The Daily Doug: All the Works of Nature Which Adorn the World (Nightwish) Reaction | (Ep 206)

#Nightwish #NightwishReaction #AllTheWorksOfNature
In this episode of #TheDailyDoug, I'm reacting to All the Works of Nature Which Adorn the World by Nightwish. Composer/Keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen has gifted us with this special orchestral tone poem. It was released in April 2020 as the second disc on their Human :II: Nature recording.
As you watch, keep in mind that I was not seeing the visuals while recording. Thanks to Sensei Music Videos for their work in creating and publishing the stunning visuals.
Reference Video: • Nightwish - All The Wo...
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[@stamasd8500]

English can be such a false friend sometimes. Moors can refer to Muslims, but in this case it refers to the highlands of Scotland, with mist-covered hills and mountains which also go by the same name. (edit) the final vocalist is indeed Floor. She has been singing that part at the end of their recent live shows.

[@utnaturalem4379]

Yorkshire

[@AnOldGreyDog]

@@utnaturalem4379 Devon

[@uueyeam6398]

And Ireland

[@richardwest6358]

Exmoor, Dartmoor, Yorkshire Moors

[@RichardFoster]

My immediate thought on hearing the title was one of the purple heather and windswept wilds. I hadn't gone quite as far as Scotland, more the area of Yorkshire that is described so well in the works of the Bronte Sisters.

[@Green-Lyon]

Since no one apparently as of my writing this has mentioned it (I scrolled almost to the bottom), It is worth mentioning that "Anthropocene" contains within it Tuomas's interpretation of the oldest known substantially complete work of notated music in the world known as, "Hurrian Hymn to Nikkal", preserved on clay tablets for 3400 years and found in the 1950's in the ruins of Ugarit in Syria (northern Canaan back in the day).

[@oceansoul085]

Thank you I was here looking to see if anyone had mentioned this.

[@juharaty5449]

Wau! That was SUPER interesting! 😯

[@Green-Lyon]

@@juharaty5449 I know, right! 😃

[@sateentuoksu]

The whispers you heard: "quiet as the snow" in multiple languages. The whole story:

[@erchl54]

Yours is a refreshing example of how a reaction can add, a lot, to the listener experience. Thanks. Please keep on doing them.

[@michaph71]

It is Floor in Ad Astra.

[@wivan27]

At the end of Ad Astra, the vocal part resolves, the instrumental part does not. I think this could be interpreted as nature still being there when humankind has disappeared. Thanks for another great reaction. As mentioned before, would be great to see a Shoemaker reaction someday.

[@mitchthepower]

Yes or that we just don't know how everything will go on in the future. It's just an open end... exactly like the music here.

[@Willifrex]

Like our story hasn't been told in full yet, because we are still in the process of writing it?

[@wivan27]

I guess I went with this interpretation because it ties in really well with 'Procession'

[@petey7692]

depends if we manage to damage the world enough i guess :/

[@s.b200]

@@petey7692 Geologically speaking we haven't even been here a flicker of a second :) Species exist for a time and go extinct...but mammals are especially prone to rapid extinction. So for certain, that will happen to us too, no matter how we humans damage the earth. We will likely have existed much shorter time than other primates and mammals. It brings perspective to life, and what we are, seen with an outside view. We will be a brightly burning-, brilliant- but short shimmer of light in earth's history.

[@davidellinsworth22]

I'd love to hear and see your reaction to "Shoemaker", from the same album..... let's make it happen, Doug? 😃

[@veladarney]

Seconded! (And bear in mind - they ARE playing that one live though they originally thought it would be too difficult to perform live.)

[@davidellinsworth22]

@@veladarney even of I could sing/play drums it would fry my brain trying to play that live 😂

[@thedarcbird]

@@davidellinsworth22 I bet Nandi Bushell could do it!

[@zachweatherhead5525]

A Tuomas and Hans Zimmer collaboration for the next David Attenborough documentary series is the dream I need to come to reality

[@GustafB]

And let's not forget to send a big thank you to Sensei Music Videos for the awesome unofficial video visualisation. It adds so much to the experience of this composition.

[@dioxygene]

I must admit, as a long time fan of Prog, I deeply underestimated the work of Nightwish (even if I had heard and liked some of their songs). I am working on it, thanks to you Doug!

