1.
OVERTURE(Beethoven,
Mozart, O'Neill) 2. MIDNIGHT (O'Neill,
Kinkel) 3. FATE (O'Neill) 4. WHAT GOOD THIS
DEAFNESS (O'Neill, Kinkel) 5. MEPHISTOPHELES(O'Neill,
Oliva) 6. WHAT IS ETERNAL(O'Neill,
Oliva, Kinkel) 7. THE MOMENT(O'Neill,
Oliva) 8. VIENNA (O'Neill,
Oliva, Kinkel) 9. MOZART / FIGARO(Mozart,
arranged by O'Neill, Kinkel) 10. THE DREAMS OF
CANDLELIGHT (O'Neill, Kinkel) 11. REQUIEM (THE FIFTH)
(Beethoven,
Mozart, O'Neill) 12. I'LL KEEP YOUR
SECRETS (O'Neill, Oliva,
Kinkel) 13. THE DARK (O'Neill,
Oliva, Caffery) 14. FUR ELISE(Arranged
by Kinkel) 15. AFTER THE FALL(O'Neill,
Oliva) 16. A LAST ILLUSION(Beethoven,
Mozart, Rimsky-Korsakov, O'Neill, Kinkel) 17. THIS IS WHO YOU
ARE (O'Neill, Oliva) 18. BEETHOVEN(Beethoven,
Mozart, O'Neill, Kinkel) 19. MEPHISTOPHELES'
RETURN (O'Neill, Kinkel) 20. MISERY (O'Neill,
Kinkel) 21. WHO IS THIS CHILD(O'Neill,
Oliva) 22. A FINAL DREAM(O'Neill,
Oliva)
If you, like
99% of those who have heard TSO albums so far, associate Jon Oliva, Bob
Kinkel and Paul O'Neill's project to the most classical Xmas cliches (Xmas
trees, angels, snow, holy choirs & co.) anfd have had ebough if that
yule-tide stuff, then take my advise: type a big 'format c:' in the commant
line and prepare to discover the NEW TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA, which is
way different from the one we used to know: no more Xmas & angels,
forget the sugariness galore and fasten your seat belts... you are about
to be wrapped and get lost in overwhelming waves of majestic virtuoso musicianship,
complex arrangements, sharp biting guitars who shout defiance to a brilliant
orchestra who doesn't hold back any of its expressive power, you are about
to be taken back in time to a spring night in 1827 when Vienna was experiencing
the wildest lightning storm in the city's history and the maestro Ludwig
Van Beethoven was sitting at his piano, writing the final notes of his
masterpiece, the Tenth Symphony.
SINCE THE TIME
WHEN RA AND ISIS
RAISED THE
SPHYNX OUT OF THE SAND
AND APOLLO
DREAMED ATHENA
AND MEN BEGAN
TO UNDERSTAND
THAT WHEN
DARKNESS FOLDS ON DARKNESS
IN THE RESTLESS
TIDES OF NIGHT
AND LIGHTNING
RAISES SHADOWS
AND FOR MOMENTS
GIVES THEM LIFE
IT'S BEEN
SAID BY THOSE WHO PONDER
THAT IT SURELY
IS A SIGN
THAT A LIFE
TOUCHED BY THE STARS
IS NOW RUNNING
OUT OF TIME
AND THAT SOMEWHERE
IN THAT DARKNESS
IN THE HEART
OF THAT GREAT STORM
THE WORLD
RETURNS A SOUL
THAT THE GODS
CAUSED TO BE BORN
AND THIS WAS
SUCH A STORM
THE KIND ONE
RARELY SEES IN LIFE
FOR IN A ROOM
NOW FILLED WITH SHADOWS
THE GREAT
BEETHOVEN WAS SPENDING
HIS LAST NIGHT.
The first notes
that spread around the romm whan I click on 'play' is the sweet, yearning
melody of the Sonata Al Chiaro di Luna, that introduce the powerful
"Overture",
instrumental track which introduce us to Beethoven's music; here O'Neill
conciles in a bold arrangement the immortal notes of Mozart and Beethoven
(and if you are fond of classical music, you'll love to spot all the "quotes"
from the great composers that can be found all over the record!).
