The Christmas Album / Libera boy choir

The Arts Desk
The singing is generally great - you can detect a very slight rough edge to the boys' sound which is exactly as it should be - this is a childrens' choir.

Notes & Reviews:

Recording information: The Music Place, London, England (05/2011-07/2011).

For an act famed for their angelic vocals and heart-warming celestial sound, it's a surprise that The Christmas Album is the first-ever festive release from South London boy sopranos Libera. As you'd expect from a group who may regularly change their lineup but who haven't changed their sound in 16 years, its mixture of traditional carols, yuletide standards, and rather randomly, Billy Joel's "Lullabye (Goodnight My Angel)," (which along with "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" also appeared on the deluxe edition of 2010's Peace), stick closely to the usual Libera formula of Robert Prizeman's soothing, if often sentimental, minimal arrangements. It's all very pleasant, of course, but apart from a rare tenor vocal courtesy of Josh Madine on "Coventry Carol," and the haunting Gregorian chanting on "Carol of the Bells," there's little here that stands out among the consistently tranquil production, which is sometimes guilty of draining all the seasonal joy out of the source material, while the two uninspiring original compositions ("Jubilate Deo," "Sing the Story") are unlikely to be considered future Christmas classics. However, their soaring harmonies are undoubtedly impressive, and on the likes of "O Holy Night," "Once in Royal David's City," and "Joy to the World," they authentically evoke the atmosphere of a communal midnight mass. Perhaps the most predictable festive album of 2011, The Christmas Album isn't likely to convert any new Libera fans, but it's also equally unlikely to lose any, either. ~ Jon O'Brien

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Works Details

Handel, George Frideric : Joy to the World (theme by Handel)

Performers: Steven Geraghty (Recorder); Steven Geraghty (Clarinet); Steven Geraghty (Keyboards); Anna Stokes (Flute); Fiona Pears (Violin); Steven Geraghty (Programming); Steven Geraghty (Piano); Mason Neely (Percussion); Charlotte Ashley (Oboe); Robert Prizeman (Piano); Ben Crawley (Programming); Robert Prizeman (Keyboards); Sam Coates (Piano); Sam Coates (Keyboards); Elizabeth May (Cello); Sam Coates (Programming)
Conductor: Robert Prizeman
Running Time: 2 min. 52 sec.
Period Time: Baroque
Form: Christmas
Written: 1742

Traditional, Christmas : Still, Still, Still (Stille, stille, stille) (Austrian)

Performers: Steven Geraghty (Keyboards); Elizabeth May (Cello); Steven Geraghty (Clarinet); Steven Geraghty (Programming); Mason Neely (Percussion); Anna Stokes (Flute); Charlotte Ashley (Oboe); Ralph Skan (Voice); Steven Geraghty (Recorder); Sam Coates (Piano); Sam Coates (Keyboards); Ben Crawley (Programming); Robert Prizeman (Keyboards); Robert Prizeman (Piano); Steven Geraghty (Piano); Fiona Pears (Violin); Sam Coates (Programming)
Conductor: Robert Prizeman
Running Time: 3 min. 53 sec.
Period Time: Romantic
Form: Christmas
Written: 1819

Leontovych, Mykola : Carol of the Bells

Performers: Sam Coates (Programming); Ben Crawley (Programming); Sam Coates (Piano); Robert Prizeman (Keyboards); Robert Prizeman (Piano); Steven Geraghty (Programming); Sam Coates (Keyboards); Fiona Pears (Violin); Mason Neely (Percussion); Charlotte Ashley (Oboe); Elizabeth May (Cello); Steven Geraghty (Piano); Anna Stokes (Flute); Steven Geraghty (Clarinet); Steven Geraghty (Recorder); Steven Geraghty (Keyboards)
Conductor: Robert Prizeman
Running Time: 3 min. 7 sec.
Period Time: Modern
Form: Christmas
Written: 1910

Traditional, Christmas : O come, o come, Emmanuel (Veni, veni, Emmanuel), carol

Performers: Mason Neely (Percussion); Daniel Fontannaz (Voice); Robert Prizeman (Keyboards); Steven Geraghty (Programming); Anna Stokes (Flute); Steven Geraghty (Piano); Elizabeth May (Cello); Sam Coates (Programming); Steven Geraghty (Keyboards); Fiona Pears (Violin); Sam Coates (Keyboards); Steven Geraghty (Recorder); Sam Coates (Piano); Ben Crawley (Programming); Robert Prizeman (Piano); Steven Geraghty (Clarinet); Charlotte Ashley (Oboe)
Conductor: Robert Prizeman
Running Time: 4 min. 8 sec.
Period Time: Medieval
Form: Choral
Written: 12th Century