[@MADNarrativeFlow]

Nightwish: "Shoemaker". You NEED to hear this one! You will not regret it! Look for the official lyric video.

[@HanemanHunters]

Doug is THE man when it comes to orchestral stuff. It was great to listen to the record again, alongside the Professor!

[@kalajarvi]

Ditto

[@marcelofarah8657]

Floor is singing in Ad Astra. In fact this is the outro in the live performances now.

[@FlyingAce1016]

tuomas's wife also sings in some of this if I remember right (shes the lead in his other band Auri)

[@marcelofarah8657]

@@FlyingAce1016 I know who Joana is. She's the one who does the spoken words in shoemaker but as far as I know in the second disk the spoken words were done by Geraldine James, the one in Ad Astra, and the melodic voices were Floor and the choir.

[@FlyingAce1016]

@@marcelofarah8657 gotcha thanks! been a while since I heard the album and this song until now again.

[@shuriken4852]

Now I only need you to react to Tuomas' solo work Music Inspired by the Life and Times of Scrooge and my work here will be complete. HEHE! 😉 Also if you be willing to reach out to Tuomas, I would b really interested in you doing an interview discussing his compositions. Almost forgot, not sure if anyone mentioned this to you Doug, but Nightwish has released versions of certain of their albums with the orchestral part only. The moors is this case is referring to this definition 'a tract of open uncultivated upland; a heath'. The whispering is saying "Quiet as the snow" in multiple language including French my native language and I think Swedish, but cannot figure out the others. BTW it is Floor & Troy singing and playing on the album.

[@T1hitsTheHighestNote]

Yes! “The Scrooge Album” doesn’t get enough love, but I feel it will be right up Doug’s alley! It’s basically an orchestral album.

[@nocakewalk]

@@T1hitsTheHighestNote Glasgow 1877 is one of the most beatiful pieces of music I know.

[@leftyme4568]

@@nocakewalk The last sled is my favorite, but the entire album is awesome!

[@Cabernal]

I'll add my voice, YES PLEASE!

[@theovanderstorm3171]

I like the Scrooge Album also, it has an instrumental version and one with lyrics, they are both really good.

[@Thorgrim247]

I think you nailed it Doug. We have been separated from Nature. Floor does some of the vocalizations in these pieces. This Moor's is referring to the lonely desolate moors of Scotland. Thus the Celtic sound. It is Floor doing the climactic vocalizations in Ad Astra. Great job Doug. I loved it so much.

[@pietheindejonge321]

We haven't separated at all: humans are animals and animals are humans.

[@yibril17]

@@pietheindejonge321 You're reading that at face value: what that separation from Nature meant is to convey the idea that humans live *as if* we weren't going to die. From Draconian's "The Last Hour Of Ancient Sunlight": _In rapture from nature we divorce._ Death is ingrained in Nature, and yet we live oblivious to it... _The bewildered sleep - the shadowy voyager is lurking;_ _he’s in the flesh of landscapes vaporous._ _The vacant, untiring Sovran of old_ _He’s the machinery; igniting the paralyzed soil._

[@Niczter]

It is Floor singing in Ad Astra. She sings the part at the end of the concerts now when they perform!

[@jamesschwarz007]

The whispering in "Quiet As The Snow" is the title of that piece in different languages.

[@giacomocolturato2920]

I think it's french only :)

[@jamesschwarz007]

@@giacomocolturato2920 Not sure...I believe there is Dutch as well...and Swedish...

[@giacomocolturato2920]

@@jamesschwarz007 didn't know, thank you

[@majbrat]

Love this so much. That is Floor singing operatically in the pieces along with the choirs. She did the Ad Astra live for their virtual concert and it was glorious! You still need to listen to more Nightwish. Their other member Troy plays the Uilleann Pipes on many songs, on stage, as well as Irish Low Whistles, flutes, the Irish Mandolin, acoustic guitar, and the Electric guitar with an e-bow. You did not finish your journey yet ;) Troy ans Tuomas have another project called Auri with Tuomas' wife, singer Johanba Kurkela. Lovely.

[@lasse4416]

I love it how the music representating nature is left unfinished but human singing, while beautiful, comes to an end.

[@mantailuaa]

My favorite of these ”sections” is Quiet As The Snow, the wishpers are the title in different languages. Tuomas has painted with instruments all the different kind of snowy days and nights into this one piece of amazing music. I’m getting emotional every time I listen to it, this music just pulls my heartstrings the right way.

