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Music of Final Fantasy VI

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Music of Final Fantasy

The music of the video game Final Fantasy VI was composed by regular series composer Nobuo Uematsu. The Final Fantasy VI Original Sound Version, a compilation of all music (with the exception of a very short tune that plays when the characters go to sleep) in the game, was released in Japan by NTT Publishing Co., Ltd., and by Square EA in North America under the name Kefka's Domain. A special orchestral arrangement of selected tracks from the game — performed by the Milan Symphony Orchestra — was released under the title Final Fantasy VI Grand Finale, and a collection of piano arrangements — performed by Reiko Nomura — was released under the title Piano Collections Final Fantasy VI. Selected tracks from the official soundtrack were later released as part of the Music From FFV and FFVI Video Games album, and several EPs were released, including Final Fantasy VI Stars and Final Fantasy VI Special Tracks.

Creation and influences

Musical pieces

Aria di Mezzo Carattere

"Aria di Mezzo Carattere" (translates to "Aria of Half Character" from Italian), or simply "Aria" (アリア) in its original Japanese, is an aria from the opera The Dream Oath: Maria and Draco, written by veteran Final Fantasy video game music composer Nobuo Uematsu for the game. The opera is mostly in the game for one's enjoyment but also features a small game element. Three times during the opera the player must choose the correct line for Celes to sing, and there is also a moment where the player must move Celes to the correct spot before a specific climax in the music; failing to do so will result in the player being ejected from the opera house and forced to attempt the sequence again. Celes Chere must take this role to help the party get an airship from Setzer Gabbiani.

In the original Japanese version of the game, the music is closely aligned with the lyrics, co-written by Uematsu and scenario writer/game director Yoshinori Kitase, although because of technical limitations, no voice is heard, except for an attempt at recreating a voice on the SPC700 sound format. On the album Final Fantasy VI Grand Finale there is a live version of the opera performed by the Milan Symphony Orchestra with vocals by mezzo-soprano Svetla Krasteva in Italian. The singing part of Maria is a Mezzo-Soprano, the singing part of Draco is a Tenor and the singing part of Ralse is a Baritone when performed with vocals. This song is also found in the second full motion video included in Final Fantasy VI as part of Final Fantasy Anthology and Final Fantasy VI for the PlayStation in Europe and Australia with the same lyrics but a different musical arrangement.

A longer arrangement with Japanese vocals (including a true ending to the opera) can be found on the track "Opera - The Dream Oath" in the ultra-rare CD, Orchestral Game Concert 4 which was released only in Japan and consists of an orchestra playing arranged versions of video games music. Although the opera actually has an ending in this arrangement, "Grand Finale?", the theme used during the fight with Ultros, is also included. The music was arranged and conducted by Kousuke Onozaki and performed by the Tokyo City Philharmonic Orchestra featuring Wakako Aokimi (mezzo-soprano), Tetsuya Oono (tenor) and Hiroshi Kuroda (baritone).

Another shorter arrangement of "The Dream Oath", titled "Opera 'Maria and Draco'" was also performed during the Tour de JAPON music from FINAL FANTASY orchestral concert tour, using Japanese vocals and the arrangement was done by Shiro Hamaguchi. The same arrangement appears in More Friends music from FINAL FANTASY ~Final Fantasy Orchestra Concert in Los Angeles 2005~, performed in English at the Gibson Amphitheater in Los Angeles by the World Festival Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Mannheim Steamroller violin player and conductor Arnie Roth featuring Stephanie Woodling (mezzo-soprano), Chad Berlinghieri (tenor) and Todd Robinson (baritone). Many of the original English translated lyrics were rewritten to sound more fluent. The same arrangement was also performed at the VOICES music from FINAL FANTASY concert held at the Pacifico Yokohama on February 18, 2006, with the lyrics again sung in Japanese with Arnie Roth conducting the Prima Vista Philharmonic Orchestra featuring Etsuyo Ota (mezzo-soprano), Tomoaki Watanabe (tenor) and Tetsuya Odagawa (baritone).

A unique version of this song is also played during the ending full motion video of the game's PlayStation remake; this is a "humming" version.

An extended arrangement of the opera will released on The Black Mages 3rd album (The Black Mages III: Darkness and Starlight) called Darkness and Starlight the song will feature a chorus from The Black Mages themselves.

Dancing Mad

"Dancing Mad" (妖星乱舞, Yōsei Ranbu; lit. Wild Dance of the Ominous Star) is the track that plays during the last four battles on Kefka's Tower at the end of Final Fantasy VI.

Because there are four semi-independent parts to the final battle with Kefka, as well as a short period of transition from parts 3 to 4, there are five parts to "Dancing Mad". The first movement (played during the battle with Visage, Long Arm and Short Arm) has music similar to Catastrophe in the key of C minor, and contains a small bit from the Duel part of "Wedding Waltz ~ Duel". This part also has music similar to Johann Sebastian Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor, as well as Danny Elfman's Penguin theme from Batman Returns. The second movement (played during the battle with Tiger, Machine, Magic and Power) has very little in common with any of the previous music in Final Fantasy VI and is in the key of D flat minor. In the third movement (during the battle with Lady and Rest), however, two distinct leitmotifs can be heard, one being "Esper World", the other being "Kefka". Before the final battle with Kefka a short interlude is played which is identical to the first part of the opening theme "Omen". It then carries on into the fifth movement, a much more upbeat, lively music, also in the key of D flat minor. The primary melody in this movement is based on the second theme in "Kefka"; there is also a brief moment where the music cuts out and the first few opening notes of "Kefka" are played, and brief usage of the melody of the game's standard boss music.

