Summer 2012 Concerts - Jersey and Guernsey

Talks and reviews about Libera concerts or public appearances

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Horticult2000
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Re: Summer 2012 Concerts - Jersey and Guernsey

Post by Horticult2000 »

Some first impressions of the concert tonight. Just short: Of course Faithfull heart of Josh with Matthew Jansen and Thomas and Dyllan was great, as was expected. A surprise for me was Dies Irae with Ciaran as soloist: very good indeed. Also the Gloria this time was great, I did not like that very much in Arundel, but it was much better now. Still good for the very high notes: Matthew R-A. More later
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Re: Summer 2012 Concerts - Jersey and Guernsey

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Thanks - What was the audience like tonight, because I've just checked online for tomorrows concert and it's rather worrying that seats previously shown as being taken have now become available again. Rows of them infact.
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Re: Summer 2012 Concerts - Jersey and Guernsey

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JimmyRiddle wrote:Thanks - What was the audience like tonight, because I've just checked online for tomorrows concert and it's rather worrying that seats previously shown as being taken have now become available again. Rows of them infact.
I think the attendance reflected the bookings that were shown on the seating plan when I checked this afternoon. Pretty well occupied on the ground floor (apart from row 2 of the £35 seats which was mostly empty). The balcony had a much lower attendance, possibly 20%-25% full).

Need to add though that there were not as many rows of seats as shown on the seating plan.
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Re: Summer 2012 Concerts - Jersey and Guernsey

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Yorkie wrote:I think the attendance reflected the bookings that were shown on the seating plan when I checked this afternoon. Pretty well occupied on the ground floor (apart from row 2 of the £35 seats which was mostly empty). The balcony had a much lower attendance, possibly 20%-25% full).

Need to add though that there were not as many rows of seats as shown on the seating plan.
Thanks for reply. Glad that at least the ground floor felt well occupied - it's just strange that most of the back row seats for tomorrows concert have now become available again. Hope it's an admin error.
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Re: Summer 2012 Concerts - Jersey and Guernsey

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To be deleted.
Last edited by fan_de_LoK on Wed Aug 08, 2012 7:23 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Summer 2012 Concerts - Jersey and Guernsey

Post by Viktar »

A small video from yesterday
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Re: Summer 2012 Concerts - Jersey and Guernsey

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Some notes on the first Guernsey concert.
The venue of the Libera concerts in Guernsey is St.James’ Hall. It is not very big, but a beautiful former church, which is easily recognisable as such. Attached to it is a new building which houses several facilities. Compared to Arundel there were no new names in Libera, apart from the older boys returning, but I still cannot match names with faces of some of the younger boys. As was reported from Jersey by others, the programm was the same as in Arundel, apart from Faithful heart in stead of Do not stand. Yet for me it was a completely different concert
Even the start, although the same songs, was different. Jubilate was started solo by Matthew R.A., who was then joined by Thomas and the rest of the group. After the transition from Jubilate into Libera Eoghan and Luke formed a duo of soloists.
After this Ben and Cassius did the introduction and welcome.
As Ralph is not here the solo of the Song of life fell to Isaac. Sometimes a little hesitant he did a good job of it.
While the front row of boys was kneeled, Eoghan did the solo of Sanctissima, excellent as always.
Next was Sanctus for which Matthew Jansen did the solo. I know others praised his performance on other occasions, but for me it was now that he came really into the picture. It was beautiful.
After this Cassius and Michael U.R. introduced Moose.
Next I vow to Thee, with Matthew Jansen and Dyllan and Thomas in front. An excellent performance.
In absence of Stefan and Ralph Eternal Light was for Jude with assistance of Thomas. They did a pretty good job, but have to gain some experience yet.
Salva me was done by the whole group with the hoods on. Beautifully done, but I could not see who did what.
Next Jude introduced the musicians and Rob.
Then the eagerly awaited Faithful heart with Josh as principal soloist, but supported for the harmonies by Matthew Jansen, Thomas and Dyllan. It was indeed wonderful with Josh starting off as a light tenor but later gong into the baritone range. The voices of Josh and especially Matthew blended perfectly.
Next was Exsultate, which is always an uplifting song. Thomas was the soloist again, this boy was seen often in front this evening.
After this they suddenly disappeared from the stage and there was the interval.
After the interval Eoghan started with his now known solo of Attendite, after which the group did the Orinoco flow, devided into five groups. It was a nice and crisp performance.
Than Gloria, one of my favorite songs. In Arundel I was a bit disappointed, but this time it was beautiful. I think overall the sound was much better balanced here than it was in Arundel, where it was often just too loud.
Then Michael and Cassius explained about the clothes and the hoods.
After which Matthew Jansen and Thomas were the soloists in The Fountain and very well they did it too. These two boys were the centre of the whole concert, nearly every song one or both of them were involved in some special role.
Dies Irae had a surprise for me. A beautiful solo by Ciaran. He was good!!! Nothing more to say, come to hear him tonight, there are still tickets.
Grateful heart was next and duo’d by Thomas D.L and Michael U.R..
Stay with me had Cassius up front but he did not really do a solo, apart from a few lines at the end. Matthew R.A. did the discounts as usual.
Then Josh explained about voices and voice change after which he moved to the piano for the next song. Up to then the piano had been played by Steven G. if he was not playing the clarinet or recorder.
That next song was Ave verum which ended in th V formation with Jacob and Tiarnan up front, and Matthew still hidden from view for the high notes.
Far away was for Isaac, but not as convincing as he was in Arundel.
Glory to Thee an excellent performance of Eoghan. He is a class performer and under used, maybe he does not want too many solos?
After this Ben explained about the little ones, who were not present this time of course and announced the last song saying farewell
The last song was How shall I sing that Majesty with an excellent solo of Eoghan without the support of Stefan this time.
All in all a very nice concert.