[@wmlye1]

The best word I can use to describe this album is "brave". It's a divisive album in the NW fandom, with a lot of people saying "this is the end of Nightwish", and it's not just Disc 2 - Disc 1 is equally as divisive. Nonetheless, Tuomas proposed it to the band, they went along with it, and then Nuclear Blast released it. Brave on so many levels.

[@TheAnibear]

I completely agree with this. I'm a huge NW fan and it took some time for me to appreciate Human Nature. But brave it is, and I can appreciate it for that alone. And there are some real gems on it, that's for sure

[@isaiahwelch8066]

People who want the same musical ideas, reiterated in different ways, are stagnant people, afraid of change. If Tuomas has shown me anything with his musical genius, it is that it is only right that change is good, otherwise we never grow and learn. To stop learning and growing is to begin dying -- and Tuomas has given us many, many variations and "stories" throughout the Nightwish journey, and beyond, showing us how he had changed and grown, as well as Floor, and others. This is not the end of Nightwish, merely a different chapter in the Nightwish story.

[@khymaaren]

It's the end of Nightwish... as those fans would prefer them. I say it's their loss. Staying the same is anathema to progress. The idea applies to music in more ways than one.

[@ThisICommand666]

Human :II: Nature's not my favorite of theirs, but I'm glad they did something different. Since Once, the band has really adhered to that formula going all the way up to EFMB. But H:II:N does have some great songs on it, and Disc 2 is wonderful to use as writing music.

[@billattercliffe8655]

Moors are undulating uplands with low growing plant life, heathers, grasses, shrubs, etc. Probably the best known are the ones in England, but they're common around the world. The changes in the music during the "Moors" reflects the changing weather that is typical of moors. The soloist was Floor. She is capable of so many voices, it's sometimes hard to recognize her at times, for example, the siren calls in her cover of "Into the Unknown" don't quite sound like her at first. And finally, "Ad Astra" played live recently as their show closer: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qnXVaH-todt4j7M. As you can hear, the soloist is most definitely Floor. That sustained note at the end is epic.

[@pietkeizer5216]

Hey Doug…of course it’sFloor singing Ad Astra. You can watch it live now. Last month in Oulu. Amazing Floor. Greetings from The Netherlands

[@ricardogrimes2926]

That ending, Doug, is like life itself. There's so much going on, so many sounds and experiences then, all of a sudden, is all quiet again, just like before we were born.

[@josmetaldesu5033]

Ad Astra always hits me in the feels..

[@sianpodmore4988]

Shivers up my spine, tears in my eyes, no words. Thank you Doug

[@k.l.7788]

Thank you Nightwish. ❤️

[@eddiewinehosen6665]

Apart from the magnificent compositions credit to the fan who did this video to go with the music. Toumas has seen it and loved it so much that he included it in the official Nightwish exhibition at their museum in Kitee, Finland.

[@amandadunkley1686]

Did I see you starting to well up there during ad astra? I don't know what it is but that piece of music has me in tears everytime... Everytime without fail. Floor does the vocals during the piece so wonderfully.

[@Elviolli]

I’ve been avoiding watching reactions to this piece. Mainly because I don’t want to watch sapiens mindlessly nod along to it and pretend that they are knowing what’s going on…or pretending that they don’t hate it because it’s not heavy. This one I watched because I know Doug will both love and understand it. It was a pleasure. Thank you.

[@themajor743]

Yet to see any hate - you need to check out more reactions - it will raise your opinion of the human race in general and NW fans in particular. Tankthetech would be a good place to start.

[@Elviolli]

@@themajor743 Tank did it? I didn’t think he did.

[@themajor743]

@@Elviolli kzbin.info/www/bejne/pX_ak2Wtns6cfrc

[@Elviolli]

@@themajor743 ahh ok yeah no I remember. I didn’t watch it because it was a live stream. They tend to be a bit chaotic. However! I will probably check it out at some point. Love Tank’s stuff.

[@Hansse]

That was absolutely another magnificent piece of music from the wizard Tuomas.

