Voice Teacher Reacts and Analyzes: The Poet and the Pendulum - Nightwish

It is my hope this analysis and breakdown will help you better understand your own voice.

[wepprop]

It is often said that other singers sing whatever way works best for them, but Floor sings whatever way works best for the song.

[ollipartanen]

For me it's not just Floor's voice. It's the body language and emotions she brings to each song, especially live performances. I have seen them several times with every singer, but I think Floor is giving 100% always.

[TheLiger]

This was about in the middle of the concert, and at the end of it she still aced The Greatest Show on Earth too, which is THE longest song of Nightwish, Tuomas's cherished masterpiece over 20 minutes long. Granted, not quite all 20 minutes have her singing, but there's no doubting she's a powerhouse!

[jakebronner]

The orchestra would probably be the London Philharmonic Orchestra, they've done fantastic work for several Nightwish songs.

[justinriley]

I'm a fairly new member of the Nightwish army myself. I also have to say I'm not even a singer or try to be but everything you break down is easy enough for someone not versed in the lingo to understand. All the reactions you've had are just golden. I of course really love the Nightwish reactions as everyone else, but it's great to see your breakdown to every other technique as well. I shall now go back into non-comment mode. Have a lovely day, night, month, year!

[ExUSSailor]

If Tuomas Holopainen, the keyboard player & composer, had been born in the 17th, or, 18th centuries, he'd be mentioned in the same breath as Bach, Handel, or, Mozart.

[madmansurfing]

Quite interesting to have a reaction abstacting from that emotional rollercoaster to the pure vocal technique. Enjoyed it much.
You recognised Marko‘s singing during TPatP. May I recommend to go back in time to 2005 and check their Pink Floyd tribute „High Hopes“ sung by Marko. I m sure you will be stunned by that performance as well.
Looking forward to the next one.😊

[fnglert]

"But this is the longest song I've ever done a reaction to" - so far >:D
<Edit> "And she's not trying to be this songbird all over the place just trying to show what she can do with her voice" - YES! THANK YOU! That's what i've always disliked about pop divas like Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston et all, they're scale monsters demanding the full attention and acting like the whole world revolves around them, but Floor - ... Floor is in the service of the song. She's an instrument. She does what the song needs, no more, no less. That's an *artist*.

[sleeepwalk]

Natural path is The Greatest Show on Earth... Floor growling, operatic, classical and belting E5s and F5s for 25 minutes, and in the end, G5 belting phrases with 10 seconds each...

[tonysweeney]

Good to see you really enjoying this masterpiece John..You converted yet!!

[normanmapson]

Regarding your note / question at 00:05:48
Tuomas Holopainen (Nightwish founder, keyboardist) composed the music and wrote the lyrics.
London Philharmonic Orchestra performed the orchestral parts.
Metro Voices did the choir sections.

[maddermax]

you want to hear some or Marco ranges you need to check out his amazing performance Nightwish - The Islander (Live At Tampere)

[pekkakarppinen]

Yes, this is a one heck of the song. And they all nailed it there. Quite complex and a sad story, but they told it well. Notice how the boys gathered around Tuomad at the end to comfort him because this song has some emotional burden to him. Thank you for your analysis!

[axelkristiansen]

Great reaction. The next should be: The greatest show on earth - live from Tampere 2015

[kalajarvi]

I am sure the whole Nightwish Army want to thank you John. You are the right man for this. Thank you. Greetings from Finland. The land of heavy music.

[halvelife]

If you like prog rock (Many vocalists make appearances): Ayreon - The Day That The World Breaks Down - The Source (2017)

[prchise]

I have heard many reactions to this song. This is one of the best. And if I may add, in my book Floor is the best female vocalist in rock music now. And beyond. Excellent reaction!

[leathelone]

Good reaction :D

If you want to see a song that floor found difficult (she did it well though) they can tour again it will be interesting to see how they do it live. Read a little on Shoemaker the scientist first, the song pays homage to him

[richardtomlin]

'I've been told the base player can sing. Understatement of the week/month/year/decade...
You so gotta check out 'High hopes'

[billattercliffe]

As a video guy I can confirm what the previous poster said. The frame rate of the video camera is too slow to catch the precise moment of the snare hits. The video and audio are correctly synched.

Pip Williams of the London Philharmonic Orchestra is the man who does the grooving with the baton. Tuomas writes the orchestral music for each instrument section, demos the tracks on his synth and sends it off to London where Williams works his magic. The band and the LPO have been working together for a long time. There's a documentary on the making of the "Endless Forms Most Beautiful" album that describes this process in more detail. The choir work involves both an adult and a child choir working with the LPO.

The opening passage is sung by a boy soprano and the spoken parts were done by one as well.

In the original version of the "Poet and the Pendulum" a boy soprano also sang that high passage starting with "Sparkle my scenery". This album was produced with their second singer, Anette Olzen, and she didn't have the range to sing that passage. Floor has the range and she sings it with the thinness of a boy soprano, or at least as close as an adult woman can get. Go back to that passage and listen to the thin, almost unstable tone that Floor gives it.

BTW, big Yes and Genesis fan here as well. Let's not forget Emerson, Lake and Palmer.