As the record label Believe Music On behalf of: Nuclear Blast have claimed monetisation for my video; if you enjoyed my video and would like to support me to make more, you can do so via any of the links below: ☕ Coffee fund! - www.buymeacoffee.com/JWsoundworks 🅿 Join me on PATREON - www.patreon.com/JWSoundworks 🎹 🎶 Piano Commissions - ko-fi.com/jwsoundworks 🎹 🎶 Piano Reductions Vol. 1- jwsoundworks.bandcamp.com/album/piano-reductions-vol-1 🎸 🎶 Original music & covers - jwsoundworks.bandcamp.com/ Thank you for your support, JW
When watching this now it dawned on me that Toumas is not only taking us on a musical journey, he's taking us on a historical journey from the dawn of our planet to the possible future. And the Carl Sagan quote in Ad Astra just seals it.
Nightwish is my favorite band of all time but i never had any intentions of ever listening to this. What a fool i was. i had tears running down my face almost the entire time.Tuomas your truly a genius.great reaction
Well, Sibelius and Nightwish were both among the first to be inducted into the Finnish music hall of fame. I'm not sure how official it is, it was introduced when the museum for music opened few years ago. But it was newsworthy! So yes, he's already gone down in Finnish history at least, and he is a national treasure. :)
Thank you so much for taking the time to watch this and share your thoughts. I am sure that should Tuomas ever watch this, then he would be satisfied that you compared him to Hans Zimmer, Danny Elfman, Sibelius and Beethoven! Btw, Troy Donockley from Nightwish plays the Uillean pipes in 'The Moors' and the spoken voiceover was performed by English actress Geraldine James . The words in 'Ad Astra' was from Carl Sagan's 'Pale Blue Dot' and Floor sings the outro as it swells to a wonderful climax. Thank you once again. Kevin from Wiltshire.
Thanks for the info, Kevin! Always meant to look into some Carl Sagan stuff, my bro has been talking about him for years. And I picked up on Uillean pipes in another Nightwish song (can't remember which) but I didn't even consider it could be what I was hearing here. My grandfather was a piper.
@@JWSoundworks2 If you want to listen some Carl Sagan content, you could do worse than starting with this lecture by him (the audio has slight issues but I don't know about a better copy): Carl Sagan's 1994 "Lost" Lecture: The Age of Exploration ruclips.net/video/6_-jtyhAVTc/видео.html
Now that is how you do an analysis of a modern piece of music whilst referencing the classical masters of the past, not like some reaction channels (naming no names, no musical snobbery here!!) Respect for both the history of music as well as an appreciation for the modern equivalents and how music has evolved. Bravo!
Tuomas made a "soundtrack" or music inspired by a comic book, to Don Rosa's "The Life and Times of Scrooge" (McDuck). It's really, really beautiful. Don't worry about the length of your videos, you actually have something to say and you can't go wrong with that. Really enjoyed this one, thank you.
“the music is really cinematic” 100%. Tuomas described his writing process as imaging a scene or sequence of scenes that embodies an idea or feeling, then composes the music around that. Much like a great author, he doesn’t explicitly define what that scene looks like, but rather gives you all the subtle context and adjacent “info” for the listener to build their own version of that scene in you head. To paraphrase his own words: he has never written a song by just “jamming” before. I really appreciate the way he uses movement to project those scenes; both at the song aggregate and chord-granular level. It’s no some revolutionary rarely used progressions, but it’s just so damn effective and well placed.
to the spot , almost a year , still love what i´m hearin and seeing . a few minor hmm , but it´s music ,everyone feels and hear it their own way , so ..just Great , cheers man .
This 8-part Nightwish piece is clearly Tuomas's nod to film music in the style of Hans Zimmer and Ramin Djiwadi. It may also be a tribute to Pip Williams who has collaborated with the band over a long period arranging the orchestral parts of Nightwish's music.
Thanks John - I knew from a long time back that you would be the perfect reactor for this and I'm so happy I could help take you on a NW journey to this point. It's wonderful to get reaction and analysis from someone who truly understands this type of music and I loved your piano examples💚
Beautiful reaction! Learned a lot from your adhoc analysis. Just wanted to mention that I experienced Nightwish live in Germany 2 months ago and since then when I hear the first notes from Ad Astra, with wich they finished their show, I instantly get sweaty eyes. This image of Floor stepping to the front and singing this amazing melody, while the rest of the band standing in line behind her, will be stuck in my head forever. It´s more than a Floorgasm, it´s a Shudder Before the Beautiful.
Thank you Home Gnome and thank you JW. I've never realized the metal influence in this. You've explained so many details, that was an amazing analysis.
Really like the fact that Tuomas had the guts to put a pretty classical thing like this within a symphonic metal album. And OMG i love it! It's like Peter Pan, Neverending Story and stuff like that. You can just close your eyes, dream away and let your imagination take you to new places. Like you said: being taken on a path you don't know, never knowing what will come next. OK, by now I do, just because I've listened to it about a thousand times ;-) But it never stops to amaze me. And thank you for adding new discoveries to my list with your analysis! If you'd like to do some more classical stuff, I'm with you :-)
This whole second half of Nightwish album "Human. :II: Nature." is a pure music wonder! The "AD Astra" part at the end is in Nightwish setlist ending song now. And like on the album, Floor's vocals in this are surreal... I am enough man to admit that, when I was at Nightwish concert, the joy and tears did not stop thru the whole setlist. Even writing that here gets me emotional again... PS: Tuomas liked this fan video also! Big Thank You for reacting to it !!!! NWSU 🤘😎🤘.
Thanks for doing this reaction dude.I have no musical ability at all so its always interesting to hear an accomplished musician explaining why I like what I like. I listened to this many times before the film was added and just allowed the music to take me off into my own world. Never expected this from a Nightwish album and i suppose it isn’t Nightwish but it definitely is Tuomas. Kind of his love letter to the natural world. He definitely is a national treasure in Finland 🤘🇬🇧
To be honest, man, I wouldn´t mind if you added some final summaries to your videos or something like that, because of course you said this is superb, but I would like to hear more. And I don´t care if this video already has 1 hour. ;) And that goes for your other videos - I just love your analysis. Thanks for this and big thanks to Home Gnome as well!
