Both members worked a lot in other projects in the years before. Conny played the violin for more than ten years and performed in many orchestras. She also sang in some classical choruses and as a soloist, and is familiar with baroque and romantic compositions like G.F. Handel, E. Grieg or Pergolesi.
Olaf was in his childhood a member of the "Stadtsingechor Halle", the oldest chorus of the world. Later, he played in many musical projects and bands, and also composed for TV. He studied musicology and philosophy.
In 1994 the second album, "Porta VIII" (Hyperium), was released. It has a concept based on the fairy tale "Ariadne et Barbe Bleue" by Maurice Maeterlinck, but "Porta VIII" is a continuation of the original fairy tale. This album too was selling more than 10 000 copies worldwide and climbed the Mexican charts.
Since 1997 there was a new line-up. Conny left sToa to follow her classical career, and the new singer was Antje Buchheiser. Buchheiser had been playing violin for more than eleven years, and had been singing in the classical chorus "Hallenser Madrigalisten". She performed a lot in classical music, in, among others, Germany, Japan and Cuba.
Another new member since 1996 was Christiane Fischer. She plays cello and is singing the second voice at live concerts. sToa signed to the German publisher Alster Musikverlag. In 1997 the band left their old label Hyperium for various reasons.
sToa performed sporadically at special places or events. They played for example at the Wave-Gotik-Treffen in a one hundred years old and eighty metres high monument in front of more than 1 000 people, at the “Zeche Carl” in Essen, in the Netherlands and several times in Mexico (inter alia with the Goethe-Institut).
In 2001 they finished their album "Zal". It was released worldwide, but first in Mexico at "Samadhi Musik". sToa signed to the German label "Alice in ...", where they released "Zal" for the rest of the world and re-released "Urthona" and "Porta VIII". The singer on "Zal" was Antje Buchheiser.
In 2008 sToa returned with international line-up. The new album "Silmand" was released on September 26th. "Silmand" means soul month. With it the month September is titled in an almost forgotten German dialect. The female voices on the album belong to sToa's new main-singer Mandy Bernhardt and the Australian multi-instrumentalist Louisa John-Krol. Furthermore, the Dutchman Pieter Nooten (Ex-Clan of Xymox) could be engaged as well as the Leipzig-based Ralf Jehnert (Love is Colder than Death). One of the songs on "Silmand" was already used as film score ("Tacitum"). The title of the song "Hanuz Nist" comes from the Persian lyrics written by Hassan Dehlawi at the 14th century.
Dust
sToa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He still outstript me in the race;
It was but unity of place
That made me dream I ranked with him.
And so May place retain us still,
And he the much-beloved again,
A lord of large experience, train
And what delights can equal those
That stir the spirits inner deeps,
When one that loves but knows not, reaps
A truth from one that loves and
knows?
(Alfred Lord Tennyson)
The lyrics of the song Dust by sToa seem to be inspired by the poem "In Memoriam A.H.H" by Alfred Lord Tennyson. In the first verse, the writer seems to be trying to deal with feelings of resentment towards someone who was always more successful or advanced than him. He says that even in his fantasies, this person outruns him, and it was only the fact that they occupied the same space that made the writer believe he was equal to him.
The second verse expresses a sense of acceptance, as the writer suggests that fate or circumstance may keep them in the same place, but this person will still be loved and respected despite any feelings of envy or competition. The writer seems to look up to this person, hoping to learn from their extensive experience and gain a greater understanding of life.
The final verse seems to be addressing the power of love and knowledge, suggesting that the greatest joy comes from sharing knowledge with someone who is willing to learn. The writer implies that they have learned from someone they love deeply and that this knowledge has given them a deep inner peace.
Overall, the song Dust seems to be a reflection on life's struggles, including feelings of envy, acceptance, and the power of love and knowledge.
Line by Line Meaning
I vex my heart with fancies dim:
I torment myself with vague and unrealistic thoughts:
He still outstript me in the race;
He still surpassed me in his pursuits:
It was but unity of place
It was only due to our proximity:
That made me dream I ranked with him.
That made me delude myself into thinking I was equal to him.
And so May place retain us still,
May our current circumstances keep us in the same sphere:
And he the much-beloved again,
And he regain his status as the highly esteemed one:
A lord of large experience, train
A person with vast knowledge and expertise, to guide and teach:
To riper growth the mind and will:
To help in the development of the mind and character:
And what delights can equal those
And what experiences can match those:
That stir the spirits inner deeps,
That stir the very depths of our souls:
When one that loves but knows not, reaps
When an ignorant lover gains:
A truth from one that loves and knows?
A deeper understanding from a knowledgeable and experienced lover?
Contributed by Charlie W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.