Customer Reviews

Angel Voices: Libera In Concert

5 star:		(63)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Absolutely beyond outstanding!! This DVD contains some of Libera's most popular selections and they are done to perfection. I can't tell you how much I enjoyed it.

The music of the boys is absolutely haunting and evocative. If you have never experienced Libera you MUST! While I understand that their music is based in the Christian religion, I believe that people of all faiths can appreciate its beauty!

Sometimes I find it difficult to believe that these are young boys from 8 - 14, and that they live basically normal lives of kids, doing what kids do and experiencing life to its fullest. That's so easy to forget when you see them dressed in their white frocks and hear them singing like angles.

Robert Prizeman and Phillip Byrd the directors have produced a sound that is absolutely unique in the world. It speaks volumes of love, tranquility and devotion. These boys really care about their music and love it. It's the SOUND of ANGLES!!!

Libera does not get to the US so we are unable to see them in person, so the DVD is the next best thing. The DVD is in Dolby Surround sound, and believe me when I say you are there, it's just beautiful!

The DVD offers some insight into their personal lives and their future goals.

BUY IT TODAY, you will not be disappointed!

The shooting of this DVD was in Leiden, Netherlands at 30th an 31st of May 2007. It is a must-have for all Libera fans, since it is also the first recording in 5.1 surround. If the DVD sound track is as good as it sounded during recording (if anything, it should be better), this DVD must sound like heaven.

We finally get to see a glimpse of Robert Prizeman, the master behind this group. And what a group! The DVD's extras are great, with lots of interviews of the boys and extra songs that aren't on the CD (Ave Maria is the best). It's music that's been on their previous releases, but to see them do it live is really a treat. Prizeman knows exactly what to feature about a boy's voice and how to blend textures, creating an etheral sound that envelops you. Excellent musicality, and the choir has such confidence. From the interviews I would guess that Libera must have very good people in management to create such a great program for youth. The camera work was a treat, lots of close up shots as well as group shots, making it a great experience overall.

And you won't be able to keep yourself from smiling when you see Josh, the soloist with the permanent cherub smile.

This DVD is amazing! If you like Libera (if you don't then you don't appreciate good music!) then this is a real treat! Unlike so many other live recordings, this doesn't sound 'live' ie the songs sound like you expect them to. The songs as always are beautifully sung. The whole concert is recorded with brilliant quality both sound and vision. The bonus item where the boys give short interviews, is wonderful and will certainly amuse you! Thanks to everyone connected with Libera for at last giving us the chance to see these talanted young lads at their best. This still hasn't been released in the UK yet, but as always Amazon delivers FAST! If you live outside the US and want this DVD, I give it maximum score as well as giving Amazon maximum score for their truly excellent service. Buy this....... you won't be sorry!

Robert Prizeman has given fans of Libera what they have desired for a long time and displayed the great talents of the boys to all those who are new to Libera. The music is well performed and the quality of their live performance compares well to studio recordings on their other albums. For those who have been unable to see them live before, it is great to see the boys faces as they sing. Libera's music is not your typical boy choir and compares to Enya and Celtic Woman. The extra features include interviews with the boys, "Libera In Their Own Words," that reveal these angelic voices are just vivacious boys who have been well trained to bring something wonderful to the world.

Where do I begin. I could begin when I first heard these boys sing about a year ago, or I could jump ahead and tell you about receiving my first CD. Well, the first CD led me to purchasing all of their CDs right back to the beginning, before they were Libera. Every CD is a blessing, and the voices are unbelievable. Your latest CD/DVD is now the most played CD and DVD I own, your voices are out of this world, and the arrangements by Robert Prizeman are exquisite, you are to be congratulated sir on a job well done. I would like to say something about all the boys but that would take forever, but I will mention a couple of them beginning with Tom. Well Tom, you have a wonderful voice, and I love to listen to you sing. My two favouite songs that you sing are "Far Away" and "Do Not Stand at my Grave and Weep." God has most certainly blessed you with a beautiful voice, which you control like a professional, congratulations. What can I say about Josh, I just love to watch his face expressions when he sings, he looks so happy. Josh, keep smiling and having fun, because I believe you touch a lot of people when they see & hear you sing, and don't you ever change. Ed Day, you too have great control of your voice and the duets you sing with Tom are so very beautiful. I loved your sigh of relief after singing "Prayer." I will add to my comment by saying that it was also a very proud sigh, for a job well done, and I personally want to congratuale you as I'm sure a lot of hard work went into learning your difficult part. Then there is mini Ben. You sing those high notes with so much ease, and I love your solo and duet in "Going Home," it is so beautiful. There were others who also sang beautifully as well or you wouldn't be a part of Libera. Congratulations on a job well done, and I loved the Special Features on the DVD as well, do more on the next one, please. Keep up the great work, and I pray that God will continue to Bless you all throughout your lives. Sometime, please come to the Capital city of Canada (Ottawa), to sing, as I'd love to see you in person.