[@marek3707]

Nightwish likes to surprise, the entire last album was a bit of a surprise to many fans of the band. For me personally it was a very, very pleasant surprise. And this track which you have just listened to is a kind of completion of the first part of the album, showing by the music itself what the album is about and what its message is. It's a great album, and I think you should definitely listen to the songs from the first part as well - as a composer you would have a lot to say. (And us to listen to:-)). You used to listen to the band Epica. I think it is very worthwhile for you to go back to this band and listen to their latest album "Omega". Not only because it's also a great album, but also because every song has an orchestral version in addition to the main album version, and some have acoustic versions as well. I think I'm not the only one who would be very interested in your opinion and analysis. As always good to see you - see you soon!

[@GustafB]

I agree, Doug you really should look into Epica and their most recent album Omega.

[@Filip-gz1lh]

Definitely, I would love to see him reacting to Kingdom of Heaven from Omega, masterpiece and great album overall. Still I believe the best composed are The Phantom Agony and Holographic Principle songs (album named), but the newest album is incredible.

[@edwardscott482]

Found Nightwish around the same time you did and really have become to love their music. Toumas is a beautiful composer. Thank you for doing this!

[@martinhodgson2303]

Must admit that I had not listened to this album right through Doug, just the singles and one or two other tracks. All good but this is quite an incredible piece of music, absolutely magical. Thanks for putting me onto it and for pointing me at the wonderful video Doug. It is beautiful, superb images, with the music so supremely evocative. Well done Nightwish and wonderful reaction as always Doug, I really can listen to your music analysis all day! Keep doing what you do!

[@joslauwers7960]

In "Moors" the piano is playing "The Great-est Show On Earth" in 6 notes. Tuomas does this often: In The Greatest Show On Earth he added other names of songs via instrumental notes.

[@MichaelLoda]

What do you mean, can you explain exactly? I'm curious

[@AndreSomers]

@@MichaelLoda He likes to “quote” fragments from other pieces of music. They often seem to signify a thematic connection.

[@MichaelLoda]

@@AndreSomers Oh yeah I know about TGSOE having songs like Bach's Minuet and others. I thought he meant something else

[@Smuffleri]

From 29:25 -> onwards that string tremolo is a very Sibelius vibe, maybe a nod from Tuomas to our national composer? :) Loved your reaction

[@igordemetriusalencar5861]

This album is a masterpiece!! Your reaction is a masterclass!! Thank you Doug!

[@lordoverflow]

"The Earth is in B flat" made me laugh because I was imaging Tuomas trying to tell the World that the Earth is flat and I was like "Nooo! Not from all the people..."

[@leftyme4568]

Whenever you think you know where you are going ....Tuomas will take you somewhere else!!

[@glendawatson331]

Doug the Moors have very unpredictable weather patterns the strings that you liked represented the wind blowing across the open moors it is remarkable how much they sound like the wind whistling through them The music really represents the changing weather pattern on the Moors

[@onsesejoo2605]

To my ears, the cello theme in "Blue" reminds of "Peltoniemen Hintriikan surumarssi", which is a Finnish folk song for violin. Lyrics were added 1964.

[@nolongerthere]

Thanks, Doug! I'd never even heard of Nightwish and this is a wonderful intro to this remarkable band. For the most part, I cannot get into anything proggy since 1979; it all sounds derivative of the creative masterminds of the 70's, much as the musicianship is usually strong. But this is new and innovative, while melodic and unabashedly beautiful. Love it!

[@MikkoRantalainen]

I'd recommend checking out this modern prog piece: Ayreon - The Day That The World Breaks Down - The Source (2017) kzbin.info/www/bejne/pXfYfn6ap9-Dp7c

[@isaiahwelch8066]

You can add "Star One" to that as well, since Arjen is releasing another album next month -- and two musicians are already confirmed: Brittney Slayes of Unleash the Archers, as well as Michael Romeo: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rJ-agWali7Khr9U

[@nightwishlover8913]

Dammit, Holopainen, you made me cry! Again.

[@treintje1001]

You almost got it right. It is indeed the musical sign for repeat. Indeed it separates human from nature, but in a slightly different way than you mentioned. As you mentioned it is a double album and the first disc contains all songs which all in some way have humans as a subject. So the first disc is about humans. The instrumental part on disc 2 is Tuomas’s homage to Nature, so the second disc is Nature.

[@emjem99]

Wonderful! Ad Astra leaves me in tears and wanting more (and that voice has to be Floor).

[@russward2612]

Tuomas will be remembered as one of the finest composers of the modern era. I haven't heard everything from Nightwish but everything I have heard is next level genius. Tarja, Annette and Floor each bring something special to the band. Floor takes it over the top.

