I remember this song from when Bette Midler made it famous (and won a Grammy for it!) years ago. This song has so many layers – heavy hitting lyrics, haunting melody – but most of all, it’s a positive and hopeful message, ringing truer today than ever before:
“From a distance there is harmony, and it echoes through the land. It’s the voice of hope: it’s the voice of peace; it’s the voice of every man. From a distance, we all have enough, and no one is in need, and there are no guns, no bombs, no disease, and no hungry mouths to feed… God is watching us from a distance.”
Libera, the traveling English all-boy vocal group, is known for their distinct sound and appearance, comprising mostly of unchanged boy soprano voices. The boys range from 7-16 years old, the teens singing in a lower key. Their songs are typically modern compositions or new arrangements of contemporary songs. Their choice of this Grammy-winning song, “From a Distance” is a pitch-perfect and evocative choice. Prepare to experience the chills.
They are in the Royal Albert Hall, in London, on a hugely lit stage where a full orchestra is set in place as a fog rolls in. The blue lighting is calm and serene and casts its healing hue over the stage. The audience is full and silent, as one of the boys sings his solo. The rest follow in smaller groups, leading up to the chorus where everyone is singing in tandem, each one carrying the weight of this stunning piece. Although different from Bette’s, Libera’s arrangement is nothing short of sublime.
Click below to see and listen to voices of angels.