Johan
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Re: Summer 2012 Concerts - Jersey and Guernsey

Post by maartendas »

Viktar wrote:A small video from yesterday
How cool to see Tiarnán on stage again!
Horticult2000 wrote:Matthew R.A. did the discounts as usual.
I knew I should've gotten my merchandise from him in Arundel :mrgreen: :wink:
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Re: Summer 2012 Concerts - Jersey and Guernsey

Post by Viktar »

Absolutely brilliant ending of the tour. Isaac finally made it through Far Away without adventures and sounded out of this world :D Ave Verum today was also the best from all four concerts; however IMO the second concert in Jersey remained to be unbeatable :)
Last edited by Viktar on Thu Aug 09, 2012 11:33 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Summer 2012 Concerts - Jersey and Guernsey

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Viktar wrote:Absolutely brilliant engaing of the tour. Isaac finally made it through Far Away without adventures and sounded out of this world :D Ave Verum today was also the best from all four concerts; however IMO the second concert in Jersey remained to be unbeatable :)
I enjoyed all of Isaac's Far Aways on this tour, he is a great performer on stage and gives it all he has. I agree that yesterdays was right up there with his Arundel version (possibly better) and Isaac is definitely somebody to watch on stage. Great concerts, all with slight differences, but immensely enjoyable.

I started writing some notes last night and I have some photos ready.............
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Re: Summer 2012 Concerts - Jersey and Guernsey

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Some final remarks about the Guernsey concerts. As on Jersey the boys went into town to distribute flyers to the public, but I think only on Tuesday. Still the Tuesday concert was less well attended than the Wednesday concert. Of course the known fans were there both days, but not in the numbers we were getting used to. There were only two rows of premium seats for the fans, and both days the second row was nearly empty. Funny observation is that the local people that attended reacted much more to the speeches of the boys than I have seen at other places.
As for the concerts themselves, of course one could say they were identical, but really live concerts are never quite identical. For instance Isaac was much better the second day, although still not quite up to his Arundel standard. In contrast Jude did not have his day on Wednesday and struggled. Obviously Kavana is getting older and ‘wiser’, he is not moving about any more like he used to. I mentioned yesterday I liked the sound better this time around. I mentioned this to one of the parents present, I think is was Tom Cully’s dad, and he explained it was because of the presence of the low voices this time, that were not there in Arundel. Talking about technicallities, I usually do not notice much of the lighting that is used, being concentrated on the music. Both evenings here I could not fail to notice the lighting being used very effectively and sometimes spectactularly. This in coordination with the choreography performed by the boys, which is getting more and more complicated. It seems that this is something especially the older boys take care of.. I do not suppose Mr. Prizeman is going to be surprised when the boys move, but it is the boys that develop it.
Finally I cannot but mention again two boys that did a great job, the ever enthousiastic Matthew Jansen and ‘pokerface’ Thomas Delgade-Little.
Johan
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Re: Summer 2012 Concerts - Jersey and Guernsey

Post by dani »

Horticult2000 wrote:Some final remarks about the Guernsey concerts. As on Jersey the boys went into town to distribute flyers to the public, but I think only on Tuesday. Still the Tuesday concert was less well attended than the Wednesday concert. Of course the known fans were there both days, but not in the numbers we were getting used to. There were only two rows of premium seats for the fans, and both days the second row was nearly empty. Funny observation is that the local people that attended reacted much more to the speeches of the boys than I have seen at other places.
As for the concerts themselves, of course one could say they were identical, but really live concerts are never quite identical. For instance Isaac was much better the second day, although still not quite up to his Arundel standard. In contrast Jude did not have his day on Wednesday and struggled. Obviously Kavana is getting older and ‘wiser’, he is not moving about any more like he used to. I mentioned yesterday I liked the sound better this time around. I mentioned this to one of the parents present, I think is was Tom Cully’s dad, and he explained it was because of the presence of the low voices this time, that were not there in Arundel. Talking about technicallities, I usually do not notice much of the lighting that is used, being concentrated on the music. Both evenings here I could not fail to notice the lighting being used very effectively and sometimes spectactularly. This in coordination with the choreography performed by the boys, which is getting more and more complicated. It seems that this is something especially the older boys take care of.. I do not suppose Mr. Prizeman is going to be surprised when the boys move, but it is the boys that develop it.
Finally I cannot but mention again two boys that did a great job, the ever enthousiastic Matthew Jansen and ‘pokerface’ Thomas Delgade-Little.
Johan

Thank you for the reports on Guernsey :)

Oh , that is sweet that Tom Cully Dad watches the boys even when Tom has not been with them for awhile.
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Re: Summer 2012 Concerts - Jersey and Guernsey

Post by Viktar »

Btw I'm a bit confused about Arundel's performance to be referred to as to Far Away benchmark for Isaac, imo he was far more superior vocally at all four concerts of the summer tour
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Re: Summer 2012 Concerts - Jersey and Guernsey

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Viktar wrote:Btw I'm a bit confused about Arundel's performance to be referred to as to Far Away benchmark for Isaac, imo he was far more superior vocally at all four concerts of the summer tour
Well, here you are and see how subjective the experience can be,
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Re: Summer 2012 Concerts - Jersey and Guernsey

Post by Yorkie »

Viktar wrote:Btw I'm a bit confused about Arundel's performance to be referred to as to Far Away benchmark for Isaac, imo he was far more superior vocally at all four concerts of the summer tour
I know, it is very hard to compare performances that are so far apart. I was blown away by Arundel and was looking forward to hearing him again. Enjoyed every version on the tour and last night's was fantastic. Better than Arundel? Who knows but we all know it was great
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