Few names in rock and metal illicit more opinion, praise and passion than Tarja Turunen. The three-octave soprano takes her stage encompassing voice to the romantic classical arena belting out classics from Bach, Strauss and Mozart, along with rock fueled anthems from Led Zeppelin, Queen and her own catalogue. Veteran rock drummer Mike Terrana blasts out his own voice with loud, thunderous crescendo. He is the beat behind the beauty, and/or the beast behind the kit.
Terrana jokingly adds: It’s obvious that I provide the beat and Tarja provides the beauty.
Though not a concert in the traditional sense, the symphonic numbers on the first disk are met with appreciative loud applause at their end but there’s virtually no crowd noise during the performances, showing appreciation for the music. The rock numbers on disk two have more audience participation but lack the atmosphere and crowd presence one would expect from a ‘normal rock show’. This however, is not a normal or typical show, as its intention is to introduce, educate and entice younger ears to the power and brilliance of educated classical sounds. Through Turunen’s soulfully appealing delivery mature listeners familiar with the classics also get a dose of a rock diva delicacy.
Opening with Bach’s Concert for Violin & Oboe, Terrana’s musical voice is heard first with a river dance like speed and fluidity between instruments. It’s a beautiful blending, musical moshpit of classical brilliance. Tarja starts with high pitched operatic perfection on Bach’s Blute nur delivering the rich, fullness of her power. Strauss’s Zueignung Op. 10 No.1 is next followed by the rock drums hitting hard giving the orchestra a nice, rocking, blasting beat without being a blast beat on Rossini’s the Barber of Seville.
Dvorak’s New World Symphony picks up the bombast from the start with layered strings then gets the softening subtle sounds of Song to the Moon. Lehar and Puccini are represented then comes the fast paced, party atmosphere of Offenbach’s Can-Can. Leonard Bernstein feels pretty and witty and so does Tarja. The trumpets sound off ready to gallop along-side drums and other horned instruments on William Tell Overture by Rossini. Strauss’s Mein Herr Marquis and Mozart’s Eine kleine Nachtmusik finish the disk.
You Take My Breath Away opens disk two as only Queen and Tarja can along with a full choir of voices, sung without instruments. The Winter Storm picks up in the quiet arena on The Reign followed by the melancholy, chilling Witch Hunt. Led Zeppelin finally comes to rock the joint with Tarja’s medley of Kashmir, Immigrant Song and Stairway. We get a single dose of Nightwish from the Swanheart followed by a flight to the moon by the blue eyed chairman of the board, voice provided by Terrana. Then finish with Into the Sun from Act 1 and I Walk Alone.
Fans of Tarja who know the incredible creative diversity she’s capable of will love her range and interpretation of the classics. Those unfamiliar with the sounds of the symphony, attracted by her presence will get an introduction to the musical foundation of what gave hard and heavy music its sound.
www.tarja-beautyandthebeat.com, www.tarjaturunen.com , www.terrana.com
