Classical Variations and Themes
Encyclopedia
Classical Variations and Themes is the first studio album
by former Stratovarius
guitarist
Timo Tolkki
, released in October 1994 through Goldenworks Ky (Europe
) and Victor Entertainment
(Japan
).
, save for two tracks on which Tolkki performs vocals
, and bears similar heavy metal
and progressive metal
elements to previous Stratovarius albums. Keyboard
and drums
are provided by Tolkki's then-Stratovarius bandmates Antti Ikonen and Tuomo Lassila, respectively. The second track, "Fire Dance Suite", was originally composed for Stratovarius in 1986, and went on to be included on their first compilation album
, The Past and Now
, in 1997. A music video
for the song was also released.
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by former Stratovarius
Stratovarius
Stratovarius are a Finnish power metal band that formed in 1984. Since their formation they have released 13 studio albums and one live album. Along with Helloween, Blind Guardian, Rhapsody of Fire and Gamma Ray, Stratovarius are considered one of the leading groups of the power metal and symphonic...
guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
Timo Tolkki
Timo Tolkki
Timo Tapio Tolkki is a Finnish musician best known as the former guitarist, songwriter, and producer of the power metal band Stratovarius. He left Stratovarius in 2008 and formed a new band, Revolution Renaissance. To this day, with his tenure extending for more than twenty years, Tolkki was the...
, released in October 1994 through Goldenworks Ky (Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
) and Victor Entertainment
Victor Entertainment
is a subsidiary of Japan Victor Company that produces and distributes music, movies and other entertainment products such as anime and television shows in Japan. It was formerly known as...
(Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
).
Background
The album is primarily instrumentalInstrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
, save for two tracks on which Tolkki performs vocals
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, and bears similar heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
and progressive metal
Progressive metal
Progressive metal is a subgenre of heavy metal originating in the United Kingdom and North America in the late 1980s...
elements to previous Stratovarius albums. Keyboard
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
and drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
are provided by Tolkki's then-Stratovarius bandmates Antti Ikonen and Tuomo Lassila, respectively. The second track, "Fire Dance Suite", was originally composed for Stratovarius in 1986, and went on to be included on their first compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
, The Past and Now
The Past And Now
The Past and Now is a compilation album by the Finnish power metal band Stratovarius. This album was originally released in 1997 as a promotion CD in Japan. The track "Fire Dance Suite" was composed by Stratovarius but was released only in Timo Tolkki's solo album Classical Variations and...
, in 1997. A music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for the song was also released.
Track listing
Personnel
- Timo TolkkiTimo TolkkiTimo Tapio Tolkki is a Finnish musician best known as the former guitarist, songwriter, and producer of the power metal band Stratovarius. He left Stratovarius in 2008 and formed a new band, Revolution Renaissance. To this day, with his tenure extending for more than twenty years, Tolkki was the...
– electric guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, guitar synthesizer, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, engineeringAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
, productionRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music... - Antti Ikonen – keyboardKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
- Tuomo Lassila – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Mikko Karmila – mixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...