[@dissonantpulse]

Cello? Metal? Apocalyptica.

[@Qwarzz]

First thing that came in mind from his mention of melodic cello.

[@c.h.a.z]

Just watched this in whole. Doug you’re the best.

[@oldhedders]

That is indeed the Uillean pipes on Moors. The piper is Troy Donockley, a member of Nightwish and also of Tuomas' other band, Auri. It's an extraordinarily difficult instrument to play, with seven reeds to manage and (as I understand it) anything outside the key of D requiring the player to bend the notes artificially. Troy is one of a very small number of people worldwide who can play the Uillean pipes to a high standard. In Nightwish he also plays the whistles and the bazouki, as well as providing backing vocals and some lovely Dave Gilmour-esque guitar. You might remember the intro to The Greatest Show on Earth with the guitar line played using an e-bow? That's Troy.

[@DrumsAndGadgets]

Thanks again for a great reaction. About the ending; maybe it ended that way because our story is not at the end and future is open? And not doomed or everything will suck or whatever. Tuomas has this "positive poet" inside of him although many of his compositions are lyrically sometimes in the darker side of life. To me his message is "for some most beautiful reasons, we are here and we can decide what or future will be.

[@cmaxxen]

I think it was about the landscape type, also called moors.

[@profjohnfrinks]

Perhaps the album ending without resolve is a reference to the idea that this spec of dust suspended in a sun beam can go out in any moment, resolve or not.

[@suntiger745]

Yes, but also that neither our (humanity’s) story, not the planet’s, is finished. We don’t know how it ends, yet. :)

[@nornog]

I would love to see this performed live, by them with a symphony.

[@SuzJCD]

The end section of Quiet As The Snow seems eerily reminiscent of Neptune in Holst's Planet Suite. Love this so much, thanks Doug!

[@edenmaack]

Thank you! This is the piece I most wanted to get your reaction to. I love how intertwined All the Works of Nature is. The end theme of Moors is the same as Floor’s vocal in Ad Astra, Quiet as the Snow reprises the cello from Vista as well as using a very similar pattern of harps and strings from The Green, and the mechanical (Sorcerer’s Apprentice) passage from Anthropocene is the theme from The Blue. I think that’s why the tempo is the same throughout. In fact, I’m pretty sure the entire suite hovers right around 100 BPM and the entire thing is 4/4. This feels very intentional to me since Tuomas is usually not shy about changing up tempo and time signature. It makes the piece as a whole a little same-y, but also contributes to the continuity and the sense that the piece is meant to be listened to without breaking it up. I think it also makes a statement that nature has a constant presence and rhythm even when overlaid by the tension and tremolo of the anthropocene and when we look beyond to the stars.

[@Drinckx2]

Floor is the female soloist on ‘Nature’ .

[@PlugInKali]

When you think of it from a thematic point of view, it makes perfect sense that the piece doesn't resolve, because human history (which was basically the theme of the album, nature and how humans fit in it), still isn't over. Once you have explored Earth, you set off to the stars and where we go from there is yet to be written. That's why I really hope Nightwish's next album has something to do with space, sci-fi or just the future of humanity in general. It would be an incredible ending to the story they started in Endless Forms Most Beautiful :)

[@alnitak208]

Yes, the instrument in the beginning of "Moors" is Uillean pipes.

[@alnitak208]

You can also hear uillean pipes in "Easter" by Marillion, highly recommended song (though I prefer Fish-era Marillion). kzbin.info/www/bejne/a6G0Y3aoYrp4fJY

[@keithbond9423]

Yes, I would love to hear a reaction to Marillion. I love both Fish and Hogarth era. Easter is a great song. Other great songs to consider for a reaction: Great Escape (live) Invisible Man (live from Out of Season) Neverland (live) Many many more, but those are a great introduction.

[@alnitak208]

@@keithbond9423 I'd rather hear a reaction to "Script for a jester's tear", "She cameleon", "Incubus", "Bitter suite", or "White Russian" first.

[@taurusguy9305]

Wow finally you've done the longest Nightwish song reaction.

[@NickBR57]

The :II: is not pronounced. Apparently, according to Floor the album title is just Human Nature.

[@DjKorppi]

I keep coming back to this. In my opinion this is the best song-reactor combo in youtube.

