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I'm Getting Bored with Libera

Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2022 4:02 am
by swalker2001
There are periods of time in which I don't intentionally put on any Libera music. Maybe it's work and life getting in the way, I don't know.

The group never leaves my mind for any period of time, as I have signed posters etc hanging on the walls of my home. I am also admin of the Libera Facebook group and am very active there.

But as I said, life happens. Then as I am working (and listening to my music while I work), a Libera song will come on and it just paralyzes me. I have to stop work and just listen. The stresses of the job melt away temporarily. The stresses of life seem unimportant and nothing else matters for a few minutes.

I can't imagine a time when I will ever be bored of Libera. The music, going all the way back to the St Philips group, is mesmerizing and when I do go for a few days or even a couple of weeks without it, then I hear something like Lacrymosa or Semele or Far Away, I realize that their songs are as therapeutic as they are beautiful.

It's to my great benefit to stop down periodically and just spend a few minutes or an hour with Libera.

Re: I'm Getting Bored with Libera

Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2022 5:57 am
by Luckdragon
My feelings trend more toward frustration than boredom. I had hoped that the long periods of inactivity on social media would change with the new, younger leadership but that's not the case.

In the meantime, I've made it a bit of a hobby to follow other boy choirs of the world and have enjoyed the active social media presence of many of them. Bratislava and Poznan have become personal favorites. CVMS for obvious reasons; WSK posts regularly and their Schubert Choir is in the middle of an epic 67-day tour of North America; St. Florian is very active and has a photo album on FB of nearly 1,000 images dating back to 2012; Trinity (the other Croydon boy choir) keeps the news flowing and is on their second tour of Germany this year. There are many others who are doing a much better job than Libera of keeping their fans updated.

Whenever I want to take a break from Libera music, I turn to the substantial archive of the Choir of King's College (https://music.youtube.com/channel/UCzaX ... 25lDYMJ8Kw - click Albums). I love their song selection and their music seems to have some kind of soft filter on it that's soothing to the soul. The adult Celtic choir Anuna is also a personal favorite.

Re: I'm Getting Bored with Libera

Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2022 12:15 pm
by fan_de_LoK
topic edit : the initial poster of this topic edited his post and filled it with only a repeted single letter. I deleted it.

Re: I'm Getting Bored with Libera

Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2022 1:02 pm
by Surpinto
Even the best music from time to time needs to be taken a break from. As much as I love Libera, I can't listen to it non-stop all the time. Other choirs, and even other genres of music, must be included.

But just like others here, there are times in my life when I just need to listen to our favorite choir and their soul soothing chords.... or just because I'm in the right mood for their music.

Re: I'm Getting Bored with Libera

Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2022 2:02 pm
by Luckdragon
fan_de_LoK wrote: <span title="Sat Nov 12, 2022 12:15 pm">2 years ago</span> topic edit : the initial poster of this topic edited his post and filled it with only a repeted single letter. I deleted it.
Too bad. It was a rant unlike anything we are likely to see again in our lifetimes. :wink:

Re: I'm Getting Bored with Libera

Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2022 2:43 pm
by Josquin2Penderecki
I sent a message to one of the moderators last night asking to delete the thread, but I don't think they have had a chance to do so yet. Anyways, I wouldn't call my original message a rant. A rant by me would have been considerably more unpleasant.

Re: I'm Getting Bored with Libera

Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2022 3:41 pm
by filiarheni
It would have been interesting to hear the initial opinion, as the following discussion refers to it, but okay, it may have been the better option. 8)

My first encounter with Libera left me so absolutely mesmerised and joyful and I had so much the feeling of musically having arrived at home that I was not able to listen to any other music for almost 8 months. Then another Libera fan introduced me to Boys Air Choir, with whom I started to get back to more variety and then I extended my choral listen more and more. Today I guard a huge treasure of choral music and there is still no end in sight. :D :!:

So, naturally, the "percentage" of listening to Libera has become less, just like Surpinto described it above. But even when I don't actually feel like giving them a listen and then yet I do, or when I sit in a concert, I always feel once more how much they give me, how relaxing their music feels and how happy I am just because it exists. And how much I still admire their music and also, again, how happy I am that I still feel that way.

And well ... I like it that they differ from other choirs and that they don't let themselves be drawn into the swirl of social media. They remain a bit of an enigma at times. All of that keeps them special as well. (Although I am very much interested for some concrete reasons when their spring concert in 2023 will take place. :lol: )

Re: I'm Getting Bored with Libera

Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2022 4:14 pm
by Celtic
Libera operate in a special little niche for me. They have never been my favourite choir (sorry! Shall I just get in the wickerman now and light it myself?). Nor are they my most seen choir, I have seen CVMS and a French choir more times. But their Guildford Cathedral concert in 2015 kick-started my choral odyssey and I had listened to them here and there since at least ~2005ish.

Their concerts remain the main attraction for me. There are no other concerts like them. As for their recordings, they often form part of my playlist, but unlike others in this forum, I can't say they have ever dominated my playlist for any period of time.

As I'm sure is abundantly clear from my postings, I am flighty with a diffuse focus, switching allegiances often and have glutted myself on choral music in an entirely excessive way at times. I have attempted to list all the different choirs I've heard over the last 7years and got to 62, so far, which is definitely not a complete list.

I think the fact that I listen to so many different choirs (and other types of music!) helps, in that when I do attend a Libera concert, for me it is a fresher sound, more interesting and engaging precisely because I haven't listened to them so much in between.

Re: I'm Getting Bored with Libera

Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2022 6:09 pm
by swalker2001
fan_de_LoK wrote: <span title="Sat Nov 12, 2022 12:15 pm">2 years ago</span> topic edit : the initial poster of this topic edited his post and filled it with only a repeted single letter. I deleted it.
Now of course it looks like my post, which was the first reply to the original, is actually the initial post bearing the subject line "I'm Getting Bored with Libera."

I'm hoping all who read the topic will read all of the replies 😄

Re: I'm Getting Bored with Libera

Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2022 7:19 pm
by Padmachou
swalker2001 wrote: <span title="Sat Nov 12, 2022 6:09 pm">2 years ago</span>
fan_de_LoK wrote: <span title="Sat Nov 12, 2022 12:15 pm">2 years ago</span> topic edit : the initial poster of this topic edited his post and filled it with only a repeted single letter. I deleted it.
Now of course it looks like my post, which was the first reply to the original, is actually the initial post bearing the subject line "I'm Getting Bored with Libera."

I'm hoping all who read the topic will read all of the replies 😄
I thought you were just being smart, catching the attention with such a surprising opinion, and then praising Libera :lol:

I would not say I get 'bored' either, but there are times when I listen to it more frequently than others. I totally relate to those who said sometimes you just listen to one of the songs, not on purpose, and you marvel again and end up listening carefully once again :mrgreen:
On the other hand, sometimes I happen to listen to something ELSE than Libera ( :o ) and marvel again and end up purposefully listening to all my playlists except Libera :mrgreen:

I do know that certain moods, like before Christmas (or the current Autumn's weather), lead me to listening more of Libera (especially their Christmas albums).
Also, there is this paradox : Libera to me, can be calming and soothing, but sometimes especially when I am tired, their sound can be... itchy ? Like it's annoying me, all the very high notes that I usually like feel painful ? :shock: It does not happen often, but when it does it is very frustrating, because the music that would usually help me feel better does not work anymore.