A former cellist with the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra and the recent chamber orchestra Avanti!, Toppinen may be a composer and songwriter in addition to co-founder of Apocalyptica, an all-cello ensemble that began as a Metallica duvet band within the mid-Nineties sooner than evolving right into a full-blown rock crew in its personal proper (and turning into the primary Finnish band to most sensible the United States charts).
Cellist Eicca Toppinen appearing with the Baltic Sea Philharmonic. Toppinen is the founding father of Finnish steel band Apocalyptica. Photograph: Jaro Suffner
All of which made Toppinen the easiest frontman for “Vivid and Black”, a programme offered by way of the Hong Kong Arts Pageant bringing in combination the Baltic Sea Philharmonic, a multinational ensemble comprising musicians from more than a few Nordic international locations, with a roster of Scandinavian metalheads writing track of if truth be told symphonic scope.
At the beginning conceived with Toppinen’s manufacturer Jacob Hellner (who may be credited as co-composer of a number of items) and led by way of the ensemble’s founding track director Kristjan Järvi, “Vivid & Black” was once first launched as an album in January. Plans are afoot to department into different media, together with a online game.
The efficiency on the Hong Kong Cultural Centre adopted the album’s programme order to the letter.
What provides “Vivid & Black” its distinct credibility is, to begin with, the pedigree of the creators concerned. During Scandinavia and the Baltics, musicians are prone to have equivalent musical coaching without reference to their selected taste (Toppinen himself attended Helsinki’s Sibelius Academy).
A equivalent emotional state permeates disparate musical genres – even upbeat moments are incessantly tinged with a little of depression, if now not outright melancholy, which for sure impressed the undertaking’s name.
“Vivid & Black” was once neither a negotiation between other musical kinds, like Metallica’s collaborations with the San Francisco Symphony, nor an try to mimic rock’s noise aesthetic with acoustic tools, as in works by way of composers like Elliott Sharp and John Zorn. None of its 12 items, actually, employs electrical distortion.
Fredrik Akesson’s Nidhugg set the tone proper from the hole, with arpeggiated notes shifting from the cellos and basses to the upper strings sooner than being heard as a complete sonic wall – on this case, “steel” relating to the brass phase.
Nico Elgstrand’s Bloodgrind, which right away adopted, unleashed its pounding percussion to expose one of the most night’s ordinary drawbacks: whilst 4 orchestral percussionists can unquestionably exceed the amount of 1 rock drummer, they lack a unmarried participant’s precision, which finally ends up diffusing the depth in their taking part in.
Järvi did his phase to stay the display alive, operating the group between breaks like at a standard-issue rock live performance. In main his 40-piece ensemble, the conductor forsook the rostrum and baton for a body drum, which he frequently beat above his shoulders – more than likely the one manner his beat may just stay in sight of the musicians, all of whom aside from the cellists and two double bassists performed whilst status.
Kristjan Järvi, conductor of The Baltic Sea Philharmonic, which carried out with heavy steel cellist Eicca Toppinen right through the 2024 Hong Kong Arts Pageant. Photograph: courtesy of Sunbeam Productions
The night got here to a detailed with a work entitled, accurately sufficient, Finish of All (credited to Jacob Hellner and Lizzie Zachrisson Hellner), with a gap string riff harking back to Pachelbel’s Canon in D laying the accompaniment for Toppinen’s lyrical cello traces.
Even if the night’s works (none lasting greater than 10 mins) various in musical high quality and ability of orchestration, they have been constant – like the most efficient cinematic rankings – in successfully organising and maintaining an emotional temper.
When this assortment after all turns into a online game, the track will more than likely in finding its rightful house.
“Vivid & Black”, Baltic Sea Philharmonic, Hong Kong Cultural Centre Live performance Corridor. Reviewed: March 14.