For some time, there have been rumors about a Libera DVD. Finally it's out. I purchased both the CD and DVD versions of this concert. Each has its own good points. Both include a lot of familiar Libera music. The most significant thing I noticed in both was the excellence of performance. Since this is a live performance, it's difficult to hide mistakes. While I noticed a few minor flaws, this is really great for a live performance.

The sound quality is a bit different between the CD and DVD. Each is appropriate to its own medium. The surround sound on the DVD gives it the "just right" feel. You get a real sense of what the concert must have been like in the rather intimate church venue.

An advantage of the DVD is that it has two extra tracks as well as personal interviews with some of the choir members. All in all, this was money well spent. I now look forward to the possibility of a concert tour in the US this spring that appears to be in the offing.

It is hard to create a good enough title for this review. I'm simply grateful that this amazing peace of work was done. If there's something beyond life, there's certainly something of it in the music of Libera. I've watched the DVD more than ten times and it still gets me to tears. It is simply so beautiful. The professionalism that shows in every aspect of this video is awesome. From the first moment on you are captivated by the beauty of the songs and the simple but powerful settings. The camera work, lighting, simple choreography, introductions, everything works.

I would like to mention some aspects that I highly appreciate in Libera and in this DVD. First is that the young people are given the whole stage, they represent themselves, their music and the support personnel. All the adults stay in the background. Even the creator and heart of the group, Robert Prizeman, stays in the shadows, giving very small instructions. Second, the spirit of Libera is clearly visible, the joyful, loving attitude towards the music and singing. Third, the fact that some of the boys who join Libera, can continue singing even after their voice breaks, and even after that to help in composing and other practical work. It seems like a family and it shows in the video. Fourth, that the young people are given great responsibility from the rehearsals to the live performances, the peer supporting seems to really work.

I've been working for some time with youth and I believe that Libera has something special to contribute to youth work. I hope that Libera and especially Robert Prizeman could reveal some day even more about the everyday practice of the choir.

I want to thank everybody involved in this project and give special thanks to Josh (Joshua Madine) for great attitude and smile, I always get into good mood from your smile, to Tom (Cully) for your magic trick, humor and your wonderful voice especially in Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep, it always seems to get my eyes wet, to Ed (Edward Day) for the work you've done, it has certainly paid off, for mini-Ben (Benedict Philipp) for the well done introduction speech and of course the solos, to Liam (Connery) and Joe (Joseph Snelling) for your relaxed and peaceful performance, to Michael (Horncastle), Conor (O'Donnell) and Callum (Payne) for your supporting low voices, to brothers Sam (Leggett) and Alex (Alexander) for your concentration and enthusiasm, to Michael (Vereycken), Tom (Thomas) and Oliver (Cole), Jonathan (Barrington), Jacob (Wood), Tiernan (Branson), Zack (Lockett) for the amazing performance and perfect singing, to Fiona Pears for the wonderful violin solos, and of course to Robert Prizeman for making it all possible. I certainly hope to be able to see you live some day.

If there's something to improve, it is to make the next DVD release in double layer format, I'm sure there's enough material to fill a full DVD.

I hope that EMI Classics will keep on investing time and money in Libera.

Libera is a unique classical crossover group. Their music is beautiful, relaxing and unique. Although the concert is very simple in terms of production values, it is extraordinarily moving.

The concert is fantastic. The music is beautiful. The young artists are very gifted and professional and they obviously love the music they sing. Moreover, the joy they feel at performing is contagious.

The setting is perfect, adding to the feeling of peace that the entire concert transpires.

The lyrics -in Latin and English- are mostly based on the Christian tradition, which makes the choir sound more "angelical". And I have to say that this didn't spoil my enjoyment of the concert in the least (I am definitely NOT a religious person).

While watching these very young kids perform Adoramus, Far Away, Sanctus, Salva Me, Libera (the most popular), Stay With Me, or I Am The Day (my favourite) I couldn't help thinking that contrary to my earlier convictions, may be angels do exist.

I really hope they produce many more such DVDs. I'll get them all.