I just witnessed the best reaction ever. Loved it! I just can say thank you so much. I always put this piece of music in class (music teacher here) and my students love it and your comments always help to understand the music better
I CANNOT believe that Tuomas does not have every movie producer knocking down his door to do some movie scores. His compositions are gorgeous. He has said he would love to do film scores. They had 1 song in the movie The Cave I think, at the end. I feel his love for nature in these. I love your description of it being like breathing in the first part - it is so relaxing. I breath slower along with it. If I ever see the Northern Lights again I will hear that section in my mind forever. So dynamic. The whispers in the Snow section are so clever saying the word snow in so many different languages. The off beats and bit od discord in the one section reflects the subject matter - it's so clever. We should be unnerved with what we do to our planet and each other with our great advances as societies and in science. We need to be balanced. The whole album is thought provoking and a call for us to be better & grateful for our beautiful planet. Ad Astra brings me back to being hopeful and motivated again. Btw your piano playing was so lovely - I would listen to that for videos too. It was a pleasure.
49:19 when you said whether it’s intentionally off beat or not I thought it might be representing human interference messing with nature’s rythm, which was perfectly fine when we heard it earlier. Just a thought, since it’s the “anthropocene” part. Loved your reaction to this, gives it a whole other dimension for someone who doesn’t understand anything about music other than listening and enjoying! Thanks man, love from Turkey!
I deeply agree with the quote related to the complexity of composing. I will always admire more a unique (I sometimes refer to it as hummable) picked out melody of 10 notes than a crazy complicated piece. I feel Tuomas has maxed out his composing style in the direction of creating melodies with identities. This man can create a billion d minor melodies you have never heard before. Also the man clearly knows how to evoke feelings and visuals using those ideas. In the end, Hans Zimmer is his musical idol and I think it really shows where his composing lies. As for this piece, whenever I listen to it.. I somehow know it's from the heart. great reaction JW !
I've been waiting on this one- enjoy! I've heard that Tuomas is a big fan of Hans Zimmer and Flo's background vocals are just heavenly. I also had a feeling you would dig The Moors. Those pipes just hit in a certain almost otherworldly way.
Totally get the "unknown path" thing! I think it is why i love Nightwish so much,the feeling of "whats around next corner thing" and be surprized when not expecting to be.
About three years ago I stumbled across the first reaction video (that I remember, anyway). Alex Hefner watched Floor Jansen and Nightwish perform Ghost Love Score from Wacken 2013. I had listened to Nightwish before but never watched their videos, did not know the history of the band nor the names of its members. I vaguely knew there had been multiple lead singers but didn't bother to distinguish between Tarja and Annette. Watching and listening to Floor and Alex, I became hooked on Nightwish sufficiently to learn about the band, and to subscribe to (now hundreds of) reaction channels. Human || Nature is my favorite NW album and I look forward to your takes on all of the superlative songs (best taen in album order, by the way) from the first, Human, portion. I typically don't watch reaction videos on my PC so I'm not at my keyboard to comment, but this is my chance to tell you, after discovering your channel perhaps a week ago, that you are in my very top tier of reactors. Many "experts" opine with wonderful insights, but your reactions seem to come from a much borader (and yet also deep) base of understanding, whereas others repeat themselves almost ad nauseum. I'm sure that your approach will not suit everyone, whose does? But when I see you approach any work that I'm familiar with (and appreciate enough to hear again), I make time to watch and listen. Thank you.
Really enjoyed your breakdown. Its great to listen to someone analyse and inform rather than simply make faces and inane comment especially on an extended piece like this.
Thanks for taking on the whole Nature side of this album, John. I love seeing it through your eyes. I hypothesize that this is effectively an audition tape for when NW is no longer together, so he can do soundtrack work for films. Have a great week and thanks, again.
Hans Zimmer had a concert in Helsinki and Tuomas and his wife was invited backstage. He decided not to go because the idolatry and romanticism for one of his greatest heroes would not be there necessarily when he saw him irl. He decided to cherish the thought more.
If ANYONE could have done this, you are the man! Absolutely stellar reaction, dude. I think you are awesome in your knowledge, professionalism and good-natured spirit. Subscriber for life, Best wishes from Namibia
Best reaction, what i have seen so far on youtube. It took years 😅 Really loved the music that suprised at some points and also the feedback was great.
Thank you for this, a real pleasure to watch! I'm sure there are some who take "simple" as a negative word but I think you nailed it. I don't think Tuomas is ever really trying to go for intentionally elaborate, nor is he really trying to compose classical music. I remember him saying very recently in an interview that music is what feelings/emotions sound like, and with this one, to me at least, it feels like he is trying to go straight to the core of what these different parts and aspects of our world sound like - at least to him. And keep it around a core melody in each part, that then pop up again in other parts. It's not really music meant for a concert hall, and it's not trying to be. And as others have pointed out, film music is an apt comparison and one that I think the man himself would not only agree with but take it as a big compliment. Thanks again, great analysis!
what I love about music is how it can take something visually beautiful and give it a sound.. I'm sure even a blind person can see the nature's beauty through this song..
Always a pleasure see you and hear you reaction to a Nightwish Piece of music. I really enjoy your wide knowledge about music. Greetings from Argentina, my friend.
That was a real treat, John. Loved every second of it. That is proper reaction. And I especially liked the progression, how Tuomas won you over bit by bit. Chappo, mate!
Great analysis, as always! I totally get what you’re saying about liking being led down a path where the destination is uncertain…and then sometimes you look back and think it couldn’t have been any other way. Ah, how deep of me. Also, Sibelius rules! 😂
You might enjoy Tuomus other group AURI, with Troy and his wife Johanna Kurkela. A quote form Tuomas "A group were we can make the music we want" I would watch a few interviews of Auri before the music.
Master class reaction John! Thank you for taking the time to really give this piece your full attention and instant first listen analysis. I was hoping you would discover this piece someday and never expected it would become an analysis. I guess we all have Home Gnome to thank for bringing this to your attention.
