Music: "Beauty and the Beat", Bucharest 7th of May. Concert Notes

Hello my dear readers,

it is about time I write something about music. You must know about me that I love music: I breathe music, I sing music, I listen to music, I look at music[videos] and I go to music[concerts] ever since I can remember - I think I have painted a pretty convincing picture. But I love especially the unexpected music projects and one of these is Tarja Turunen's and Mike Terrana's "Beauty and the Beat" (it is pretty obvious who is which). I had the pleasure of going to their Bucharest concert together with the Bucharest Symphonic Orchestra and Choir on this Tuesday, the 7th of May.

I love symphonic music, Opera will always be my mistress and Rock music is their (sometimes) illegitimate child. What Tarja and Mike did was blend them all together and go around the world and perform with the local Symphonic Orchestras and Choirs. I think the courage alone to take on this last endeavor is highly laudable! To sing with new musicians such an extensive repertoire (from classical pieces to rock music and Tarja's own songs) almost every one-two concerts shows high professionalism and musical knowledge from all the participants at the musical act.

Even, if I knew that Tarja and Mike will perform various songs only with an orchestra and choir, on Tuesday I was amazed three times:
      Firstly by our amazing Symphonic Orchestra - we have highly talented musicians.
      Secondly by the great conductor, Florin Totan, who could conduct Mozart, as well as Led Zeppelin, Frank Sinatra or Tarja's own songs.
      Thirdly the funny moments provided by all the musicians on stage: the orchestra, choir, conductor, Tarja and Mike showed that you can still make music with joie de vivre.

The only downside was that the sound engineer could not harmonize Mike's drums to the orchestra at the first songs. Only from Rossini's "Barber of Seville" have they managed to blend his drums with the acoustic instruments.

This concert was delayed (for which she expressed her sincerest apologies at the very beginning of the concert), because in April, when it should have taken place, Tarja was very ill. Those who did not think this as true, should consider the fact that she was unable to sing "O mio babbino caro" and "Song to the Moon", both pretty difficult pieces with extensive parts in the high register, which require a stable voice in order to be able to perform the correctly. When you are recuperating from a laryngitis, your voice is anything but stable on the high notes.

I recommend you to go to this wonderful concert and experience Queen's "You Take My Breath Away", Mozart's "Eine kleine Nachtmusic", Led Zeppelin's famous riffs, Tarja on drums while Mike seriously sings "Fly me to the Moon" complete with very funny moments provided everyone on stage. Needles to mention Tarja's performances on "Swanheart", "Into the Sun", "The Reign" and "Witch Hunt" will literally take you to places you've never been in a long time. All these complete with the classical Lieds, rock songs and Musicals pieces show a very versatile Tarja, with an amazing vocal technique few vocal artists achieve.

All in all "Beauty and the Beat" was a successful experiment and event, that took you away from this world for about 2 hours returning you fresh, happy and sad but safe, back to the world.

Have you also been to one (or more) of these experimental shows?

At the end Tarja promised to return within the tour to promote the new album, "Coulours in the Dark" on the 15th of October 2014 (more details on the album's blog).

Sing, it is great for the soul!
Alex.

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Music: Recenzie Tarja Turunen – What Lies Beneath (preluare de pe MetalAct.ro)

Am decis sa transfer articolele și interviurile pe care le-am făcut pentru diferite reviste pe blogul meu personal. Recenzia de mai jos a fost publicată pe MetalAct în data de 5 septembrie 2010.

Lansat la inceputul lunii septembrie “What Lies Beneath” este cel de-al patrulea album solo al sopranei lirice Tarja Turunen. Ceea ce il deosebeste de celalte albume este o maturitate muzicala si un curaj in fortele proprii evidente de la prima piesa la bonus track-uri. Trebuie sa mentionz de la bun inceput ca nu este un album “usurel” sau “simplut”, din contra, este foarte complicat si complex, deoarece “ce se afla dedesubt” nu poate fi rezumat atat de usor. Tarja a fost preocupata de legatura dintre muzica si text, lucrand indelung la imbinarea celor doua elemente. De aceea mesajul albumului poate fi interpretat in mai multe “chei”: ce se ascunde in spatele iubirii, ce defineste si caracterizeaza un om , viata in general.

Nu este un album care poate fi caracterizat de heavy metal extrem, dar nici de muzica clasica. Totusi are accente din heavy metal punctate prin chitare (“Little Lies”, “Falling Awake”), de death metal prin vocea lui Phil Labonte (“Dark Star”), dar si din muzica experimentala/ industriala prin atmosfera intunecata (“I Feel Immortal”, “In For A Kill”). Orchestra simfonica se face simtita pe tot parcursul albumului, dar rolul ei este de a sublinia accentele dramatice ale pieselor si de a crea o atmosfera aproape sinistra pe alocuri. Vocea Tarjei este mult mai dramatica decat in ceea ce a cantat pana acum si joaca in fiecare piesa alt rol, total diferit de cel precedent.

Desi toate piesele sunt total diferite una de alta, ele au un element comun care le domina: “What Lies Beneath” – fiecare piesa incearca sa raspunda la aceasta intrebare. Recomand spre ascultare “Crimson Deep” (duet-ul de la tobe este minunat), “I Feel Immortal” (datorita atmosferei care iti face “pielea de gaina”), “Anteroom of Death” (piesa de deschidere desi o piesa aparent ludica, are un mesaj mai degraba morbid, iar vocea Tarjei alaturi de Van Canto completeaza perfect atmosfera piesei), “Dark Star” si “Little Lies” (pentru duritatea lor). “Until My Last Breath” si “Falling Awake” doua dintre single-urile albumului mi se par prea “radio-friendly”. “Rivers of Lust” si “In For A Kill” au fost piesele care m-au uimit la Tarja si mi-au aratat cat de mult s-a maturizat pe plan muzical. “Naiad” mi-a adus aminte de muzica din filmele din anii ’70, explicand mult prea direct mesajul albumului a ajuns bonus la variant deluxe. Cover-ul dupa Whitesnake este… interesant pentru ca Tarja canta alturi de fratii ei Timo si Toni.

Merita sa-i dati o ascultare daca nu sunteti pasionati de muzica clasica, macar pentru a-i asculta pe Terrana, Calhoun, Wimbish, Van Canto, Satriani si Labonte. Nu este un secret pentru nimeni ca “What Lies Beneath” este un “album de voce”, in care toate elementele instrumentale o accentueaza, de aceea merita ascultat pentru a vedea ce se poate face cu o voce bine stapanita.

Alexandra F.