[@Em-ih5du]

As for the whispering, I couldn't get it all but in the right ear they say "still as the snow" and in the left they say "comme la neige" (french for 'like the snow')

[@LuisRdzG10]

Yeah Doug, it was Floor all the time

[@lucreziatrevellyan5499]

This has me itching to see you break down the first half of the album. In order. There’s definitely enough musically in each song to talk about!

[@paulmdevenney]

I've really been looking forward to you digging into this masterpiece. I love that its not been compressed to hell and back There is a genuine dynamic range to the piece from quiet as the snow to the ending. After listening to this piece the Cello was cemented as my favourite orchestral instrument (tied maybe with the french horn ). You're right that its a brave decision to include it in the album. It has divided people slightly (I love it and would happily buy more of Tuomas classical stuff), but to my its Tuomas ultimate reminder that Nightwish is just *good music*. Yes its the uillean pipes (actually pronounced "ill-ee-an" apparently) A MOOR is a flat plain at the top of hills (also a GLEN). Not sure how far that work has travelled, but its common in the british isles. Yes, the final vocalist is Floor. She does this bit live now. As usual Tuomas will add tension or anger with the arrival of humanity in his works (anthropacene). If it was a metal track, it would be time to get super heavy. Here I love the use of the tremolo to bring that tension. Interesting comments on lack of a fast moment. I think that's fair. I love the 30 mins as is, because its chilled and beautiful. Maybe next time he'll add something faster. The conclusion of the piece is typicially Tuomas (its the same as the main part of Greatest Show on Earth), an explosion / timpani hit. Either its "Blast off" or a monumental explosion. I Dare say that Tuomas is challenging us to affect which one of these it turns out to be. The future is yet unwritten...

[@johngoverts4166]

Wow! Just... wow...

[@derrickowen8162]

When are filmmakers going to start requesting Tuomas to score their films?

[@JanneTarhanen]

I have this human:||:nature album, but I hadn't listened this album yet, not before this day. I've been sort of waiting that special moment to enjoy this orchestral piece. And immediately when I saw this Doug's video, I thought this might be the occasion where I should listen to this and the decision I made, I didn't regret that. Thank you Doug for this enjoyable journey of Nature album.

[@jonno55]

Very much liked our reaction. As you mentioned, and yes, nicely put "Magnum opus", it's courageous, even extremely courageous (IMHO) to have this piece on a metal album. Part one is exceptional, this part is exquisite. Don't think there are many NW fans who doesn't like this. For me, this is mandatory once a week

[@yibril17]

Ambitious, instead of courageous, is a more suitable term. Such things (this kind of pieces in metal albums) have existed before to an extent: it's just half an album (from a double one). I can think of (Tilo Wolff's) LACRIMOSA, regarding ambitiousness orchestral-wise... However, the one that pushed its ambitiousness the furthest that I can think of (even further than NIGHTWISH) is VIRGIN BLACK: they composed and recorded a full work ("Requiem - Mezzo Forte", "Requiem - Fortissimo" and "Requiem - Pianissimo"), intended to be released as a triple album. Issues with their record label ended up in 3 separate albums, the last one ("Pianissimo") being an orchestral one. I guess very few here already know LACRIMOSA or VIRGIN BLACK... and it's such a shame :(

[@oolillemyoo4099]

You’d be surprised (as a non-metal head) at the relatively large amount of people who enjoy metal AND classical music. Also, a pretty large percentage of hardcore metal fans have played “classical” instruments themselves. I mean, there’s a reason Symphonic Metal got so popular in the first place; love metal + love classical music = Symphonic Metal :)

[@oolillemyoo4099]

Sorry, can’t edit my original comment - my point is that for me, knowing Nightwish’s hardcore fans, the addition of this second classical disc is perfect and natural :)

[@one42chrisp]

Hi Doug, it seems we have the same birthday, although I have had quite a few more than you ;) In this piece I believe “Moor” refers to a kind of habitat found in upland areas, the British Isles are covered in moors, as in Exmoor and Dartmoor, the Yorkshire moors and the moors of Scotland. They are covered in low-growing vegetation as in grasses, shrubs and notably in Scotland, heather. Wikipedia has a great article on it. This music is very similar in style to Tuomas’ “soundtrack” to the graphic novel, “The Life and Times of Scrooge”, one album, ten tracks, something Tuomas wrote a few years back when Nightwish took a year off. Well worth listening to. Really loved your reaction, thank you.