If you remember, i told you in a previous comment that Tuomas said in an interview, that for him it's easier to write a symphony of half an hour and a straight 4/4 comercial song (Not the exact quote). I think this is a prime example of what he means. He has like infinite amount of recycle capabilities, and uses a certain ability to make our brain accustomed to some bits and parts BUT then also what you said... The music he writes is anything but predictable. There is no way, that you can say, that something else distracted you from listening. The fact that is unpredictable makes it so much valorous in my opinion. Can you imagine that this part of the album almost didn't make it to us? And was added to the album in the last seconds? Also can you imagine what other masterpiecese lie somewhere in a desk/drawer awaiting to see the light of day?
The forrest at 26:52 is a typical finnish pine forrest where you can pick mushrooms, blueberrys and lingonberrys. Tuomas has said he likes to go mushroom picking and spends a lot of his time in the forrest. So that finnish scenery made me think of that.
What a joy to see a musician appreciating the work of Tuomas. The second CD was greeted with contempt by critics, what do they know, they were wrong! I'm actually playing this more than the first CD. Floor soaring up, lifting our spirits too.
24:52 Yes, Nightwish made a whole movie soundtrack: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imaginaerum_(film) However production was so difficult and exhausting that Thomas said he would never do anything like that again PS: The movie score is really nice too :)
Thanks for another awesome NW reaction :) I enjoy hearing your musical insight. As a person with no musical ability, I find the breakdowns you provide fascinating.
Normally Tuomas will write the music then have it arranged at Angel studios in London by Pip Williams. Who will give his input. And arrange the orchestra and choir.
I listen to these songs often on my way to work (45 minute drive) and its the perfect way to start my day. I become really emotional when I recognize true, pure talent. It's great to listen to a well trained musician's thoughts.
This is one of my favorite pieces of music and I always watch any one brave enough to react to this gorgeous work of art. First time watching your channel and I absolutely enjoyed your insights and your knowledge which really helps me appreciate the music even more. Tuomas is a big fan of film scores, especially Hans Zimmer and Disney, so it makes sense that he brings some of that into his compositions. What I love about most of his music is that he is the master at using it to evoke emotions in his listeners. In this piece the music puts you in that same emotional place that you experience in when your in he natural environments of each movement. I grew up in northern New England and spent a lot of time in the woods in the winter and Quiet as the Snow perfectly captures that silence and mood. On of my favorite sections of this song along with Ad Astra. The spoken words in Ad Astra are from Sagan's Pale Blue Dot and are thoughtful, challenging, and along with Floor's choral vocals, very inspirational. I like how the song ends with the music not resolving, just as the future of humanity is unresolved. Ad Astra is the outro/last song of their current tour and when I saw them live back in May it was the perfect end to the concert (Last Ride of the Day, Ghost Love Score, Greatest Show on Earth, Ad Astra) and left the show so energized and motivated to live my life to the fullest. Again great reaction and new sub.
The spoken word at the beginning is from poet Lord Byron. Tuomas said he came up with a lot of the music by watching nature documentaries without sound. So it makes sense you say it sounds like something that would compliment a visual. He made a soundtrack for nature.
My grandmother and mother introduced me very young to classical music and then from a my teenage years I got into metal, so this nightwish album is a real treat to my ears!
I remember when I first got the Human Nature album and listened through the first disc for the first time, and then thought that I'd take a break to digest everything. I was curious of this song though so I thought I'd just take a little peak at Vista to get a feel for the sound, and suddenly Ad Astra ended and I realized that I had just been caught up in the music and had sat through the whole thing. It was a great time seeing this reaction as well, especially since it was a bit of a different piece to what you've done before. HomeGnome keeps bringing the good stuff.
Hans Zimmer is one of Tuomas' favorite movie soundtrack composers. Many fans lovingly refer to Tuomas as the metal Mozart. We all know he is not Mozart by any means. Beethoven is a much better stylistic comparison. However, Tuomas will never claim to be a classical composer. He is much more interested in movie soundtracks, such as Zimmer. We simply appreciate his classical sense of style in a dramatic and soundtrack style. He is wonderful at painting an emotional soundscape to tell his musical and lyrical stories. Love your commentary John. I look forward to checking out your new stuff.
Thank you, man. This was filmed back at the end of July, so my single actually ended up on RUclips before this did. Here's the link, cheers! ruclips.net/video/1nWe3g_7pqA/видео.html
I really love how you hear all the little details. All The Works Of Nature That Adorn The World is what I listen when getting a massage and takes me to another place. The last part "Ad Astra" with the spoken word of Carl Sagan gets me everytime.
Wow, I'm so glad to have taken the time to watch this long video. Your channel is what sold it to me - I knew that it'll be time well invested 😃 Listening to your in-depth-analysis(es) makes me regret that I never learned music theory and I can't "hear things" before you explain them. However, you explain them so well that I somehow don't feel stupid but happy to have learned something. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge the way you do it - always enjoyable and worth watching/listening to.
Interesting as always. Block harmonies as you call it, reminds me of Bruckner. Funny you should mention Hans Zimmer. Tuomas likes Zimmer, and his music has been used many times as the "intro" music for Nightwish concerts (notably "Roll Tide"). Is this the Chopin you were thinking of: "Simplicity is the final achievement. After one has played a vast quantity of notes and more notes, it is simplicity that emerges as the crowning reward of art." (Rach - have you seen the video on RUclips "Rachmaninov had big hands"? Worth a watch for musical skill hidden behind humour.) The album Inaginaerum uses a lot of the eponymous album. And While Your Lips Are Still Red was written (with Marco) for the Finnish film "The Matriarch". But that's all I know of that's been used in film. It's a common classical technique of course, to pass the melody from one instrument to another as part of development, with the harmonic (or counterpoint as fits) developing in the other instruments and to me that's part of what's happening throughout this tone poem. The cyclic nature is also taken from classical music. The man knows exactly what he is doing.
Was thinking that Mozart died so young that he never got back around to simplicity... always 'too many notes' as was said in the movie. Makes me wonder what his composing would have evolved to be as an old man.
