Final Fantasy IV: Celtic Moon
Soundtrack Review
Nobuo
Uematsu has gone on the record several times saying that he enjoys Celtic
music. For that reason, it's somewhat
surprising that Final Fantasy IV: Celtic Moon is the only Celtic-themed arrange
album from the series. I guess this lack
of attention to the genre earns Celtic Moon a special place in many of our
hearts, but I’d certainly love to see more of it.
On an interesting side note, the album was apparently pretty poorly received
when it was released in Japan back in 1991.
Uematsu revealed in a recent interview that the grating sounds and chops
from the Celtic fiddle were too hard on Japanese ears, and it wasn't until many
years later that fans came to appreciate it.
Well, it was my random encounter with some Celtic Moon MP3s when I was
13 years old or so that made me aware that game music even existed in CD form,
and it's been one of my favorite game albums ever since.
Let's take it from the top. "The Prelude" is a pretty straightforward arrangement starting with a harp moving up and down to voice the familiar theme. This is followed by a lone flute that carries the melody, making for a simple yet incredibly soothing listening experience.
Now that you're in the mood, "Prologue" takes the series main theme (I guess this track is called "Final Fantasy" these days) and gives it the Celtic treatment, staying pretty true to the original at first before it ventures off and extrapolates on the theme, lending it a more mature sound. I appreciate the reinterpretation of the theme. Also of note are the excellent performances found on this album, all by live players, which was an amazing feat for the time.
There are a number of downright fun tracks on the album, including the upbeat "Chocobo-Chocobo," "Parom & Polom," and "Mystic Mysidia," although "Mystic Mysidia" is definitely missing something without its signature whistle sounds. Another interesting piece is "Main Theme from Final Fantasy," which is the overworld theme from the game. The background arpeggio is carried by this instrument that I can only assume is a patch from the keyboard that moves rapidly and doesn't sound very convincing, but I still love the little jig breakdown that comes in about half way through the piece.
Like the first track on the album, a number of the pieces are amazingly relaxing. "Welcome to Our Town," which takes the laid back vibe of the original and makes it even more dreamy with its slow pace before a lighthearted jig comes in, but the lack of harsh instruments allows it to remain light in atmosphere. "Theme of Love" sounds in line with the single that came out for the DS game, sounding sweet with its reliance on violin and harp. "Rydia" is an amazing composition, and the Celtic version really suits her character well with its child-like innocence. This one makes use of some choral work as well. Oh, and the Uilleann pipe in "Melody of Lute" will blow your socks off.
There are a couple darker pieces that make an appearance. "Into the Darkness" is the dungeon theme, sounding like a dark waltz with a melody that sort of trails off into the distance. “Dancing Calobrena” fits the Celtic style perfectly, and it plods along slowly do the evil dance of dolls. "Illusionary World" is one of my favorite tracks on the album, retaining its dark and distressing melody and working in some choir pads into the background to give it an even more chilling touch.
And the best track on the album? It happens to be the last, and that's "Troian Beauty," one of Uematsu's most beautiful compositions, period. Ascending harp arpeggios, more Uilleann pipes, and a nice pizzicato bass in the background. It's simply stunning. I wish this song got more attention in the game music concert circuits!
Anyway, if you haven't gathered by now, I absolutely adore Final Fantasy IV: Celtic Moon. It's been reprinted enough times that it shouldn't be difficult to find these days, and it's even available on iTunes for $9.99. It's highly worth checking out, especially with all the FFIV hype these days, so do it now!
Comments
Add a Comment
You need to register and be logged in to post comments.