[@SuperMoofie]

The movie in 1959 starring Peter Cushing as Sherlock Holmes (The Hound of the Baskervilles), was shot on the Moors. It's an unrelenting, unworldly place, yet strangely captivating and beautiful all at the same time. It's such a sublime pleasure to delve further into the world of Tuomas' genius and be swept along this wonderful journey of sound and powetry in his music. It's life-giving :) Thanks Doug for an interesting as always view, into the technical aspects of his music :) It adds so much more to the listening experience.

[@Piia2023]

Thank you, really enjoyed this and all the musical information you gave. I was really surprised how much negative feedback this second cd got from the public, like this is not Nightwish aso. I am too very glad Tuomas decided go ahead to put this out with Nightwish. He is one of the greatest composer's there is, and I love this cd listen to it almost everyday. If you haven't do Shoemaker by Nightwish, another great piece by Tuomas and Floors singing.

[@ryanf4497]

That is Floor singing that melody during Ad Astra and I love that melody. Beautiful!

[@pietheindejonge321]

Are you sure? It sounds quite different when she sings it live during the outro of the show!

[@firefox7530]

You have to listen to the other tracks to fully understand everything. Also do them as Tuomas intended them to be listen from beginning to the end. You will find a new Nightwish, 3 people singing beautiful harmonies and Troy and Marco even have their own dedicated songs. Use their Music Videos and also watch and understand their visuals. It has lots of very important references to even understand more about this whole album....

[@npinjest7779]

In this case moors refer to moorlands, the habitat/landscape you find in, among other places, northern Europe. I always associate it with Great Britain, but Finland got those too, if I am not mistaken.

[@DiaboLusitano]

In Portugal as well... Check "Serra da Gardunha" ; "Serra da Estrela" or "Serra do Gerês".

[@analovgmza]

Thanks for making me listen to this and for your comments!

[@werc85music]

We would love to see your reaction to "Shoemaker" 🙏

[@Doug.Helvering]

it's next in line from NW

[@werc85music]

@@Doug.Helvering Yes! 🤘🏻

[@deniscanton6395]

Thanks a lot, Doug, for this "revelation" to me !

[@RenThraysk]

Tuomas seems to write music for whatever feels deserves it. He did release "Music inspired by the Life and Times of Scrooge" album under his own name because didn't fit with the band.

[@LisuLoysa]

i just love your knowledge of music

[@zachweatherhead5525]

Interesting for Aurorae you said more American Western- to me it had a feeling of Irish Dance songs as I imagine the lights dancing through the sky. Maybe similar inspiration to Moors with the Celtic element?

[@tomwilcox3670]

Excellent review. Now its time for you to review something that you have written in your career! Take us through one of your musical journeys.

[@homegnome2429]

I think you were absolutely right to do the reaction without the fan-made video and add it on after. Although the video is a visual masterpiece, it's also pretty distracting from the music on a first listen. Other reactors I've seen are often commenting more on the visuals than the music itself, and of course the visuals are approved by Nightwish but weren't created by them and so don't necessarily represent exactly what Tuomas envisioned. Mind you they probably didn''t have the knowledge to comment that much on the composition by comparison anyway!... Really enjoyed it and I'll put another vote down for Shoemaker from the Human disc although compositionally Pan might be the one that would grab you the most.

[@Doug.Helvering]

Shoemaker is next on the list from Nightwish...when I get back around to them.

[@homegnome2429]

@@Doug.Helvering That's great, I'll be looking forward to that one - I doubt whether Pan will ever get up there in requests so maybe just have a look for yourself?!

[@anssia3123]

Thanks for an informative and interesting reaction, enjoyed this a lot. I recommend that you also check out the official music video for Ad Astra, it's beautiful and important. Also for future reactions I recommend to you "film music" by Tuomas, "Music Inspired by the Life and Times of Scrooge", which is an album based on the Scrooge McDuck comic books. Tuomas is a big fan, so am I, and the music is beautiful and cinematic. Tuomas is a storyteller, which is why I enjoy his music.

[@madelineshockley5906]

Such a spiritual experience, moved so many times. As you spoke the visual was amazing. I feel so blessed to have experienced this on Sunday morning. Many many Thanks.

[@shogonekocosplay1416]

Some interesting tidbits: the second to last song, Anthropocence, refers to our current geological age and the Hurrian Hymn to Nikkal is said to be the oldest song known to be recorded.