Other film credits by Tuomas Holopainen . The Imaginaerum movie (2012) and a song “Kiss while your lips are still red” from a Finnish film The Matriarch (2007)
So so good reaction. Spot on and with a lot of good analysis as always. Supetb that you mentioned Sibelius. I would love to know your opinion of his compositions.
With that rhythm, that second part does remind me of Bydlo, from Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition (peasant wagon drawn by oxen) orchestrated by Ravel.
Great reaction and analysis!! Floor's vocals at the end always get me... And thats the way they end up this concerts for the tour. Simply amazing and emotional ending!
Definitely (and unsurprisingly) a cinematic work. The obvious comparison is to Hans Zimmer but I also hear elements of James Horner, Michael Kamen, Howard Shore, and Danny Elfman in there.
I mentioned Danny Elfman later on in the video. Funnily enough, I nearly said James Horner (just before I said I couldn't think of any others off the top of my head) and then stopped myself because to me his use of harmony is quite different. Good call on Howard Shore.
@@JWSoundworks2 WRT harmony, I'm assuming the difference you mean is the Horner's more classical approach? I was thinking more in terms of instrumentation and the long melodic lines. Although Tuomas also seems to like a similar choral motif to one Horner also (re 🙂)used.
at 13.13 i hear " Bolero" - Ravel, but I also heard something else there, but I don't know what ... something from "Game of Thrones", do you hear it too? btw. Tuomas is a genius. Sooo good composer, my God. Personally, I am waiting for someone to make a film on the subject: Tolkien, RR Martin, etc. and will invite Tuomas and Nightwish to cooperate because it will be an epic thing ...
This my most listened to Nightwish album by far. It's stunningly beautiful, and takes me away to a relaxing place. When working, running or just relaxing, this has been my go to music since the album came out. The final words - Carl Sagan's 'Pale blue dot' - are just immense.
I really loved your characterization of the cello as ‘a sigh’; I think that is why I love putting on this song when I want to lower my stress/pulse. It sort of tricks/leads my body into a calmer state after which my mental state also tends to calm a bit. (For this reason I generally turn the volume down just before the final two phrases which sound more ominous, so I end on the host hopeful phrases of ad astra, feeling re-energized and more centered :)
NW Fans...all must have heard by now that that Floor was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Prognosis is good, she goes in for surgery tomorrow. Those of us attending shows on the European tour, let's all wear pink to show Floor our love and support. .
OhI got so involved that I forgot to mention something that I think you may really appreciate. I came across a pianist named Ben Cosgrove, who I think you'll really appreciate listening to. I'd deswhat he does as sort of neoclassical, though he also does some collaboration and accompaniment as well. Check him out. It doesn't have to be on here. I just think you'll appreciate what he dies. He travels all around in a Prius with a portable Korg playing odd concerts and does residencies as well. I love that he leaves a lot of space in his compositions and describes what he sees, mostly landscape observations from what I've heard so far.
One of the strengths of Tuomas is actually the *not* adding. Emppu (short guy with the purple guitar) spends half the show loitering around the stage because his instrument would not add to the story/the vibe/the emotion.
I really appreciate your passion and ability to communicate what you're hearing to an audience. I agree with virtually everything you've said, but I'd like to make a point that I think may not have come across clearly. Good music communicates something, emotion, ideas, something. Tuomas communicates wonderfully. The degree of sophistication is really unimportant. He does what he can to express something and enables the listener to understand what he is trying to express and does it beautifully. That's more important than ANYTHING. That lets the listener know that this communication can be done without lyrics at all. That’s what makes the magnificent Moonlight Sonata so popular and accessible. Bravo dude. I actually just subscribed, and I NEVER subscribe. Thanks so much!!
I listened this already a few days ago, but just wanted to come back to say that this was a very nice and enjoyable reaction / analysis. So thank you and have a nice day! 😊
As the record label Believe Music On behalf of: Nuclear Blast have claimed monetisation for my video; if you enjoyed my video and would like to support me to make more, you can do so via any of the links below:
☕ Coffee fund! - www.buymeacoffee.com/JWsoundworks
🅿 Join me on PATREON - www.patreon.com/JWSoundworks
🎹 🎶 Piano Commissions - ko-fi.com/jwsoundworks
🎹 🎶 Piano Reductions Vol. 1- jwsoundworks.bandcamp.com/album/piano-reductions-vol-1
🎸 🎶 Original music & covers - jwsoundworks.bandcamp.com/
Thank you for your support,
JW
The visuals and editing of this impressed Toumas so much that they're actually using this video at the Nightwish musem/exhibition at Kitee, Finland.
It is always a treat when a music connoisseur dissects a beautiful piece. It makes me listen better. Thank you!
You're welcome. Thank you!
I was about to comment something like that, but... I see I'm not the only one ;-)
I concur
I concur, this was a rare treat 🤘
"I won't stop video that much..."
Nice! 🤭
'The Blue' and 'Quiet as the Snow' are my favorites.
"There is a pleasure in the pathless woods". Poem by Lord Byron.
When watching this now it dawned on me that Toumas is not only taking us on a musical journey, he's taking us on a historical journey from the dawn of our planet to the possible future. And the Carl Sagan quote in Ad Astra just seals it.
Nightwish is my favorite band of all time but i never had any intentions of ever listening to this. What a fool i was. i had tears running down my face almost the entire time.Tuomas your truly a genius.great reaction
I've listened to this many times and still get tears at Moors and Ad Astra.
The orchestral versions of the last few albums are worth a listen too.
@@DeepeningTheListening me too, at Ad Astra and those beautiful lyrics. Makes me emotional every time.
As soon as "The Green" comes on so do the uncontrollable waterworks for me. But honestly, I am so insanely emotional from beginning to end.
You can feel his heart in this music. It is powerful.
