appearing.

Sing for our world
Another really cool song from the December concert that's a total earworm -- in a good way! I love how the boy's voices are used as percussion and other types of instruments. The style seemed really unusual for Libera but I grew to love it. Looking forward to this one.

Nearer my God
This was taped and released as a standalone video back in 2018. I was fortunate enough to have heard it live twice; once in Ely Cathedral and then again on their US tour. It is a highly moving song, sung a capella, and I think all of us fell in love with it.

Vespera
AT LAST! This was speculated about but now we have it! It will likely be arranged as per the recent Aled Jones album which Libera sang on, but with only treble voices. For many of us this old music video and song were how we came across Libera. It made Libera different than the other choirs and was extremely compelling as well! To now have one of my all time favorite Libera songs re-recorded is very exciting!!!

O Lord support us
No idea about this one! Found several versions with this title on YouTube but that gives us no defining hints.

Sacris solemnis
Has not been released on an album since Luminosa (2001), but has been performed in concert since then so its inclusion makes sense. A Libera classic to my eyes which has not been on an album in 20 years

Deep peace - Gaelic Blessing
First released on Peace in 2010 and as a music video it was not recorded again except on the Apart but Together EP. It was performed in December as well. So we have three videos of it 1, 2, and 3

Nunc dimittis
While there are a myriad of settings of the Nunc Dimittis in liturgical music, I suspect that this is the same version sung on the Angel Voices 2 album. This is a famous setting for a chorister soloist by Geoffrey Burgon. If this is the correct setting then who will the soloist be?

Home
Surprised! This song is really nice but was released in 2017 on Hope so let us *hope* the remix is as good.

Lux aeterna
First released on their first album under the Libera name. It's a nice and peaceful piece and I never thought they would release or sing it again. It was one of the songs on which they used noticeable and distinct lower voices; which I like!

[enjaysea]

Deep peace - Gaelic Blessing
First released on Peace in 2010 and as a music video it was not recorded again except on the Apart but Together EP. It was performed in December as well.

Listen I don't want to be pedantic but yes I do. Deep Peace actually appeared first on the group's 1988 CD Sing For Ever under the name St. Philips Choir.

Excellent overview of the tracks!

[bachmahlerfan]

Well, I have a few things to say about this album. Some of the tracks were obviously expected for any of us who follow Libera year-round. There could be a couple surprises. Overall, this album will certainly feature a wide range of musical genres/styles.

Once an Angel: I agree with others that the Neil Young song by that name would be the most unlikely Libera cover ever attempted. Having read the lyrics, I don't think any of the choristers have had the life experience to sing about such things. Well, I suppose Robert Prizeman could do the solo part! Anyways, I'm inclined to think that it will be an original composition. I know Sam Coates has surprised us in the past, but this would be really weird.

Let me Make Songs: This one is no surprise. I'm just curious to hear what differences there are from the concert. I'm hoping this is not the only original composition on the album.

If: I know I'm going to enjoy this one. I enjoyed the concert version, but I think I will like Daniel's solo on the album more. When I see Libera get lumped into the Classical Crossover or New Age category, I get annoyed because tracks like this show that they don't fit neatly into one category.

Cum dederit: I can't decide whether I'm excited for this one. If it is the Vivaldi song, I'm not that excited. If it's something new, I could get excited about that. My problem with the Vivaldi song is that the melody is rather boring, and is only worth listening to if the soloist can make it interesting. They need to be expressive enough and the vocal line always needs to be going somewhere. It can't be static. Maybe one of Libera's soloists can achieve this, but I have doubts.

Ave Maria: Will this just be a proper recording of the Ave Maria from their "Apart but Together" online mini-concert? If not, then it could be any Ave Maria.

Sing for our World: I'm really looking forward to this one, because the recording wizards of Libera will make clear whatever was murky in the live Christmas concert. Some of the text is rather ambiguous, but who cares when the music is so much fun.

O Lord Support Us: As Surpinto mentioned, there are several compositions by the same name on Youtube. However, the one by Gary Davison seems like a good candidate. It's the only one that seemed to be written for a treble choir.

Sacris Solemnis: The main reason I'm happy to hear a new version of this is because the one from the "Luminosa" album is dominated by synthesizer-produced accompaniment instead of real instruments.

Nunc Dimittis: I would certainly be content with a new recording of the Geoffrey Burgon setting of this text. It's a lovely piece which fits wonderfully with Libera's "style". That said, I wouldn't object to something new and different.

Lux Aeterna: Personally, I would like to hear a totally different composition, instead of the one that Libera has recorded in two previous albums. I like the other one, but I think two recordings are enough.

Home: I'm guessing it's the one we all know but I'm hoping for something different. I think they should wait until Muramatsu comes up with something new, although I don't know if that will happen. I'll probably skip it unless the solo performance is really good.

[TullyBascombe]

Neil Young's "Once An Angel" is a country love song. I cannot remotely conceive of Libera singing it. I mean, what next? Jimmy Buffet? Willie Nelson? Johnny Cash?
If it's Vivaldi's "Cum diderit" I'm sure that it will be very much rearranged to make it fit Libera's style. If you can imagine getting rid of the droning violins, increasing the tempo of the sung parts and also shift them into the treble register, then you have something that Libera could do.

[Surpinto]

Neil Young's "Once An Angel" is a country love song. I cannot remotely conceive of Libera singing it. I mean, what next? Jimmy Buffet? Willie Nelson? Johnny Cash?
If it's Vivaldi's "Cum diderit" I'm sure that it will be very much rearranged to make it fit Libera's style. If you can imagine getting rid of the droning violins, increasing the tempo of the sung parts and also shift them into the treble register, then you have something that Libera could do.

For the record, I was joking about the Neil Young song

I can, however, see the Vivaldi being arranged for a choir rather than a soloist and exactly as you describe.

Also, I made and error in my speculations. The "Ave Maria" as bachmahlerfan reminded us was most recently performed by Tadhg on the Apart But Together EP. So it could be him assuming it was recorded in studio before his voice changed. He had a lovely voice.

Deep peace - Gaelic Blessing
First released on Peace in 2010 and as a music video it was not recorded again except on the Apart but Together EP. It was performed in December as well.

Listen I don't want to be pedantic but yes I do. Deep Peace actually appeared first on the group's 1988 CD Sing For Ever under the name St. Philips Choir.

Excellent overview of the tracks!

There's always one wise guy! Good catch

[LordG]

Is "Lux Aeterna" from the "Libera" (1999) album just a variation of
"In Paradisum" from the "New Dawn" (2008) album?

All the other "In Paradisum" recordings from 2018 with Solist Rocco Tesei
are different. Just my humble opinion.

BTW: I like my itunes
all titles sorted in every possible way

[Surpinto]

Is "Lux Aeterna" from the "Libera" (1999) album just a variation of
"In Paradisum" from the "New Dawn" (2008) album?

Yes it is! Another good catch. "Lux Aeterna" has that longer intro and more forward lower voices as well. After so many albums and so many years I sometimes forget all of the duplications, triplications, and rearrangements!

[Padmachou]

When I read here about "Lux Aeterna" I was like "what is this song I never heard about ? ". I listened to it on youtube and "oh yeaaah In Paradisum , sure, whatever the title, same old tune, sure sure, rearrange it please good idea, yeah". We should make a list of the songs that have various names... Sanctus would sure win

[john45]

When I read here about "Lux Aeterna" I was like "what is this song I never heard about ?

Maybe it will be the Elgar (Nimrod) version. Hope so.