Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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69 of 71 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Doubly Magnificent!, 15 Sep 2003
Being a good Yorkshireman, my only disappointment is that I have purchased both these albums individually rather than wait for the boxed set. Still, when I consider the amount of pleasure gained from the many hours I listen to them, it is money very well spent. Although the overall sound is fairly constant, the two albums are quite different. 'Libera', their first recording, uses a brilliant blend of voice and synthesiser to create a range of emotions and atmospheric experience ranging from the beautiful 'Lux Aeterna' to the foot-tapping 'Dies Irae', the angelic 'Sanctus' and the excellent 'Mysterium' (which never fails to create goose-bumps, no matter how many times I listen to it!). The 'Luminosa' album concentrates more on the boys' voices and contains 'Vespera' (as seen on Classic FM TV), 'Sanctus II' (a clever upbeat version of 'Sanctus' from the earlier CD) and 'Semele' (Handel's 'Where E're You Walk'). One peculiar factor about these recordings is that I cannot decide upon a favourite. I seem to have a different preference every week which, I suppose, illustrates how the music keeps its freshness no matter how many times you listen to it. If you appreciate excellent music, young talent, angellic voices and you have a box of tissues handy, I would most definitely recommend that you purchase this boxed set. I am sure that you will, like me, spend hours on end listening to it and I hope you gain as much enjoyment as I have done.
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36 of 37 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Music to move you, 2 Dec 2002
I wish I knew more people than I do already then I could buy this 2-disc set for all of them. The first disc is often stirring and soaring, the second disc more reflective and calming. Both will enable you to forget yourself as you become absorbed into the voices and melodies which are so well written, performed and produced.I find that the music fits any occasion - in the car, slumped on the sofa (preferably with the earphones on to fully appreciate the interweaving harmonies), housework - teachers at my children's school use the Libera original CD as welcome music while the children settle down (well, they'd asked for suggestions and Amazon had it on offer so what could I do?). Robert Prizeman writes wonderful original pieces and takes existing classical passages and makes them fit his choir. The boys have great voices, whether in solo or harmony and they obviously work very hard to achieve the end result. If you're in doubt, just listen to 'Salva Me' (stirring), 'Angeline' (mesmeric), Vespera (stirring again) - OK, any of the tracks and you'll be hooked. The only problem then is that you, like many others, will be waiting for the next CD.
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29 of 31 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Don't Laugh, Don't Cry, Just Enjoy (and ignore the snobs!), 13 Jun 2005
Even perfection, it seems, is not enough to satisfy everyone, but this double album is the nearest you'll get to it. Ignore the snobbery that seems to be the sole weapon of certain so-called 'purists' and just sit down, relax and let this superb music envelop you. There are those who simply cannot get to grips with the fact that synthesisers are now an accepted part of all music but coming from a seaside town that has yet to extract itself from the 1950s, that is hardly surprising. 'Sacris Solemnis' (note how I, unlike others, quote the title correctly) is, in fact, an excellent piece that will not fail to stir you and, indeed, every track on this magnificent collection is a masterpiece. Don't know whether to laugh or cry? Just sit back and enjoy the ride...it's a fantastic journey!
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