Well, Sibelius and Nightwish were both among the first to be inducted into the Finnish music hall of fame. I'm not sure how official it is, it was introduced when the museum for music opened few years ago. But it was newsworthy! So yes, he's already gone down in Finnish history at least, and he is a national treasure. :)
Thank you so much for taking the time to watch this and share your thoughts. I am sure that should Tuomas ever watch this, then he would be satisfied that you compared him to Hans Zimmer, Danny Elfman, Sibelius and Beethoven! Btw, Troy Donockley from Nightwish plays the Uillean pipes in 'The Moors' and the spoken voiceover was performed by English actress Geraldine James . The words in 'Ad Astra' was from Carl Sagan's 'Pale Blue Dot' and Floor sings the outro as it swells to a wonderful climax. Thank you once again. Kevin from Wiltshire.
Thanks for the info, Kevin! Always meant to look into some Carl Sagan stuff, my bro has been talking about him for years. And I picked up on Uillean pipes in another Nightwish song (can't remember which) but I didn't even consider it could be what I was hearing here. My grandfather was a piper.
The greatest show on earth 🌍
When I was young I was a big fan of Beethoven's 6th.
@@JWSoundworks2 If you want to listen some Carl Sagan content, you could do worse than starting with this lecture by him (the audio has slight issues but I don't know about a better copy):
Carl Sagan's 1994 "Lost" Lecture: The Age of Exploration
ruclips.net/video/6_-jtyhAVTc/видео.html
The outro now has been in use as the outro for their live shows as well, where it is fused onto the back of the Greatest Show on Earth.
Now that is how you do an analysis of a modern piece of music whilst referencing the classical masters of the past, not like some reaction channels (naming no names, no musical snobbery here!!) Respect for both the history of music as well as an appreciation for the modern equivalents and how music has evolved. Bravo!
Thank you, Richard!
Tuomas made a "soundtrack" or music inspired by a comic book, to Don Rosa's "The Life and Times of Scrooge" (McDuck). It's really, really beautiful.
Don't worry about the length of your videos, you actually have something to say and you can't go wrong with that. Really enjoyed this one, thank you.
after watching this reaction for the umpteenth time...there is no denying it, Tuomas is a genius
Of the highest order.
“the music is really cinematic”
100%. Tuomas described his writing process as imaging a scene or sequence of scenes that embodies an idea or feeling, then composes the music around that. Much like a great author, he doesn’t explicitly define what that scene looks like, but rather gives you all the subtle context and adjacent “info” for the listener to build their own version of that scene in you head. To paraphrase his own words: he has never written a song by just “jamming” before.
I really appreciate the way he uses movement to project those scenes; both at the song aggregate and chord-granular level. It’s no some revolutionary rarely used progressions, but it’s just so damn effective and well placed.
To watch , and listen to all of this was, by far , the most well spent hour in a long,long time !! THANK YOU !!
Thank you, Peter!
to the spot , almost a year , still love what i´m hearin and seeing . a few minor hmm , but it´s music ,everyone feels and hear it their own way , so ..just Great , cheers man .
This 8-part Nightwish piece is clearly Tuomas's nod to film music in the style of Hans Zimmer and Ramin Djiwadi. It may also be a tribute to Pip Williams who has collaborated with the band over a long period arranging the orchestral parts of Nightwish's music.
Thanks John - I knew from a long time back that you would be the perfect reactor for this and I'm so happy I could help take you on a NW journey to this point. It's wonderful to get reaction and analysis from someone who truly understands this type of music and I loved your piano examples💚
Thank you sir 🙏🏽
Thank you!!
HomeGnome, you are the man! Thanx for this gift to us!
Best regards from Namibia
Beautiful reaction! Learned a lot from your adhoc analysis. Just wanted to mention that I experienced Nightwish live in Germany 2 months ago and since then when I hear the first notes from Ad Astra, with wich they finished their show, I instantly get sweaty eyes. This image of Floor stepping to the front and singing this amazing melody, while the rest of the band standing in line behind her, will be stuck in my head forever. It´s more than a Floorgasm, it´s a Shudder Before the Beautiful.
Thank you Home Gnome and thank you JW. I've never realized the metal influence in this. You've explained so many details, that was an amazing analysis.
Really like the fact that Tuomas had the guts to put a pretty classical thing like this within a symphonic metal album. And OMG i love it! It's like Peter Pan, Neverending Story and stuff like that. You can just close your eyes, dream away and let your imagination take you to new places. Like you said: being taken on a path you don't know, never knowing what will come next. OK, by now I do, just because I've listened to it about a thousand times ;-) But it never stops to amaze me. And thank you for adding new discoveries to my list with your analysis! If you'd like to do some more classical stuff, I'm with you :-)
Your reactions are a joy to watch. Your musical skills are evident and appreciated.
This whole second half of Nightwish album "Human. :II: Nature." is a pure music wonder!
The "AD Astra" part at the end is in Nightwish setlist ending song now. And like on the album, Floor's vocals in this are surreal... I am enough man to admit that, when I was at Nightwish concert, the joy and tears did not stop thru the whole setlist.
Even writing that here gets me emotional again...
PS: Tuomas liked this fan video also!
Big Thank You for reacting to it !!!!
NWSU 🤘😎🤘.
This year we lost Vangelis, but thankfully we still have Tuomas. Great reaction to this wonderful piece of art
Thanks for doing this reaction dude.I have no musical ability at all so its always interesting to hear an accomplished musician explaining why I like what I like. I listened to this many times before the film was added and just allowed the music to take me off into my own world. Never expected this from a Nightwish album and i suppose it isn’t Nightwish but it definitely is Tuomas. Kind of his love letter to the natural world. He definitely is a national treasure in Finland 🤘🇬🇧
What a Masterpiece of modern Music. And Floors voice in Ad Astra .only amazing (it was the ending of her Festival shows).
To be honest, man, I wouldn´t mind if you added some final summaries to your videos or something like that, because of course you said this is superb, but I would like to hear more. And I don´t care if this video already has 1 hour. ;) And that goes for your other videos - I just love your analysis. Thanks for this and big thanks to Home Gnome as well!
I concur!
I just witnessed the best reaction ever. Loved it! I just can say thank you so much. I always put this piece of music in class (music teacher here) and my students love it and your comments always help to understand the music better
Tuomas Holapainen is a master in creating the right atsmosphere in a song.. with music, and lyrics as well..