When midnight
strikes, the composer is visited by Fate, abeautiful young woman, and its
deformed son, Twist, who inform him that this is to be his last night on
the earth. The voice that introduces the story is Jamie Torcellini's, who
immediately stands out for its sharp disquieting tones and the great expressivity
that since now I could only find in the Mt. King himself! From the musical,
concept and lyrical point of view this album fluies higher than the previously
released TSO albums, that were maybe a bit limited for obvious reasons
related to their content and theme (to be honest, if Jon had sung on one
of those records he would have been pretty likely to scare away most of
the easy-listeners who were after jolly funny Xmas stuff!), and probably
this is also because now TSO has gained a certain popularity in the States,
which allows them to show a little more of the talent and class that we
all have always known to be there!
The quality
and refinement of the arrangements and the performance is absolutely superior
and rare, and O'Niell and Kinkel are true music masters whose skills are
perpetually under the sportlight and give life and meaning to the whole
album.
After "Midnight"
and "Fate", we
first listen to Beethoven's warm deepvoice, interpreted by Jody Ashworth
("What Good this deafness")
and then Jon Oliva introduces us to his character: Mephistopheles! Now,
many have tried to interprete the Prince of Darkness, some succeded and
some not (just think of all the Faustus and Mephistopheles in the history
of opera!) but I could never find another person as charismatic and suitable
for this purpose than Jon Oliva! He is so convincing, so charming and sometimes
macabre that makes your flesh creep! Jon was, is and always will be DA
MOUNTAIN KING!! :)
The devil
appears in Beethoven's room to take the composer's soul. He is terrified
and asks at least for enough time to finish his Tenth, but is then forced
to admit that the work's complete already and, his bluff called, listens
to Mephistopheles' unusual generous offer: if the maestro accepts to have
all his music erased frever from the memory of men, he will ahve his soul
saved in return. He is given an hour to ponder about the distiny of his
music and his soul. Ashworth sings Beethoven's dilemma with bitter words
full of desperation while the music underlines the dramatic moment with
grand orchestral passages ("What is Eternal").
Fate then offers to change anything in the composer's life that has caused
him pain and that he believes has lead him to this point, ad he thinks
back to his childhood haunted by the death of his mother when he was only5,
an alcoholoic father and a sadist piano teacher ("The
Moment"). The impressive notes of the Sixth
stir in the air as the young Beethoven (Guy Lemonnier) realies that removing
such painful moments would also remove te inspiration for some of his best
pieces of music and decides to give up the devil's offer, because his music
that will give eternal joy and support to mankind is too rpecious to be
destroyed. ("Vienna").
The following track, "Mozart",
witnesses young Beethoven's meeting with his idol Mozart, and
the moment is sealed by the latter's brilliant music, re-arranged by O'Neill
and Kinkel with masterly skills and performed with freshness and intense
strength.
Theresa is
the first female characted we listen to, a princess of the Hapsburg Empire,
who is deeply in love with Beethoven ("The
Dreams of Candlelight"). But their story has
no happy ending, because the great piano player is going deaf and believes
no woman could ever have interest in a deaf man (year 1801) who believes
his life is over. The music that describes this moment is the most dramatic
and desperate, the "Requiem",
where the orchestra playes an amazing duet with the guitars, heavy and
powerful. TSO has just shot a video for this song, picked as first single
off the album. Beethoven has driven Theresa out of his life and she just
cannot understand why ("I'll keep your secrets").
Patti Russo's voice is all-embracing, warm, soft and powerful at the same
time, perfectly balanced in moments of bright pureness and few rough notes
that only add charme to her performance. Beethoven now understands that
deafness is not a reason for his tragic destiny either, because since he
went deaf he could better hear the words the Muses were whispering in his
ear all the time (Muses are interpreted by Zak Stevens, Dave Diamond and
Doug Thoms in the song
"The Dark").
