hosenhaus reminded us that this dvd was coming out in March, so I got mine ordered the very first day it was available.  I finally had a chance to watch the whole thing on Easter morning, including all 3 films included, and all of the extras.  It was the best dvd I've watched this year.   

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Besides the "fictional documentary" (that's what the director, Philippe Reypens called it) about the history of boychoirs that served as the vehicle for sharing the talents of several well-known boychoirs in the main feature, <b>L'Or des Anges</b>, there were two more of Reypen's projects included here.  One was <b>Rejoice</b>:

<i>Synopsis

During the Seventh World Festival of Boychoirs - Poznan, the prestigious New College Choir Oxford was invited to perform Handel's Messiah and Dionizy Placzkowski, 14, one of the most gifted soloists of his generation and member of the Polish vocal formation The Polish Nightingales joined in.

The association of these two schools was undeniably a great musical event. The documentary retraces this exceptional meeting during the Festival, which saw the participation of eighteen boys' choirs from all over the world.

The participants

AZUOLIUKAS, Lithuania
CANTATE DEO, Poland
CANTATE DOMINO, Belgium
CANTORES MINORES, Poland
DRESDNER KAPELLKNABEN, Germany
GLORIA BOY’S CHOIR, South Corea
HERNINGER BOY’S CHOIR, Danmark
MADISON BOYCHOIR, United States
NETHERLANDS RADIO BOY’S CHOIR, The Netherlands
NEW COLLEGE CHOIR OXFORD, United Kingdom
NIDAROSDOMENS GUTTEKOR, Norway
POLICKI CHOR CHLOPIECO, Poland
POLSKIE SLOWIKI, Poland
POZNANSKI CHOR KATEDRALNY, Poland
POZNANSKIE SLOWIKI, Poland
PUERI CANTORES TARNOVIENSES, Poland
PUERI GAUDENTES, Czech Republic
ST. FLORIANER SÄNGERKNABEN, Austria
</i>

Dennis (Dionizy), the young Polish soloist:

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Also, there was a short film about the "first instrument" that a boy learns to make music with:  his voice.  It explored what a boy goes through as his days as a soprano come to an end when his voice changes, and must find other "instruments" with which to make music.  The title translates to <b>A Slight Fever</b>:

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From the website:

<i>The last film of the trilogy was filmed from August 2002 until May 2003 and tackles the subject of the breaking of the singer's voice with, as corollary, the nostalgia for the lost voice. It takes the form of a short fictional story. To this day, no film had ever dealt with this painful problem to which all male singers fall prey. To lose one's voice is like losing one's first musical instrument.
The opening words of L'Or des Anges were Hyacinth's : “My voice is like a flower : barely in bloom and already it withers”. A Slight fever closes with the take and sound of a cello echoing the forever-lost voice.

Synopsis

Alexander, aged 22, is a student at the music academy and has just finished his last cello rehearsal before the final exam. His play having become somewhat mechanical and in order to put some soul into the music, his teacher leads the young man to look back on the reasons for his choice of instrument. His memory reverts to a specific day of his youth when he gave his last concert as a little singer, just before his soprano voice broke for ever and with it his native instrument.

The musical instrument, is it not in fact an attempt by man to find anew the lost voice of his youth, like an imitation of the human voice?</i>


I could go on and on about the many beautiful and spritual moments that came from watching this dvd and listening to these boychoirs and boy soloists sing, but I won't do that to you.   

I will encourage you to buy this one, though, and add it to your collection, if you care anything about boychoir music.  I hope the project is successful, so Philippe Reypens will bring us more like it in the future!

Order it here:

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I'll just share a few more photos with you.   


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Love,
Sir J