The mood of "Peace"

LiberAeterna · Post by **LiberAeterna** » 14 years ago

I thought for my first topic I would try and get us thinking about the tone of "Peace". What mood and feelings are you left with after the album has finished? Personally, after just a handful of listens, I am left feeling that the album is a bit somber. I think this was because a number of the more upbeat and majestic tracks (Time, Exsultate) are in the first half of the album which ends with How Shall I Sing That Majesty as the high point. The second half moves from the mysterious Lacrymosa to the peaceful plainchant of Adoro Te. Then a need for guidance in a gloomy world for Lead Kindly Light, a solemn stop in Panis Angelicus, an innocent departure into childhood dreams (Touch The Sky) and finally a call to cleanse all sorrows in The Fountain. I particularly am interested in your thoughts on The Fountain as the ending track. This is the first Libera album to end with such a somber song. This is probably due to the key of C minor which the Chopin piece is in. I think this is a great track but felt that it left the album somewhat unresolved. This may have been intentional as Prizeman and company may have wanted to reflect the present state of the world we live in with all the need and sorrow that is around us. As I listened to "New Dawn" again I noticed that that album has a good balance of tracks, starting with the breezy Orinoco Flow and ending with the peaceful In Paradisum, with many of them being embellished by the City of Prague orchestra. Contrastingly, "Peace" is more similar to "Luminosa" in tone with the ordering of the tracks (majestic, upbeat and rhythmic tracks in the beginning/middle and more solemn tracks in the second half) and the sparsity of instruments (no orchestra). "Luminosa" does end, however, with an upbeat tone in Sanctus II. This does not mean that I do not love "Peace" (I do) just that I find it a rather fascinating part of Libera's catalogue. Forgive me if I have rambled and gone on too long

but this is something that has been going through my mind as I listen to this incredible music. Any thoughts and comments would be welcomed

TEB · Post by **TEB** » 14 years ago

I will when I finally get the cd. Promise.

LiberAeterna · Post by **LiberAeterna** » 14 years ago

TEB wrote:I will when I finally get the cd. Promise.

Hey, thanks Tom and I'll look forward to reading it

! I'm guessing some members here haven't received their CD yet but most, according to other topics, have heard all the tracks at least. I'm just trying to promote some interesting discussion. After listening to "Free" again I noticed a similar arrangement of tracks to "Peace" as well. However, the bigger more rhythm-based tracks (I Am The Day, Ave Verum, Stay With Me, and Adoramus) are BIGGER than the ones on "Peace" and the album, after a string of hymn-like or solemn songs in the second half, ends with the uplifting Adoramus. Again, I am not deriding "Peace" in any way (I am enjoying it more and more) just comparing my feelings after listening to the albums

. Also, I always found it interesting that Libera begin their concerts with Adoramus (last track on "Free") and end with I Am The Day (first track on "Free")

.

plumpuff6 · Post by **plumpuff6** » 14 years ago

I will also comment once I receive my copy of the album and listen to it a few times to establish the mood. I liked reading your comparisons and analysis of the album, by the way.

irishoreo · Post by **irishoreo** » 14 years ago

When I first read this i wanted to replay as every1 else just did and say that I will once i receive my copy I will review as well lol.

danieb88 · Post by **danieb88** » 14 years ago

I really like reading your interpretations of all the songs, it sounds as if you ut alot of thought into it which is great

Id like to comment productively here but unfortunatly i always listen to albums on shuffle (mostly cos theyre on my ipod!) so cant say much!

TEB · Post by **TEB** » 14 years ago

LiberAeterna wrote: Also, I always found it interesting that Libera begin their concerts with Adoramus (last track on "Free") and end with I Am The Day (first track on "Free") .

Adoramus just seems like a good song to start a concert of with. And Day, well, it just has a natual concert ending to it with a long loud last note. A good set up for encores.

LiberAeterna · Post by **LiberAeterna** » 14 years ago

plumpuff6 wrote:I will also comment once I receive my copy of the album and listen to it a few times to establish the mood. I liked reading your comparisons and analysis of the album, by the way.

Thanks for the kind words plumpuff6! I really do try and absorb what I listen to as much as I can. This started in Music Appreciation classes where you analyse elements of a symphony and so forth (I really should have tried for a minor in Music). It helps also that I like reading the lyrics as I listen to the songs. I will look forward to reading your thoughts

!

LiberAeterna · Post by **LiberAeterna** » 14 years ago

danieb88 wrote:I really like reading your interpretations of all the songs, it sounds as if you ut alot of thought into it which is great
Id like to comment productively here but unfortunatly i always listen to albums on shuffle (mostly cos theyre on my ipod!) so cant say much!

Thanks as well danieb88! I did try and put a lot of thought behind this because after hearing the haunting last song The Fountain I was left with this somber mood. However, I am sure that others will have different interpretations, which is exactly what I hope for as this makes for good discussion

.

AAHH yes...the dreaded shuffle feature

! I do this sometimes as well on my way to work (I commute far) but with new albums I like to listen all the way through a few times first. One shouldn't fault you for being hip and "today"

.

Choirfan · Post by **Choirfan** » 14 years ago

I did think the album peace is well a 'peaceful' album, or sombre as you have put it.

It definitely is not as upbeat as New Dawn. But i have listened to it a few times and it is growing on me.