"Fuer
Elise" is the world-wide famous classic tune
re-arranged by Kinkel, which precedes "After
the Fall", where Theresa again voices her
love for the young Beethoven. He eventually realizes that she didn't mind
at all his deafness and is overwhelmed by the pain of such awareness. To
soothe his suffering, Fate shows him images from the future, where Beethoven
improvises with musicians from all times, inspired by the legacy of his
immortal music. This is the impressive instrumental track "A
Last Illusion", that Savatage have already
played once live last year in Cologne. Definetly one of my favorite songs
on this album, with an awesome guitar work clearly inspired by the famous
'Flight of the Bumble Bee', band and orchestra are marching side by side,
massive and inexorable, while the piano stes the pace with a ghastly riff
that weaves a tense, dramatic atmosphere. Geez, this song alone is worth
buying the whole album! (and in my opinion the best somgs are yet to come!)
The song ends on the 'Ode to Joy' theme with an intense guitar solo (could
this be Al?) while Ghosts from the past and future chant a majestic melody
- in Latin... that's why Zak didn't know allt he words by heart, then!!
;) Also the following song "This Is Who You
Are" features quotes from the 'Ode to Joy'
and the 'Pastoral', while track 18 is an instrumental song called "Beethoven".
Back to present time, Mephistopheles apperas again and finds his offer
refused, so he quickly replaces it with another: if Beethoven will only
give him the Tenth Symphony, he willr eturn the maestro's soul and will
set free from all sufferings the poor unknown chil who is sleeping in the
gutter, right opposite his window. ("Mephistopheles'
Return" - is a song of rare beauty featuring
an amazing deep penetration of band and orchestra and voices, that perform
the typical counterpoint vocals - and "Misery",
another favorite songs of mine, where Jon treats us to a lunatic stunning
performance that sends shivers down my spine!). Even if he struggles to
refuse ("Who is this child"),
Beethoven cannot turn away from the child and he accept to sign the contract.
Fate then writes the agreement by which Maphistopheles purchases the Tenth
Symphony written by the first born son of Johann and Maria von Beethoven
and grants in return his soul's redemption and the little girl's.
Both parties
sign and the Devil grabs the manuscript to burn it on a candle. But the
pages engulfed in flames, do not burn! Mephistopheles was tricked, as Beethoven
is the second born son of Johann and Maria, who had another son before
him, who died when he was just 1! Twist grins in delight while he explains
this to the Prince of Darkness, who screams out in anger and frustration
and disappers in an explosion of flames and smoke. Beethoven is suprised
to hear that after all the Devil had no right at all to claim his soul,
he was just bluffing, and the maestro, reassured by Fate's sweet words
(Sylvia Tosun), closes his eys for eternity, on the dream-like piano tune
of the last song, "A Final Dream".
The storm
fades away and the ghosts leave the room. Only twist remains, he seizes
the manuscript of the Tenth and climbs up a bookcase. Then lets the pages
slip behind the wall. There the masterpiece will remain hidden in oblivion,
waiting for the day whn it will be found and the music will live once again
to bring back to light the immortal music written by Beethoven in his last
night.
The
End
This album was written for
Desiree
"Final Dream" was first
recorded as "Time To Sleep" and was written for Omar Jr. and Ireland.
ROBERT KINKEL - piano and
keyboards
JON OLIVA - piano, keyboards
and bass guitars
AL PITRELLI - lead, rhythm
and bass guitars
PAUL O'NEILL - rhythm and
acoustic guitars
JEFF PLATE - drums
JOHNNY LEE MIDDLETON - bass
CHRIS CAFFERY - guitars
DAVE WHITMAN - drum, guitar
and bass inserts for those little things the band forgot
PRODUCED BY : PAUL O'NEILL
CO-PRODUCED BY : BOB KINKEL
RECORDING & MIX ENGINEER:
DAVE WHITMAN
* If you want
to purchase this album you can buy it online clicking on the link here
below; the album still cannot be found in Italy and many European Countries,
therefore you can also get information on how to get a copy writing to:
houndsonline@hotmail.it
and
the moment is sealed by the latter's brilliant music, re-arranged by O'Neill
and Kinkel with masterly skills and performed with freshness and intense
strength.