Gauntlett, Henry John : Once in Royal David's City, carol

Performers: Sam Coates (Programming); Robert Prizeman (Keyboards); Robert Prizeman (Piano); Sam Coates (Keyboards); Sam Coates (Piano); Eoghan McCarthy (Voice); Elizabeth May (Cello); Anna Stokes (Flute); Charlotte Ashley (Oboe); Mason Neely (Percussion); Steven Geraghty (Keyboards); Steven Geraghty (Piano); Steven Geraghty (Clarinet); Steven Geraghty (Programming); Steven Geraghty (Recorder); Fiona Pears (Violin); Ben Crawley (Programming)
Conductor: Robert Prizeman
Running Time: 3 min. 27 sec.
Period Time: Romantic
Written: circa 1850

Adam, Adolphe : Cantique de Noël for voice & orchestra ("Minuit, Chrétiens," "O Holy Night")

Performers: Fiona Pears (Violin); Sam Coates (Piano); Elizabeth May (Cello); Anna Stokes (Flute); Charlotte Ashley (Oboe); Ralph Skan (Voice); Mason Neely (Percussion); Steven Geraghty (Piano); Steven Geraghty (Keyboards); Steven Geraghty (Programming); Steven Geraghty (Clarinet); Steven Geraghty (Recorder); Ben Crawley (Programming); Sam Coates (Programming); Sam Coates (Keyboards); Robert Prizeman (Keyboards); Robert Prizeman (Piano)
Conductor: Robert Prizeman
Running Time: 4 min. 42 sec.
Period Time: Romantic
Form: Vocal
Written: 1851

Berlin, Irving : Holiday Inn

Performers: Robert Prizeman (Keyboards); Robert Prizeman (Piano); Ben Crawley (Programming); Sam Coates (Programming); Sam Coates (Keyboards); Elizabeth May (Cello); Charlotte Ashley (Oboe); Stefan Leadbeater (Voice); Mason Neely (Percussion); Steven Geraghty (Clarinet); Steven Geraghty (Piano); Steven Geraghty (Programming); Steven Geraghty (Keyboards); Steven Geraghty (Recorder); Fiona Pears (Violin); Sam Coates (Piano); Anna Stokes (Flute)
Conductor: Robert Prizeman
Running Time: 3 min. 48 sec.
Period Time: Modern
Written: 1942

Britten, Benjamin : Corpus Christi Carol, for voice or unison chorus & organ

Performers: Mason Neely (Percussion); Steven Geraghty (Recorder); Sam Coates (Keyboards); Steven Geraghty (Programming); Steven Geraghty (Keyboards); Steven Geraghty (Piano); Ralph Skan (Voice); Fiona Pears (Violin); Anna Stokes (Flute); Steven Geraghty (Clarinet); Charlotte Ashley (Oboe); Elizabeth May (Cello); Sam Coates (Piano); Robert Prizeman (Keyboards); Robert Prizeman (Piano); Ben Crawley (Programming); Sam Coates (Programming); James Mordaunt (Voice)
Conductor: Robert Prizeman
Running Time: 3 min. 15 sec.
Period Time: Modern
Form: Christmas
Written: 1961

Traditional, Christmas : In dulci jubilo (Piæ Cantiones)

Performers: Sam Coates (Programming); Steven Geraghty (Recorder); Elizabeth May (Cello); Charlotte Ashley (Oboe); Mason Neely (Percussion); Anna Stokes (Flute); Steven Geraghty (Programming); Steven Geraghty (Keyboards); Steven Geraghty (Clarinet); Fiona Pears (Violin); Steven Geraghty (Piano); Robert Prizeman (Keyboards); Sam Coates (Keyboards); Robert Prizeman (Piano); Sam Coates (Piano); Ben Crawley (Programming)
Conductor: Robert Prizeman
Running Time: 3 min. 14 sec.
Period Time: Medieval
Form: Christmas
Written: circa 1400

Hugh Martin / Ralph Blane : Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (for the film Meet Me in St. Louis)

Performers: Sam Coates (Keyboards); Ben Crawley (Programming); Robert Prizeman (Keyboards); Sam Coates (Programming); Fiona Pears (Violin); Steven Geraghty (Recorder); Steven Geraghty (Clarinet); Steven Geraghty (Keyboards); Steven Geraghty (Piano); Steven Geraghty (Programming); Mason Neely (Percussion); James Mordaunt (Voice); Ralph Skan (Voice); Charlotte Ashley (Oboe); Anna Stokes (Flute); Elizabeth May (Cello); Sam Coates (Piano); Robert Prizeman (Piano)
Conductor: Robert Prizeman
Running Time: 3 min. 17 sec.
Period Time: Modern
Form: Christmas
Written: circa 1944

