The originals that inspired Robert Prizeman

[maartendas]

I saw a topic on the French forum about the original compositions that inspired Robert Prizeman to create songs for Libera, and thought I'd start a similar topic here. As many of you know, Robert Prizeman bases a lot of the songs of Libera on original compositions by the great classical composers, as well as on gregorian chant and church hymns. This could be a place where we can gather all the originals that have inspired Robert Prizeman to create wonderful new choral compositions for the boys of Libera, in order to broaden our own musical horizon and help us understand the wonderful world of Libera a little better. Doing so has been a great pleasure for me so far

I thought I'd start off with the hymn Te Lucis Ante Terminum, that is sung at the beginning of the office of compline, the closing of the day in official catholic liturgy. English composer Thomas Tallis set the words of this hymn to a composition for 4-part choir. Robert Prizeman used the opening verse of this for the Libera song Vespera.

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It sounds to me like Tallis based this first verse on gregorian/plainchant but I have been unable to find a gregorian version with exactly this melody.

Now, the only confusing thing about this is the song Te Lucis on Libera (1999). That is actually a rendition of the Thomas Tallis song Glory to Thee (a.k.a. Tallis' Canon, as it is called on New Dawn (2008)) but with the words of Te Lucis Ante Terminum set to the first verse...

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[maartendas]

Since I heard this on the radio this morning, here is the second movement (Adagio) of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Clarinet Concerto in A major, KV 622, which is the basis for Ave Virgo. Enjoy!

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[danieb88]

thanks for all your research! its nice to hear the background songs behind the amazing songs we know as Libera!
I heard "Ave Virgo" that instrumental version on classical fm once and was amazed! I love how RP takes these songs and adapts them!
Keep up the good work reseaching!

[madine_lover]

Gloria based on Organ Symphony by Saint Saens
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Sanctus based on Pachelbel in Canon D Major
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The Fountain based on Prelude in C Minor
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and so on.

[maartendas]

Thought I'd breathe some new life into this thread. Here's what inspired Lacrymosa, from Luminosa and Peace albums:

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[AngeModerne]

Usually I'm the one just to read and never comment but this blew me away I knew some of the Libera songs were from classical pieces but the ones i didn't know and listening to them ,I was just like wow pure genius I love it

[katyafan]

this is another version of the Organ Symphony, this one blows out my speakers, but I love it!!!

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[katyafan]

and the piece that is the music for "Sacris Solemnis", by the greatest composer of all time, ever, anywhere, Ludwig Van Beethoven...conducted by the legendary Leonard Bernstein.

might have to turn your speakers up



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[kay]

There are beautiful songs that Robert has adapted. Going Home (Dvorak) is one of my favorite pieces of all time, adn that last line,
'I'm just going home' is sung with such sincerity.

There are more pieces out there, but it must take a lot of tiem to, firstly write woprds, then to get every voice fitted in. Robert has a real genius for this, thankfully for us.

At this moment I have fallen in love with We Are The Lost, the singing is superb and the word and arrangement excellent.

Long may it all continue, and I thank Robert for his dedication to this most wonderful of music.

[Bob]

Epsom concert:

Kavana had said in his speech about the lyrics and harmonies and the difficulties of singing them and mentioned that the "Sanctus" consists of an 8-part harmony.

I understand this correctly? With an 8-part harmony vocals 8 different lyrics and melody? Or are the instruments in harmony also included?

Thanks for answer

Bob

[maartendas]

Hello Bob,

If I remember correctly, he said Libera, not Sanctus, consists of 8 different harmony parts at some point. I assume this means 8 different voice parts - though I admit it was shocked by that number! I know in the end you hear the "Libera me Domine" part in the foreground and in the "De profundis" part in the background but still, 8 is much more than that! I'd love to find out all the different parts, it would be interesting to hear

[Bob]

Hi Maartendas,

thank you for you answer. The specification of the voices are from high to low:
Soprano
Alto
Tenor
Bass

Each voice is divided in I +II so you have 8 different. But I have my doubts. Do they need the Bass-II-voice in a boys choir??? It sounds really very deep.

What do you think

cu Bob

[maartendas]

Typically Libera does not use the lower voices tenor and bass (only in some instances but normally not) so that's why I am curious what the 8 parts are.

Welcome to the forum by the way! Hope you find yourself at home here and will join happily in any discussion or chit chat

On topic - and talk about different vocal parts here's the original of Prayer, from the album Visions. Abendsegen (Evening blessing) from Engelbert Humperdinck's opera Hansel und Gretel. I have to say these boys look like they have to work really hard at what they do and not enjoying it... - compare that to Tom and Ed on the Leiden dvd - so much more at ease and confident, and radiating the pleasure of singing, even though you can tell that also for them it's a complex performance. Makes you realise their talent, and the wonderful coaching of RP.

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[fan_de_LoK]

Thak you very much for that post Maartendas

It allows to compare with the Leiden DVD as you do, but il also allows to mesure how fortunate we have been, us happy few, to have been present in Belfast and mostly in Edinburgh

This same some was sung by two less than ten years boys, Freddie and Mini-James. Their duet-solo at the start was so sweet and touching, with the progressive and successive entries of the choirs and Fiona's Violin... This will remain in my mind forever !

All Libera concert are greats but some are "out of the time", a moment of grace, like was Edinburgh.
You agree Yorkie ?

[Yorkie]

All Libera concert are greats but some are "out of the time", a moment of grace, like was Edinburgh.
You agree Yorkie ?

I have enjoyed every Libera concert I have been to F_D_L - and I hope to attend many more before I shuffle off to the great big brewery in the sky

Edinburgh will live long in my mind because it was my first; a first time to hear the boys live and a first time to meet people who also love a rather niche musical genre. I sometimes wonder what my life would be like if I had never stumbled across them, two years ago almost to the day.

So much of Edinburgh was lost to me because I was overloaded on the sights and sounds and experience - perhaps I didn't deserve such a good introduction? Anyway, all I really know is that I'm looking forward to my next chance to attend a concert. Hopefully this year but If that isn't to be I'll wait. Patiently.

I'm very envious of those of you who are going to see them in Canada; I know each and every concert will be a blast. Support them well - you're representing all of us who can't be there so make sure there is plenty of whooping and stomping (Viabuona I leave it to you to make sure that RP gets his rightful applause when taking the stage).