Customer Reviews

Free

5 star:		(41)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Robert Prizeman and his boys have done it again: "Free" is simply wonderful! Fans of Libera will not be disappointed. Newcomers will find the music engaging. (I have purchased copies of earlier Libera albums for friends. They reported back that unfamiliarity with the genre or the content of the lyrics is no barrier to enjoyment, and that this music appeals to all generations.)

"Free" is Libera's third album release, following the group's self-titled first CD "Libera" and its successor "Luminosa". "Free" bears the hallmarks that fans have come to expect: an admixture of Latin and English texts, sweet but not cloying solo vocals, and harmonies sung to distinction in a fusion of traditional and contemporary styles. In this album Mr. Prizeman's further maturation as a composer and arranger is fully evident. He continues to employ the synthesizer but also wields a wider palette of instruments to good effect.

There is concert-worthy material here: "Voca me" is a compelling example, and it is not alone. "A New Heaven" is hauntingly beautiful, evocative at times of Faure at his best but with its own identity. "Lament" is ethereal. "Stay with me" and its ariose octave leaps echo in my head at odd moments throughout the day. "Free" is a musical experience that is not to be missed.

I marvel at the fact that this is a performance by children, by boys of ages 7 to 14. Its quality surpasses by light years the harsh gang-of-kids-singing tones produced in a typical elementary school classroom. So, here is a ringing American endorsement for the thousand-year English choral tradition, of which I was largely unaware until late in my life. It is incorporated in countless film scores, but for years I was not focused on it, incidentally appreciating the sound but not reflecting on how it had been created. When awareness finally came, it opened a door to wonder. Since then I have witnessed the level of boychoir musicianship firsthand. It is truly remarkable. "Free" is an outstanding example.

DISCLAIMER: While traveling in England in 2002 I paid a visit to the parish church in south London where Mr. Prizeman was Organist. I heard his splendid traditional choir. Afterward I briefly met him and a few of the choristers, some of whom were also members of Libera. I was already a fan, and it was great fun. It probably didn't influence my appraisal of this album.

The problem with achieving perfection is that you are expected to maintain that level in any future projects. That was the inevitable dilemma faced by Robert Prizeman and the boys when they undertook to record their new album. Having reached the highest possible quality with their previous CDs, `Libera' and `Luminosa', they set out on the daunting task of achieving the same standard with their latest offering, `Free'. Incredibly, not only do they equal their earlier efforts but they actually improve upon them; something which I would have deemed impossible! Clearly, there is no limit to the talents of these seven-to-fourteen-year-olds. They say that the measure of a good album is when you find yourself humming the tunes after one playing. Having seen some of their latest videos on TV, I found myself humming them before I had even unpacked it! In `I Am the Day', we have what I believe to be Libera's best song to date (and that is saying something!). `Voca Me' gives the boys the chance to display their incredible vocal range and `Stay With Me' will set your feet tapping. The final track is a delightful piece called `Adoramus' which will have you humming along! And if you have a liking for the Gregorian style, you will also be accommodated with `Lament'. In short, `Free' has something for everyone. This album contains some of their best material, brilliantly performed and superbly produced. Buy this CD and I guarantee that you will find yourself listening to little else for weeks to come!

Libera is an amazing group of boys and Robert Prizeman really knows how to put everything together. My favorite songs on "Free" are Voca Me, Stay With Me, Adoramus, I Am the Day and Twilight. Each time I listen to this disc, another song seems to start growing on me. This was my first Libera CD (I have since bought Luminosa, Libera and Visions) and at first I liked the faster more upbeat songs but as time went on I started to really love the softer ones like Do Not Stand at my Grave and Weep (beautifully done by Ben Crawley and Joseph Platt). The soloists are lovely with clear and pure voices, and the chorus just swells with harmonies. This is choir music for people who hate choir music.