I wonder why James Mordaunt got such a boring song though. Ralph Skan's solo on Fountain is just beautiful and haunting, it almost makes me cry.

It is also nice to see Jakob get a solo after several years in the group.

paopao · Post by **paopao** » 14 years ago

Choirfan wrote:I did think the album peace is well a 'peaceful' album, or sombre as you have put it.

It definitely is not as upbeat as New Dawn. But i have listened to it a few times and it is growing on me.

I wonder why James Mordaunt got such a boring song though. Ralph Skan's solo on Fountain is just beautiful and haunting, it almost makes me cry.

It is also nice to see Jakob get a solo after several years in the group.

Hmm.. I agree with you about The Fountain, the solo is brilliant! but it's interesting that you don't like Touch the sky, it's okay though..not everybody loves mini James' solo there. I do though, love the whole thing about the song, it actually brings my childhood memories back.. like..yeah, climbing trees and such

plus, it's kinda innovative, or should i say experimental.

plumpuff6 · Post by **plumpuff6** » 14 years ago

paopao wrote:
Choirfan wrote:I did think the album peace is well a 'peaceful' album, or sombre as you have put it.

It definitely is not as upbeat as New Dawn. But i have listened to it a few times and it is growing on me.

I wonder why James Mordaunt got such a boring song though. Ralph Skan's solo on Fountain is just beautiful and haunting, it almost makes me cry.

It is also nice to see Jakob get a solo after several years in the group.
Hmm.. I agree with you about The Fountain, the solo is brilliant! but it's interesting that you don't like Touch the sky, it's okay though..not everybody loves mini James' solo there. I do though, love the whole thing about the song, it actually brings my childhood memories back.. like..yeah, climbing trees and such plus, it's kinda innovative, or should i say experimental.

I would say that I'm kind of in the middle about "Touch the Sky". It isn't my favorite track on the album, but it has some really interesting harmonies, and the ending is quite different than the usual Libera endings; it's a new sound.

As for Mini-James' solo...it is a very child-like solo, with a relatively simple melody, but I think it suits Mini-James. His voice sounds quite innocent and young, so the plain melody matches it well. Mini-James is only about 10 years old. The song, for me, evokes feelings of childhood when things seemed much less complicated than they are now!

LiberAeterna · Post by **LiberAeterna** » 14 years ago

plumpuff6 wrote:
paopao wrote:
Choirfan wrote:I did think the album peace is well a 'peaceful' album, or sombre as you have put it.

It definitely is not as upbeat as New Dawn. But i have listened to it a few times and it is growing on me.

I wonder why James Mordaunt got such a boring song though. Ralph Skan's solo on Fountain is just beautiful and haunting, it almost makes me cry.

It is also nice to see Jakob get a solo after several years in the group.
Hmm.. I agree with you about The Fountain, the solo is brilliant! but it's interesting that you don't like Touch the sky, it's okay though..not everybody loves mini James' solo there. I do though, love the whole thing about the song, it actually brings my childhood memories back.. like..yeah, climbing trees and such plus, it's kinda innovative, or should i say experimental.
I would say that I'm kind of in the middle about "Touch the Sky". It isn't my favorite track on the album, but it has some really interesting harmonies, and the ending is quite different than the usual Libera endings; it's a new sound.

As for Mini-James' solo...it is a very child-like solo, with a relatively simple melody, but I think it suits Mini-James. His voice sounds quite innocent and young, so the plain melody matches it well. Mini-James is only about 10 years old. The song, for me, evokes feelings of childhood when things seemed much less complicated than they are now!

Thank you all for the input

! I really enjoyed reading all your thoughts and I look forward to more. Yes, the solo by Ralph is both haunting and beautiful in The Fountain. I also really love the high accompaniment by Ben (I think) on the last verse before the end, stunning. Regarding Touch The Sky, I find it a pleasant diversion from the flow of the second half of the album, almost like a memory from the past when things were more simple(as you say plumpuff6

). It is quite experimental for Libera; the desending ahh, ahhh harmonies provided by Ben and Jakob after the verses as well as the kind of abrupt ending. I think this is what makes it seem like a reverie from the past to me as these elements give it a dreamlike feel before we awaken back into the real world with The Fountain.

Choirfan · Post by **Choirfan** » 14 years ago

I just think Touch the Sky falls a little flat. They could have picked a song that showed off his voice a little more...i mean by the next album he will be 12 and who knows his voice may have broken

It is good it evokes childhood memories for people but i wonder how many people cite is as a favourite just because it is james singing it and they all think he is so cute

Really the song is quite basic and at an amateur level...no i do not say that as a snob as i know little about classical music, it is just my two cents worth.

As an aside i would have liked to have seen Kavanagh or Flynn get a solo on the album.

Mathmaniac · Post by **Mathmaniac** » 14 years ago

I enjoyed "Touch the Sky." As LiberAeterna mentioned, it is a pleasant diversion from the mood of the 2nd half of the album. It's harmonies are a departure from traditional Libera, partially because Ben Crawley wrote the music and lyrics. The melody was not overly complicated (as that would not fit with the lyrics). The middle sections' harmonies harken to the more modern Romantic and 20th century rather than classical (1750-1820), baroque (1600-1750), renaissance, and medieval. It was a song that shows great potential in the songwriter, especially musically.