 "Photo: Courtesy of Harptallica")
Many bands have approached classical modes with electric guitars, but what about groups that approach metal with classical instruments?
Baton Rouge’s Harptallica, the duo of Ashley Toman and Patricia Kline, arranges metal and rock songs, namely those of Metallica, for the harp. Toman, after finishing her graduate dissertation in 2005, decided to arrange Metallica’s “Fade to Black” and “Orion” for the harp, birthing Harptallica.
Before the recording and touring, Toman saw Harptallica more as rigorous practice.
“While working on the arrangements, I realized that some parts, especially the parts with the guitar solos, were really good for developing strong chops and technique on the harp,” Toman said. “I love working on technique, so I just kept going and going with the arrangements, almost as a technical exercise, until I had, like, nine songs for two harps completed.”
Bringing metal songs to the harp gives them a new life. Maniacal shredding becomes a sonorous plucking of the strings, and the harp renditions are just as graceful as the original songs. Songs such as “Master of Puppets” are technically demanding.
“The Call of the Ktulu” incorporates bass distortion and wah effects that harps are unable to replicate.
Rearranging songs is all part of the fun for Toman.
“Having to take liberties with the guitar solo sections to get them to work on the harp was challenging,” Toman said. “But at the same time, I felt like that was the best part because I was truly adjusting the songs to showcase the harp and the instrument’s capabilities.”
Now, you might be thinking that there already exists a group that does something like this. Finnish cello quartet Apocalyptica is praised by metalheads and classical geeks alike for its rearrangements.
Toman stresses that Harptallica and Apocalyptica are worlds apart.
“Cello is a bowed instrument, while in harp we pluck the strings with our fingers,” she said. “So it’s an entirely different articulation and sound from the cello.”
Despite the members’ formal training, Harptallica is more likely to appear at your local rock dive than at a symphony hall. The duo initially tried to play at universities and performing arts centers, but after being repeatedly turned down, the members tried booking rock clubs, where they finally found their fans at less-highbrow institutions.
“The response from people has been incredible,” Toman said. “In a lot of ways, I think that the best way to experience Harptallica is live, because you get to see all that goes into playing the harp itself. You get to see both hands and feet at work.”
Harptallica is playing tonight at Headhunters. Cover is $5, and the venue is 21 and over.