There are rare moments when something catches you so totally unprepared that you defy interruption. This was one of those monents for me. Was on a cross-country United flight while thumbing up and down the music channels. Heard this choir-like tune and sat stunned at what was coming through the headphones. Was not sure what it was or who was performing. The in-flight magazine provided a clue but it meant listening to more of the program to be sure. This was listed as Classical music! No wonder I had never heard of Libera. Am a 54-year old life-long heavy duty rock and roller at heart. Two tracks in particularly stopped time for me: "Stay With Me" and "A New Heaven". No one can fault your taste in music. If you appreciate indefinable harmony, spirit-grabbing chords arranged over ethereal soundscapes, you will discover this to be insanely captivating and frickin' spellbinding. Wish Amazon offered more than :30 samplers so you could get a better sense of what those two tracks reveal and might do for you. For what it's worth, after landing and checking in the hotel, I went to the nearest music store and picked up this CD and Libera's 'Visions'. It's going to be a great flight home.

Once again, Libera delivers an amazingly addictive top quality listening experience. Both their previous CDs, Libera and Luminosa, displayed their youthful talents to breathtaking effect. Now with FREE, they deliver their best CD yet. The compositions and arrangements by choirmaster Robert Prizeman are the work of a musical genius - with the benefit of being able to write the music for each individual boy clearly adding so much to the overall effect it has to be heard to be believed. The beautiful angelic voices of all the boys, individually and collectively, are a joy to be entranced by. Soloists Ben Crawley, Joe Platt, Chris Robson, Raoul Neumann and Anthony Chadney help provide an exquisitely moving atmosphere.
It is virtually impossible to choose any favourite tracks. Though my personal favourites include Voca Me, Ave Verum, I am the Day, Lament, Adoramus and Twilight.
Those who have seen Libera on Songs of Praise and Classic FM TV and heard them on Classic FM radio will discover a vast range of their talents in a marvellous combination of different yet similar "Libera sound" tracks. For those not yet familiar with Libera, this is an excellent opportunity to discover how magical music can be.
A CD to savour every note of every song. It has been a long 3 year wait since their previous CD, but this more than makes up for it. Excellently engineered and mixed. A much improved insert as well. Faultless.
Buy it. You can't fail to be disappointed. You'll find yourself listening to it many many times and enjoying it just as much as the first time.

Libera's third release continues with the same musical and technical perfection of the first two. Yet this one is a little different. A more varied selection of texts and melodies than previously (e.g. it includes the Holst setting of I Vow To Thee My Country, Be Still My Soul set to Sibelius, and a Prizeman setting of lyrics by Walter de la Mare), and a somewhat more contemplative consistency throughout. There is some but not as much of the drum beats and almost jazzy rhythms found in many of their earlier pieces. A bit of a new direction for the group yet with the same crystal clarity and spine-tingling, soaring harmonies and melodies that make it impossible to grow tired of. The angels in heaven must sound like this.

Once again Libera have surpassed my expectations,I wondered how they could improve on their last 2 albums but they have gone to a new level in modern day boy treble singing,the voices are incredible,clear and crisp and in perfect tone and pitch,the melodys and harmonys are a Libera trademark.I get a shiver when I listen to the pure beauty of their voices.
A new standard has been set and I thank all the boys and Mr Prizeman for a job well done.
There is not a single track on this album that I do not even slightly dislike,how many CDs do you have that you can say that about.Once again many thanks and God bless you all.

This CD is very soothing and I love singing with it. I'm stressed out alot because of High School and so when I go home I listen to this CD. I first heard "A Song Of Enchantment" on my TV, on the music choice chanel "soundscapes" two weeks ago. I fell in love with the music at that moment. This CD is a "must have" CD.

This is really good music and it just blows away your mind with the amazment that people can reach such high notes. When I first got this cd as a present I just put it in the back of the closet. But I finally listened to it an fell in love with it. I have listen to it over and over and find new things in the music that I have never known were there. This is amazing music that reaches for your heart. I have the other two cds by libera and love them to pieces.

If you love choral music, especially boys choral music, you'll love this CD. The voices soar. The arrangements are beautiful and the electronic effects are tasteful, only adding to the magnificence of the voices. This is a must have!