Edler, Hans : Sing the Story

Performers: Charlotte Ashley (Oboe); Steven Geraghty (Keyboards); Steven Geraghty (Piano); Steven Geraghty (Recorder); Steven Geraghty (Programming); Steven Geraghty (Clarinet); Mason Neely (Percussion); Luke Collins (Voice); Fiona Pears (Violin); Robert Prizeman (Keyboards); Ben Crawley (Programming); Anna Stokes (Flute); Sam Coates (Programming); Robert Prizeman (Piano); Sam Coates (Piano); Elizabeth May (Cello); Sam Coates (Keyboards)
Conductor: Robert Prizeman
Running Time: 3 min. 43 sec.
Period Time: Contemporary
Form: Vocal

Traditional, Christmas : Coventry Carol (2) :: "Lully, Lulla, Thou Little Tiny Child"

Performers: Anna Stokes (Flute); Steven Geraghty (Piano); Steven Geraghty (Clarinet); Steven Geraghty (Recorder); Steven Geraghty (Keyboards); Joshua Madine (Voice); Stefan Leadbeater (Voice); Fiona Pears (Violin); Charlotte Ashley (Oboe); Steven Geraghty (Programming); Mason Neely (Percussion); Sam Coates (Keyboards); Ralph Skan (Voice); Elizabeth May (Cello); Sam Coates (Piano); Ben Crawley (Programming); Robert Prizeman (Piano); Sam Coates (Programming); Robert Prizeman (Keyboards)
Conductor: Robert Prizeman
Running Time: 3 min. 24 sec.
Period Time: Renaissance
Form: Christmas
Written: 1498

Traditional, Christmas : The First Nowell (English)

Performers: Anna Stokes (Flute); Charlotte Ashley (Oboe); Freddie Ingles (Voice); Mason Neely (Percussion); Steven Geraghty (Programming); Robert Prizeman (Keyboards); Ben Crawley (Programming); Sam Coates (Piano); Sam Coates (Programming); Sam Coates (Keyboards); Elizabeth May (Cello); Robert Prizeman (Piano); Steven Geraghty (Keyboards); Fiona Pears (Violin); Steven Geraghty (Clarinet); Steven Geraghty (Piano); Steven Geraghty (Recorder)
Conductor: Robert Prizeman
Running Time: 3 min. 39 sec.
Form: Christmas
Written: by 1823

Prizeman, Robert : Jubilate

Performers: Jakob De Menezes-Wood (Voice); Charlotte Ashley (Oboe); Anna Stokes (Flute); Elizabeth May (Cello); Sam Coates (Keyboards); Steven Geraghty (Piano); Steven Geraghty (Clarinet); Mason Neely (Percussion); Steven Geraghty (Keyboards); Fiona Pears (Violin); Steven Geraghty (Recorder); Steven Geraghty (Programming); Sam Coates (Programming); Ben Crawley (Programming); Sam Coates (Piano); Robert Prizeman (Keyboards); Robert Prizeman (Piano)
Conductor: Robert Prizeman
Running Time: 4 min. 26 sec.
Period Time: Contemporary

Traditional, Christmas : While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks (adapted from Handel)

Performers: Robert Prizeman (Piano); Robert Prizeman (Keyboards); Steven Geraghty (Programming); Mason Neely (Percussion); Steven Geraghty (Clarinet); Steven Geraghty (Keyboards); Steven Geraghty (Recorder); Ben Crawley (Programming); Sam Coates (Keyboards); Sam Coates (Programming); Sam Coates (Piano); Cassius O'Connell-White (Voice); Elizabeth May (Cello); Anna Stokes (Flute); Charlotte Ashley (Oboe); Fiona Pears (Violin); Steven Geraghty (Piano)
Conductor: Robert Prizeman
Running Time: 2 min. 34 sec.
Period Time: Baroque
Form: Christmas
Written: 1728

Joel, Billy : Lullabye "Goodnight, my angel"

Performers: Fiona Pears (Violin); Benedict Philipp (Voice); Joshua Madine (Voice); Steven Geraghty (Recorder); Steven Geraghty (Clarinet); Steven Geraghty (Piano); Steven Geraghty (Keyboards); Steven Geraghty (Programming); Robert Prizeman (Piano); Mason Neely (Percussion); Jakob De Menezes-Wood (Voice); Charlotte Ashley (Oboe); Anna Stokes (Flute); Elizabeth May (Cello); Sam Coates (Piano); Sam Coates (Programming); Sam Coates (Keyboards); Ben Crawley (Programming); Robert Prizeman (Keyboards)
Conductor: Robert Prizeman
Running Time: 3 min. 51 sec.
Period Time: Contemporary

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