I CANNOT believe that Tuomas does not have every movie producer knocking down his door to do some movie scores. His compositions are gorgeous. He has said he would love to do film scores. They had 1 song in the movie The Cave I think, at the end.
I feel his love for nature in these.
I love your description of it being like breathing in the first part - it is so relaxing. I breath slower along with it.
If I ever see the Northern Lights again I will hear that section in my mind forever. So dynamic.
The whispers in the Snow section are so clever saying the word snow in so many different languages.
The off beats and bit od discord in the one section reflects the subject matter - it's so clever. We should be unnerved with what we do to our planet and each other with our great advances as societies and in science. We need to be balanced.
The whole album is thought provoking and a call for us to be better & grateful for our beautiful planet.
Ad Astra brings me back to being hopeful and motivated again.
Btw your piano playing was so lovely - I would listen to that for videos too. It was a pleasure.
49:19 when you said whether it’s intentionally off beat or not I thought it might be representing human interference messing with nature’s rythm, which was perfectly fine when we heard it earlier. Just a thought, since it’s the “anthropocene” part.
Loved your reaction to this, gives it a whole other dimension for someone who doesn’t understand anything about music other than listening and enjoying! Thanks man, love from Turkey!
I deeply agree with the quote related to the complexity of composing. I will always admire more a unique (I sometimes refer to it as hummable) picked out melody of 10 notes than a crazy complicated piece. I feel Tuomas has maxed out his composing style in the direction of creating melodies with identities. This man can create a billion d minor melodies you have never heard before. Also the man clearly knows how to evoke feelings and visuals using those ideas. In the end, Hans Zimmer is his musical idol and I think it really shows where his composing lies. As for this piece, whenever I listen to it.. I somehow know it's from the heart.
great reaction JW !
I've been waiting on this one- enjoy!
I've heard that Tuomas is a big fan of Hans Zimmer and Flo's background vocals are just heavenly.
I also had a feeling you would dig The Moors. Those pipes just hit in a certain almost otherworldly way.
Totally get the "unknown path" thing! I think it is why i love Nightwish so much,the feeling of "whats around next corner thing" and be surprized when not expecting to be.
About three years ago I stumbled across the first reaction video (that I remember, anyway). Alex Hefner watched Floor Jansen and Nightwish perform Ghost Love Score from Wacken 2013. I had listened to Nightwish before but never watched their videos, did not know the history of the band nor the names of its members. I vaguely knew there had been multiple lead singers but didn't bother to distinguish between Tarja and Annette. Watching and listening to Floor and Alex, I became hooked on Nightwish sufficiently to learn about the band, and to subscribe to (now hundreds of) reaction channels. Human || Nature is my favorite NW album and I look forward to your takes on all of the superlative songs (best taen in album order, by the way) from the first, Human, portion. I typically don't watch reaction videos on my PC so I'm not at my keyboard to comment, but this is my chance to tell you, after discovering your channel perhaps a week ago, that you are in my very top tier of reactors. Many "experts" opine with wonderful insights, but your reactions seem to come from a much borader (and yet also deep) base of understanding, whereas others repeat themselves almost ad nauseum. I'm sure that your approach will not suit everyone, whose does? But when I see you approach any work that I'm familiar with (and appreciate enough to hear again), I make time to watch and listen. Thank you.
"This is who I am
Escapist
Paradise Seeker
Farewell, time to fly
Out of sight
Out of time
Away from all lies"
- Tuomas Holopainen -
Really enjoyed your breakdown. Its great to listen to someone analyse and inform rather than simply make faces and inane comment especially on an extended piece like this.
Thanks for taking on the whole Nature side of this album, John. I love seeing it through your eyes. I hypothesize that this is effectively an audition tape for when NW is no longer together, so he can do soundtrack work for films. Have a great week and thanks, again.
I never saw a notification for this at the time, Jen. Thank you for this! ❤
@@JWSoundworks2 Completely my pleasure, John! I enjoy your analysis, reactions, and performances so much! Enjoy your autumn! 🫶🏼
Hans Zimmer had a concert in Helsinki and Tuomas and his wife was invited backstage. He decided not to go because the idolatry and romanticism for one of his greatest heroes would not be there necessarily when he saw him irl. He decided to cherish the thought more.
If ANYONE could have done this, you are the man! Absolutely stellar reaction, dude. I think you are awesome in your knowledge, professionalism and good-natured spirit.
Subscriber for life,
Best wishes from Namibia
Best reaction, what i have seen so far on youtube. It took years 😅 Really loved the music that suprised at some points and also the feedback was great.
Thank you for this, a real pleasure to watch! I'm sure there are some who take "simple" as a negative word but I think you nailed it. I don't think Tuomas is ever really trying to go for intentionally elaborate, nor is he really trying to compose classical music. I remember him saying very recently in an interview that music is what feelings/emotions sound like, and with this one, to me at least, it feels like he is trying to go straight to the core of what these different parts and aspects of our world sound like - at least to him. And keep it around a core melody in each part, that then pop up again in other parts. It's not really music meant for a concert hall, and it's not trying to be. And as others have pointed out, film music is an apt comparison and one that I think the man himself would not only agree with but take it as a big compliment. Thanks again, great analysis!
what I love about music is how it can take something visually beautiful and give it a sound.. I'm sure even a blind person can see the nature's beauty through this song..
Loved this. Funny how close metal and classical can be, and how many people can be fans of both!❤️🔥
Anthropocène part includes ”HURRIAN HYMN TO NIKKAL” which is the oldest written music found. Dating from 1400BC.
Always a pleasure see you and hear you reaction to a Nightwish Piece of music.
I really enjoy your wide knowledge about music. Greetings from Argentina, my friend.
That was a real treat, John. Loved every second of it. That is proper reaction. And I especially liked the progression, how Tuomas won you over bit by bit. Chappo, mate!
One of the best reaction channels. You really understand music on a different level than most.
