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Libera (choir)

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File:Libera Angel Voices.jpg
Libera "Angel Voices" album cover (2006)

Libera is the name of an all-boy vocal group directed by Robert Prizeman. Most of the boys in Libera come from the parish choir of St. Philips, Norbury, in South London. The albums and tours the boys do as Libera are in addition to their regular singing as part of the full men and boys choir at parish choral services. Libera has around thirty boys between the ages of seven and fourteen, including new boys not yet ready to fully participate in albums or tours. Nineteen boys participated in their 2008 US tour. Twenty four boys are listed in their latest album, New Dawn. The boys come from a variety of different schools and backgrounds in the London area.


History

St Philip's, Norbury has a long choral tradition. In 1984, the boys of the St. Philips Choir backed Sal Solo on his song "San Damiano". In 1987, the boys of St Philips Choir released the single "Sing Forever", and another single, "Adoramus", in 1988. In 1988, the choir released their first full commercial album, Sing For Ever, under the name St. Philips Choir. The title track for this album was chosen by the BBC as the first Children in Need telethon anthem. Their second album, New Day, released in 1990, was the first album to use the name Angel Voices. During the 1990's, the names "St. Philips Boy's Choir" and "Angel Voices" were both used to refer to the choir. Major roles in the 1992 TV program Titchmarsh on Song, presented by Alan Titchmarsh, and the 1993 TV program Thora on the Straight and Narrow, introduced Angel Voices to a wider public. The third album, Angel Voices, was released in 1992. It was rereleased in 1993, with the choir refered to as the St Philips Boy's Choir.


The choir released the single "Libera" in 1995. The CD contained seven remixes of the original song "Libera", by Robert Prizeman. In the same year, they appeared on the TV program "Sunday Live" and were refered to as Libera. Angel Voices 2 was released in 1996 and Angel Voices 3 was released in 1997. Both were released under the name of St. Philips Boy's Choir, by the record label MCI. In 1999, the choir released another album entitled Libera, published by Warner Classics. From that point on, the choir was consitently refered to as "Libera" when acting in its commercial capacity. The next Libera album, Luminosa, was released by Warner Classics in 2001. In 2003, Warner Classics rereleased Libera and Luminosa as a two CD set entitled Complete Libera.


Ever since 2004, Libera has been under contract with EMI. Their first EMI album was Free. Libera's 2006 album, Angel Voices, was nominated as Album of the Year by the Classical Brit Awards. Their latest album, New Dawn, was released in March of 2008. Libera has made several highly successful tours in Japan and Korea. In their own country of England, they have performed at the Grassington Festival, Arundel Cathedral, Glastonbury Abbey, and Chichester Cathedral. In addition to their albums and concerts, the choir has made regular appearances on television, including Songs of Praise, GMTV and Classic FM TV. In 2007, Libera appeared on the television show When Will I Be Famous presented by Graham Norton on BBC 1. They won the show and were invited back the following week. Also in 2007, Libera recorded a concert in Leiden, the Netherlands, for the American Public Broadcasting Service. Angel Voices: Libera in Concert has been shown on a number of PBS channels and has also been released on DVD and a CD.


Libera have also been used as session artists on various outside projects such as film soundtracks including Romeo & Juliet, The Merchant of Venice, Shadowlands and Hannibal. They have also performed as back up singers to Aled Jones, Bjork, Luciano Pavarotti and other major performers. Some of its boys have performed notable work outside of Libera while still members of the choir. For example, Tom Cully sung for Silence, Night and Dreams byZbigniew Preisner, and can be heard singing in an episode of Foyle's War. In 2002, Libera member Steven Geraghty was a featured soloist for the soundtrack of the PlayStation 2 game ICO. Libera soloist Ben Crawley did solo work for Paul Joyce's production of The Snow Queen in 2004.


In December, 2007, nine boys from Libera sung at the Kennedy Center Honors Awards, attended by President of the United States George W. Bush and a host of celebrities. As part of the tribute to Brian Wilson, they performed his song "Love and Mercy". For this performance, the nine boys from Libera were backed by the boys from the St Albans School, which is affilated with the Washington National Cathedral. In April of 2008, Libera made its first concert tour in the United States, performing in Buffalo NY, Hartford CT, Albany NY, and Pittsburgh PA. On April 17, they performed at Riverside Church in New York City, New York, . On April 20th, they performed for the Concert of Hope prior to the Papal Mass in Yankee Stadium.

