Libera Dreams

Last year Libera sang only very few Christmas songs at their December concert: 3 were listed in the programme, 4 were sung. Is it safe to assume for Brighton now that they'll perform many more of them due to the Moscow concert following? I think that a good number of Christmas songs will just be expected there.
In Moscow 2015 (January), the set list included 9 Christmas songs, so practically half of it, and it was the same in the preceeding UK concert on 20th December in Upper Norwood.

Yes last year really didn’t feel like a Xmas concert at all.

The problem I guess is always the time it takes for them to learn a song and then slot into a concert. Maybe that’s why this year the concert is slightly later to give them more time to make it a real Christmas concert?

Also the fact they have no Christmas album out so we can expect to hear the same songs that have always done well.

So Carol Of The Bells, In Dulci Jubilo and Joyful Joyful or Joy to the world and silent night and hopefully they do “Do You Hear What I Hear” as I really enjoyed that last year as the opening song . I still can not imagine we will get more than about 7/8 Christmas for the concert but here is hoping I am wrong due to the fact they will have had about 7 weeks of rehearsal.


I would love to hear O Holy Night, Veni Veni E and God Rest Ye Merry this year as these are some of my favorites.

dani wrote: ↑<span title="Tue Dec 04, 2018 4:33 pm">5 years ago</span> The problem I guess is always the time it takes for them to learn a song and then slot into a concert. Maybe that’s why this year the concert is slightly later to give them more time to make it a real Christmas concert? [...]
I still can not imagine we will get more than about 7/8 Christmas for the concert but here is hoping I am wrong due to the fact they will have had about 7 weeks of rehearsal.

As they don't change much of their programme during the time at least from the summer to the autumn concerts, I'm quite certain that there's been room to practise some more songs in parallel from the beginning of school after the summer holidays, so that there have been more than seven weeks available. All the more as they knew at least since August that they would be going to Moscow in December.

Before Libera came, I was not much into Christmas songs and very glad to hear that their Christmas concerts never consist of Christmas songs entirely. It's amazing to see how that has changed: This year I'm actually hoping for a higher percentage of them.

dani wrote: ↑<span title="Tue Dec 04, 2018 4:33 pm">5 years ago</span> I would love to hear O Holy Night, Veni Veni E and God Rest Ye Merry this year as these are some of my favorites.

I'm deeply with you on wishing O Holy Night into this year's set list - dear Libera, how great that one would sound in Moscow ... - and I'd also like to hear Veni, Veni Emmanuel. While I do not have any illusions about the latter one. My greatest wish though will stay Wexford Carol, as long as I haven't heard it live.

Hi All,

Unfortunately my wife and I are unable to attend the concert, but have 2 tickets if anyone is interested. The tickets are for General Block C, Seats G8 and G9

Regards,

Mike

Looks like at least one of the "old boys" will be present in Brighton. Lets hope for a repeat of the Westminster concert with a full back line

Matt Madine tweeted:

I’m proud to tell all of you wonderful people, I’m performing with Libera in Brighton, UK this Christmas Let’s call it “The Return of the Robe Volume 2” See you there!

This is wonderful news as they really added a depth to the Westminster concert.

Here is hoping that Veni Veni is performed if they do get a big back row again.

I'm surprised that there are still quite a few seats left to fill for this concert. Brighton is slightly closer to the centre of London than Ely, and its population is about eleven times greater than Ely. Hopefully they can attract more of the Brighton locals to fill out the remaining seats.

Thinking out loud: Does the addition of lower voices mean a likely repeat of "Lamentione" from the Westminster concert or does Libera likely have some other tricks up their sleeve? I recollect from the reviews of Westminster that "Lamentione" in particular benefited from the lower voices.

Surpinto wrote: ↑<span title="Tue Dec 11, 2018 12:38 am">5 years ago</span> Thinking out loud: Does the addition of lower voices mean a likely repeat of "Lamentione" from the Westminster concert or does Libera likely have some other tricks up their sleeve? I recollect from the reviews of Westminster that "Lamentione" in particular benefited from the lower voices.

I hope so, as I like lower voices very much. But I'm not quite sure what to make out of Matt's post: Will there be only him together with the current back-row boys or more again? If the latter, it would heal my pain not to have been able to attend the October concert.

Well, three days remaining, time to have a look at the current occupancy status once more:


Hopefully, many people there know about the upcoming concert and are determined to go, without having bought a ticket in advance. And even if not: When they see all the Libera fan streams heading for the church, they'll just have to join us - curiosity of mankind.

filiarheni wrote: ↑<span title="Wed Dec 12, 2018 5:30 pm">5 years ago</span> When they see all the Libera fan streams heading for the church, they'll just have to join us - curiosity of mankind.

This actually happened to me at Garden Grove so yes, it could happen

Sitting in a airport ticker says 6 hours to go just a few hundred miles and I will be there.

Fingers crossed
.

no rush, the weather couldnt be much worse anyway at churchill mall the crazy xmas shoppers and outside crazy wind prizeman was checking out the church before noon. its a really nice little church, hoping for a great concert as the ceiling is veeeeery high, but rather short church

Merry Christmas fellow Libera fans!

Please take lots of pictures of the boys and write detailed reviews of the Christmas concert if you are able to attend. I wish I could.

Have fun.
.

All hear just need the rain to ease for the 10min walk to the church at least happy 2 hours at hotel so no silly hotel drink prices.

What a weekend.

From the profane - Julien Clary’s “tsunami of smut” (Snow White at the Palladium on Friday) to the sacred – a beautiful “Nine Lessons and Carols" service at St Philip’s on Sunday. In between, a magnificent Libera Concert in Brighton on Saturday.

I’ll leave the details of the concert to others but for future jogging of my failing memory I will record here favourite moments of the additions and variations in the repertoire.

Oliver WR opening “Do you hear what I hear”. I am told this was sung last year but I don’t remember it being so good. Lovely arrangement.

Joseph’s speech introducing “In the Bleak Mid-Winter” in which he managed to get in an ad-lib (I think) about the weather. Very nice performance by Dominik.

This was Ben B's first solo performance of "Ave Maria" and it was wonderful. His voice has developed beautifully with such richness and clarity and he is able to reach those elusive high notes with confidence and ease.

Tadhg singing “The Wexford Carol” had been on everyone’s wish list and he did not disappoint. Beautiful voice for a beautiful song.

Very nice “How Great Thou Art” by Oliver WR. He has a versatile voice. Rich and full of expression in this hymn and lighter for “For the Future”.

The best performance of the night for me was “I Saw Three Ships”. Amazing arrangement by Sam Coates. Very lively and very complex but obviously enjoyed immensely by the performers as well as the audience.

Gaudete has been sung many times before, but not with an introduction by Samuel-Francis. Just perfect.

I have no idea what Jack really said in what sounded like perfect Russian (Where were you George?) but have a suspicion something was lost in Johnnie’s translation.

Finally, Silent Night, another bonus a capella masterpiece from the magnificent six: Merlin, Ben B, Mathias, Victor, Rocco and Leo.

It does not seem possible, but it really does just get better and better.

Thanks Libera.