Thank you 🙂
52:02 I totally agree man!! :D
The closest to a music score that Tuomas has composed, except for this, would be his solo album Music Inspired by the Life and Times of Scrooge.
Great analysis, as always! I totally get what you’re saying about liking being led down a path where the destination is uncertain…and then sometimes you look back and think it couldn’t have been any other way. Ah, how deep of me. Also, Sibelius rules! 😂
I love the way he weaves hints to Ad Astra throughout.
Thank-You for taking this older guy to school.
You might enjoy Tuomus other group AURI, with Troy and his wife Johanna Kurkela. A quote form Tuomas "A group were we can make the music we want" I would watch a few interviews of Auri before the music.
Master class reaction John! Thank you for taking the time to really give this piece your full attention and instant first listen analysis. I was hoping you would discover this piece someday and never expected it would become an analysis. I guess we all have Home Gnome to thank for bringing this to your attention.
Excellent reaction and love the new single. Just bought it as a download.
Really appreciate that, thank you! 😊🤘
If you remember, i told you in a previous comment that Tuomas said in an interview, that for him it's easier to write a symphony of half an hour and a straight 4/4 comercial song (Not the exact quote). I think this is a prime example of what he means. He has like infinite amount of recycle capabilities, and uses a certain ability to make our brain accustomed to some bits and parts BUT then also what you said... The music he writes is anything but predictable. There is no way, that you can say, that something else distracted you from listening. The fact that is unpredictable makes it so much valorous in my opinion. Can you imagine that this part of the album almost didn't make it to us? And was added to the album in the last seconds? Also can you imagine what other masterpiecese lie somewhere in a desk/drawer awaiting to see the light of day?
🎵🎸Moody, atmospheric, instrumental , one-man-band prog? Right this way 👇
ruclips.net/video/1nWe3g_7pqA/видео.html
Thanks for the free hour of musical enrichment. Appreciate your knowledge and insight.
The forrest at 26:52 is a typical finnish pine forrest where you can pick mushrooms, blueberrys and lingonberrys. Tuomas has said he likes to go mushroom picking and spends a lot of his time in the forrest. So that finnish scenery made me think of that.
What a joy to see a musician appreciating the work of Tuomas.
The second CD was greeted with contempt by critics, what do they know, they were wrong!
I'm actually playing this more than the first CD.
Floor soaring up, lifting our spirits too.
Thank you for the opportunity to listen/watch again to this masterpiece and a top top reaction.
24:52 Yes, Nightwish made a whole movie soundtrack: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imaginaerum_(film) However production was so difficult and exhausting that Thomas said he would never do anything like that again
PS: The movie score is really nice too :)
Thanks for another awesome NW reaction :) I enjoy hearing your musical insight. As a person with no musical ability, I find the breakdowns you provide fascinating.
I love the Green. It just instantly relaxes me. Every time...
Normally Tuomas will write the music then have it arranged at Angel studios in London by Pip Williams. Who will give his input. And arrange the orchestra and choir.
I listen to these songs often on my way to work (45 minute drive) and its the perfect way to start my day. I become really emotional when I recognize true, pure talent. It's great to listen to a well trained musician's thoughts.
This is one of my favorite pieces of music and I always watch any one brave enough to react to this gorgeous work of art. First time watching your channel and I absolutely enjoyed your insights and your knowledge which really helps me appreciate the music even more. Tuomas is a big fan of film scores, especially Hans Zimmer and Disney, so it makes sense that he brings some of that into his compositions. What I love about most of his music is that he is the master at using it to evoke emotions in his listeners. In this piece the music puts you in that same emotional place that you experience in when your in he natural environments of each movement. I grew up in northern New England and spent a lot of time in the woods in the winter and Quiet as the Snow perfectly captures that silence and mood. On of my favorite sections of this song along with Ad Astra. The spoken words in Ad Astra are from Sagan's Pale Blue Dot and are thoughtful, challenging, and along with Floor's choral vocals, very inspirational. I like how the song ends with the music not resolving, just as the future of humanity is unresolved. Ad Astra is the outro/last song of their current tour and when I saw them live back in May it was the perfect end to the concert (Last Ride of the Day, Ghost Love Score, Greatest Show on Earth, Ad Astra) and left the show so energized and motivated to live my life to the fullest.
Again great reaction and new sub.
The spoken word at the beginning is from poet Lord Byron. Tuomas said he came up with a lot of the music by watching nature documentaries without sound. So it makes sense you say it sounds like something that would compliment a visual. He made a soundtrack for nature.
You are so good at this ... so good at explaining and analyze things . Tuomas has always , in my mind , reminded me of Beethoven.
My grandmother and mother introduced me very young to classical music and then from a my teenage years I got into metal, so this nightwish album is a real treat to my ears!
Emotional roller coaster. ❤️
I would love to see a ballet choreographed to this.
Awesome reaction 👍🙂
I remember when I first got the Human Nature album and listened through the first disc for the first time, and then thought that I'd take a break to digest everything. I was curious of this song though so I thought I'd just take a little peak at Vista to get a feel for the sound, and suddenly Ad Astra ended and I realized that I had just been caught up in the music and had sat through the whole thing.
It was a great time seeing this reaction as well, especially since it was a bit of a different piece to what you've done before. HomeGnome keeps bringing the good stuff.
Hans Zimmer is one of Tuomas' favorite movie soundtrack composers. Many fans lovingly refer to Tuomas as the metal Mozart. We all know he is not Mozart by any means. Beethoven is a much better stylistic comparison. However, Tuomas will never claim to be a classical composer. He is much more interested in movie soundtracks, such as Zimmer.
We simply appreciate his classical sense of style in a dramatic and soundtrack style. He is wonderful at painting an emotional soundscape to tell his musical and lyrical stories.
Love your commentary John. I look forward to checking out your new stuff.
Thank you, man. This was filmed back at the end of July, so my single actually ended up on RUclips before this did. Here's the link, cheers!
ruclips.net/video/1nWe3g_7pqA/видео.html
I really love how you hear all the little details. All The Works Of Nature That Adorn The World is what I listen when getting a massage and takes me to another place.