Style

Music

Libera has a distinctive sound. Its singers are all boys. Most of the boys have unchanged soprano voices, also known as treble voices. Boys in their very early teens sing the lowest parts. Almost all their songs are either new compositions by Robert Prizeman or unique new arrangments of classical and contemporary tunes. Prizeman often composes and arranges pieces with individual soloists in mind, to emphasize the variety of characteristics and qualities in the boys' voices. His compositions blend innovative textures, meditative soloists and vibrant ecstatic chorus harmonies that stretch across the full range of the boy's voices. Libera's music frequently combines elements from Gregorian chant, classical composers such as Debussy, Beethoven and Pachelbel, and contemporary pop and new age music. Some of their songs, such as "Sanctus", have appeared in different versions on several of their albums.


Most of Libera's lyrics come from tradtional hymns, the Latin Rite liturgy, and contemporary songs by artists ranging from Brian Wilson to Enya. However, lyrics from various poems and original lyrics are also used. For example, "We are the Lost" uses the poems "In Flanders Fields" by John McCrae and "For the Fallen" by Laurence Binyon. While most of the Libera's orignal lyrics are written by Robert Prizeman, other individuals, including Steven Geraghty, have also contributed new lyrics to recent albums.


Libera uses a variety of instrumentation. Robert Prizeman, Ian Tilly and former Libera soloist Steven Geraghty play electronic keyboards, piano and organ. Steven Geraghty also played clarinet for Free, Visions and Angel Voices, and percussion for Visions and Angel Voices. All of their EMI albums feature Fiona Pears on the violin. Angel Voices: Libera in Concert has additional backing by Il Novecento Orchestra. The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra provides backing to their latest album, New Dawn.

Clothing

For most of their performances, Libera wears distinctive white hooded robes based on monastic habits. The choir's use of white robes goes back at least to 1987. The boys can be seen wearing the robes on the cover of their first single, Sing Forever. Other Libera uniforms include white or black hoodies and dark blue slacks with light blue shirts. Some of their videos have featured boys wearing regular, casual clothing.

Cover Art

Common motifs in the cover art of the choir's albums include birds, clouds, light and pictures of the choristers. The 1993 release of Angel Voices, Angel Voices 2, Angel Voices 3, Libera, Luminosa and Welcome to Libera's World all feature white birds on their covers. Sing Forever, the 1992 release of Angel Voices, Angel Voices: Libera in Concert and New Dawn show several of the boys dressed in white robes. Free and Visions both show a single, ghostly figure in white robes, against a cloudy background. New Day and the 2006 Angel Voices album show several boys wearing what appears to be white hoodies.

Discography

Singles

  • 1987: Sing Forever
  • 1988: Adoramus

Albums by "St. Philips" and "Angel Voices"

  • 1988: Sing Forever
  • 1990: New Day
  • 1992, 1993: Angel Voices
  • 1996: Angel Voices 2
  • 1997: Angel Voices 3

Libera albums released by Warner Classics

  • 2003: Complete Libera, a 2 CD set with Libera and Luminosa

Libera albums released by EMI

  • 2006: Welcome to Libera's World, released only in Japan. Most of the tracks are rereleased from the earlier albums. It includes only one new track, "Far Away"
  • 2007: Angel Voices-Libera in Concert, released as a DVD and a CD.

Movie Soundtracks

  • 1995: Twelve Monkeys
  • 1997: Romeo and Juliet
  • 1998: Cousin Bette
  • 2001: Hannibal
  • 2005: The Merchant of Venice

Supporting roles on albums and singles

  • 1984: San Domiano, by San Salo
  • 1990: Christmas Wrapping, by Tony Robinson
  • 1994: The Christmas Album, Vol 2, by Neil Diamond
  • 1997: The Big Picture, by Elton John
  • 2002: Aled, by Aled Jones
  • 2003: Higher, by Aled Jones
  • 2004: The Christmas Album, by Aled Jones

[1] Libera FAQ

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