[@hectorvaladez533]

Here is a suggestion for metal Monday, Consign to Oblivion by Epica.

[@no_onein2024]

Yes, That is Floor in the main female vocal parts with a backing choir

[@rickphil9999]

So lovely and such a great reaction. I approached the second album reluctantly because of how much I love Floor performing with Nightwish. But this instrumental album has become one of my favorites for meditation or just as background listening. Tuomas is wonderful in his creativity. Another one of his orchestral pieces that invokes similar feelings for me is "A Lifetime of Adventure", from his album "The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck". Loved this.

[@hegoso]

And then, they saved the tempo change for the very last movement to get us in to the hopeful vibe! Dang, you are good, Doug! And yes, it is Floor singing at the beginning and the end... What a masterful piece!

[@marcelofarah8657]

For me moors has to do with moorland not "the moors" (the person). This disc is the "nature" part of the album, the first disc is the "human" part.

[@T1hitsTheHighestNote]

”The Anthropocene is a proposed geological epoch dating from the commencement of significant human impact on Earth's geology and ecosystems, including, but not limited to, anthropogenic climate change.” (Wikipedia) This is humans eventually starting to affect Nature, our Pale Blue Dot. 🌍 We have the cuneiform writing and the Sumerians (cradle of human civilisation) all over this album. Agriculture was the beginning of Man taking control over Nature. In this movement we hear an interpretation of the earliest documented music that has survived to the modern world: “Hurrian Hymn to Nikkal”. The Hurrian songs are a collection of music inscribed in cuneiform on clay tablets excavated from the ancient Amorite-Canaanite city of Ugarit, which date to approximately 1400 BCE. It’s fitting that this movement is followed by Ad Astra (To the Stars). So the Nature disc is not only about it being separated from humans, but the interplay with its dominant species.

[@marcelofarah8657]

@@T1hitsTheHighestNote I'm talking about the "Moors" part. He said, in that part, it was about the Moors( Muslim inhabitants of the Maghreb, the Iberian Peninsula, Sicily and Malta during the Middle Ages) when that word means "a tract of open uncultivated upland; a heath" (Oxford Dictionary). Antropocene is another section of the song.

[@kezca]

Oh thankyou for doing this one imho its a masterpiece.

[@bwiedor]

I enjoy this entire suite more and more, every time I listen to it. It's become one of my go-to pieces to just sit back, and lose myself in it from start to finish. So very glad that they made this, and that you did this video to appreciate it.

[@NumberOneChin]

Speaking of 'movie music', you might enjoy listening through any of Thomas Bergersen's albums. I believe he released one recently with Humanity as its theme.

[@Engenification]

I second this 👍🏻

[@WardDorrity]

I put Bergersen in the same class as Tuomas. It is interesting that their ideas and compositions of late are concerned with and inspired by humanity and human nature. BTW, Bergersen's Humanity is a seven volume work, of which three have been released so far. Tuomas seems to me to have a wider range of expression, and the work reviewed here is one of genuine genius.

[@meravl7615]

You look so happy. This makes it even more fun.

[@youtubesucksforforcingthis]

Now you'll have to check out Tuomas' album The Life and Times of Scrooge! I think it will be right up your alley

[@norahagberg9897]

I know this reaction happened a couple of years ago but I think that you would really enjoy reacting to his solo album The life and times of Scrooge. There are some really nice piano parts in that album.

[@thomaskaldstrom5194]

Brilliant reaction! As a Nightwish fan for 20 yrs this make real sence with Nature part to be the second part of human || nature...and in these times with fires and heat records all over the globe Tuomas grab it all within the album. Humans have to start respecting the nature..we have to live with it not use it

[@AdrianBenegasMusic]

Amazing piece of music and also reaction. I love your work and NW's as well. I recommend you one of my fav albums "The Life and Times of Scrooge", Tuomas Holopainen solo album. It would be nice to see your reaction and notes about it.

[@suntiger745]

Man, I can never hear Ad Astra without tearing up. :) I only have the album in digital form, so I didn’t even know about it being two cd’s divided into the human and nature sections. I thought it was just a single album throughout.

[@hyl14nn1gh7]

This was an awesome experience! You should check out Dream Theater's "Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence" live version from their "Score" concert for more symphonic goodness!