An arranged version performed by The Black Mages which uses live sections as well as synthesized parts can be found on their title album. Cover band The OneUps performed an arrangement at what was to be their final performance on May 27, 2006 (the band has since reunited and begun playing shows once more). Another version for orchestra, pipe organ and choir lasting more than eight minutes was performed by the FILMharmonic Orchestra Prague and Daniela Kosinova at the 4th annual Symphonic Game Music Concert on August 23, 2006.[1] Because the original track was too long, a large portion of the second part as well as the fourth part had to be cut from it. On June 14, 2007, a third and far more upbeat arrangement lasting nearly twelve minutes was performed by the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra and Machinae Supremacy at the PLAY! A Video Game Symphony concert in Stockholm. While keeping the second part of the original track, the intro to the final section remained cut from it.

"Dancing Mad" did not receive any such fame as other notable songs such as "One-Winged Angel". However, listeners tend to be very opinionated about "Dancing Mad", especially in regard to its length, which is in excess of 17 minutes. While the track is composed of several separate sections, the organ is used throughout.[1]

Albums

Final Fantasy VI Original Soundtrack

Untitled

The Final Fantasy VI Original Soundtrack[2] was originally released through NTT Publishing on March 25, 1994 and later re-issued directly through Square Enix on October 1, 2004. Composed by Nobuo Uematsu and produced by Uematsu and Minoru Akao, the soundtrack spans three discs and has a combined duration of over three hours.

Retitled Kefka's Domain, the soundtrack was also officially released in the United States on July 1, 1994, making it one of the earlier publications of its kind outside of Japan. Save for simpler packaging, this version is the same as its Japanese counterpart.

Track listing

Final Fantasy VI Grand Finale

Untitled

Final Fantasy VI Grand Finale is a single disc album, containing orchestral arrangements of selected tracks from the Final Fantasy VI Original Soundtrack. It was initially released through NTT Publishing on May 25, 1994 and subsequently re-released by Square Enix on October 1, 2004. The arrangements are performed by the Milan Symphony Orchestra, with vocal performances by Svetla Krasteva. The intro of Grand Finale's version of the "Aria di Mezzo Carattere" is derived from Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2, the aria itself is sung in Italian.

Piano Collections Final Fantasy VI

Untitled

Piano Collections Final Fantasy VI is an album dedicated to piano arrangements of selected Final Fantasy VI themes. It was initially released through NTT publishing on June 25, 1994 and later re-released on July 25, 2001. The album was produced by Kensuke Matsushita and performed by Reiko Nomura. The original release includes a hard-cover piano score with all songs from the record, the re-release comes in a standard jewel case, without the score.

EPs

Final Fantasy VI Special Tracks

Untitled

Final Fantasy VI Special Tracks is an EP released on April 25, 1994, through NTT Publishing. It comprises previously unreleased and remixed music, among them the Final Fantasy IV track "Troian Beauty" and the song "Chikazuku Yokan", which, had it been included in the Final Fantasy VI game, would have marked the first actual vocal track in the series, preceding Final Fantasy VII's "One-Winged Angel".

Final Fantasy VI Stars Vol. 1 and Vol. 2

Untitled

Final Fantasy VI Stars Vol. 1 and Final Fantasy VI Stars Vol. 2 are EPs released in 1994. They contain the themes of all mandatory playable characters encountered in the game (leaving out the music that accompanies optional characters such as Mog and Umaro), in the same versions found the original soundtrack.

Track listing

Reception and legacy

The Black Mages, a band that arranges music from Final Fantasy video games into a rock music style, has arranged four pieces from Final Fantasy VI. These are "The Decisive Battle", "Battle", and "Dancing Mad" from The Black Mages, published in 2003, and "Darkness and Starlight" from Darkness and Starlight.[4][5]

References

  1. ^ RPGFan. Final Fantasy VI OSV
  2. ^ Although originally titled Final Fantasy VI Original Sound Version on the cover, Square Enix has since taken to use the more common "Soundtrack" in connection with the album. See: "List of Final Fantasy soundtracks on iTunes". na.square-enix.com. Retrieved 2007-07-27.
  3. ^ a b c Taken from the Music Player feature of the North American version of Final Fantasy VI Advance,
  4. ^ (February 19, 2003). The Black Mages. DigiCube. SSCX-10080
  5. ^ (March 19, 2008). The Black Mages III: Darkness and Starlight. Sony Music Distribution. DERP-10002
Aria di Mezzo Carattere
Final Fantasy VI Original Sound Version
Final Fantasy VI Grand Finale
Piano Collections Final Fantasy VI
EPs

Template:FFVI

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