The last part "Ad Astra" with the spoken word of Carl Sagan gets me everytime.
Wow, I'm so glad to have taken the time to watch this long video. Your channel is what sold it to me - I knew that it'll be time well invested 😃
Listening to your in-depth-analysis(es) makes me regret that I never learned music theory and I can't "hear things" before you explain them. However, you explain them so well that I somehow don't feel stupid but happy to have learned something. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge the way you do it - always enjoyable and worth watching/listening to.
Interesting as always.
Block harmonies as you call it, reminds me of Bruckner.
Funny you should mention Hans Zimmer. Tuomas likes Zimmer, and his music has been used many times as the "intro" music for Nightwish concerts (notably "Roll Tide").
Is this the Chopin you were thinking of:
"Simplicity is the final achievement. After one has played a vast quantity of notes and more notes, it is simplicity that emerges as the crowning reward of art."
(Rach - have you seen the video on RUclips "Rachmaninov had big hands"? Worth a watch for musical skill hidden behind humour.)
The album Inaginaerum uses a lot of the eponymous album.
And While Your Lips Are Still Red was written (with Marco) for the Finnish film "The Matriarch". But that's all I know of that's been used in film.
It's a common classical technique of course, to pass the melody from one instrument to another as part of development, with the harmonic (or counterpoint as fits) developing in the other instruments and to me that's part of what's happening throughout this tone poem.
The cyclic nature is also taken from classical music. The man knows exactly what he is doing.
Was thinking that Mozart died so young that he never got back around to simplicity... always 'too many notes' as was said in the movie. Makes me wonder what his composing would have evolved to be as an old man.
There is no better than Tuomas when it comes to soundscapes.
And yes, Tuomas is our new national treasure. 🇫🇮
great review and musical insights
Other film credits by Tuomas Holopainen . The Imaginaerum movie (2012) and a song “Kiss while your lips are still red” from a Finnish film The Matriarch (2007)
So so good reaction. Spot on and with a lot of good analysis as always.
Supetb that you mentioned Sibelius. I would love to know your opinion of his compositions.
With that rhythm, that second part does remind me of Bydlo, from Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition (peasant wagon drawn by oxen) orchestrated by Ravel.
Great reaction and analysis!! Floor's vocals at the end always get me... And thats the way they end up this concerts for the tour. Simply amazing and emotional ending!
Definitely (and unsurprisingly) a cinematic work. The obvious comparison is to Hans Zimmer but I also hear elements of James Horner, Michael Kamen, Howard Shore, and Danny Elfman in there.
I mentioned Danny Elfman later on in the video. Funnily enough, I nearly said James Horner (just before I said I couldn't think of any others off the top of my head) and then stopped myself because to me his use of harmony is quite different. Good call on Howard Shore.
@@JWSoundworks2 WRT harmony, I'm assuming the difference you mean is the Horner's more classical approach? I was thinking more in terms of instrumentation and the long melodic lines. Although Tuomas also seems to like a similar choral motif to one Horner also (re 🙂)used.
Excellent reaction by a reactor who actually knows about music. Hello from New Zealand
You rock, Keith! Thanks very much, man! 🤘
at 13.13 i hear " Bolero" - Ravel, but I also heard something else there, but I don't know what ... something from "Game of Thrones", do you hear it too?
btw. Tuomas is a genius. Sooo good composer, my God.
Personally, I am waiting for someone to make a film on the subject: Tolkien, RR Martin, etc. and will invite Tuomas and Nightwish to cooperate because it will be an epic thing ...
This my most listened to Nightwish album by far.
It's stunningly beautiful, and takes me away to a relaxing place.
When working, running or just relaxing, this has been my go to music since the album came out.
The final words - Carl Sagan's 'Pale blue dot' - are just immense.
I really loved your characterization of the cello as ‘a sigh’; I think that is why I love putting on this song when I want to lower my stress/pulse. It sort of tricks/leads my body into a calmer state after which my mental state also tends to calm a bit.
(For this reason I generally turn the volume down just before the final two phrases which sound more ominous, so I end on the host hopeful phrases of ad astra, feeling re-energized and more centered :)
NW Fans...all must have heard by now that that Floor was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Prognosis is good, she goes in for surgery tomorrow.
Those of us attending shows on the European tour, let's all wear pink to show Floor our love and support.
.
OhI got so involved that I forgot to mention something that I think you may really appreciate. I came across a pianist named Ben Cosgrove, who I think you'll really appreciate listening to. I'd deswhat he does as sort of neoclassical, though he also does some collaboration and accompaniment as well. Check him out. It doesn't have to be on here. I just think you'll appreciate what he dies. He travels all around in a Prius with a portable Korg playing odd concerts and does residencies as well. I love that he leaves a lot of space in his compositions and describes what he sees, mostly landscape observations from what I've heard so far.
Thankyou for your reaction to this stunning piece, it was a great analysis very enjoyable.
Thank you. You added to my future enjoyment of this!
I think he writes with a movie soundtrack framework rather than a classical music one.
One of the strengths of Tuomas is actually the *not* adding. Emppu (short guy with the purple guitar) spends half the show loitering around the stage because his instrument would not add to the story/the vibe/the emotion.
Awesome analysis! I don't know music theory enough to put things into words equally well but pretty much all you said made total sense.
Fantastic watching this with you!!!
Thanks Dave!
I really appreciate your passion and ability to communicate what you're hearing to an audience. I agree with virtually everything you've said, but I'd like to make a point that I think may not have come across clearly. Good music communicates something, emotion, ideas, something. Tuomas communicates wonderfully. The degree of sophistication is really unimportant. He does what he can to express something and enables the listener to understand what he is trying to express and does it beautifully. That's more important than ANYTHING. That lets the listener know that this communication can be done without lyrics at all. That’s what makes the magnificent Moonlight Sonata so popular and accessible. Bravo dude. I actually just subscribed, and I NEVER subscribe. Thanks so much!!
I listened this already a few days ago, but just wanted to come back to say that this was a very nice and enjoyable reaction / analysis. So thank you and have a nice day! 😊
Thank you, you too 😊