Final Fantasy Symphonic Suite

This disc is a recording from the 1989 Final Fantasy I & II orchestral concert. All music composed by Nobuo Uematsu except the first part of "Scene V" neither from Final Fantasy I or II, composed by Takayuki Hattori. Arangements by Takuyaki Hattori & Katsushita Hattori. Conducted by Katsushita Hattori.

1. Scene I ~ Main Theme from Final Fantasy II [FFII]

2. Scene II ~ Battle against Behemoth [FFII]

3. Scene III ~ Final Fantasy, Town theme, Matouya's Cave [FF]

4. Scene IV ~ Finale [FFII]

5. Scene V ~ original piece, ~Prelude, Main Theme, Chaos' Temple [FF]

6. Scene VI ~ Gurgu Volcano [FF], Dungeon, Empire's Army [FFII]

7. Scene VII ~ Rebel Army [FFII]

Review:
Do not be fooled into thinking Uematsu started being really good only by the time of Final Fantasy IV.... This is quite possibly the best FF CD ever made! Nearly integral songs from Final Fantasy I & II [ff2j, not the U.S. FF2], played by a full orchestra, complete with chorists, and not a synth in sight make this CD a completely unforgettable experience.

Let's review those tracks: "Main Theme from FFII" is a very nice song, and makes a great opening to the CD. The music strongly radiates the feeling of an open land of adventure, and the instruments and choir make it come out just great. You will enjoy it even more once you've heard either FFPray's "The Promised Land" or the original song. "Battle against Behemoth" is a good fight theme, but it suffers from the smooth pace it has been arranged to. It comes off sounding like a ballet performance of a high pitched battle, making it a poor action theme but a good orchestral piece. "Scene III" is where you'll hold your breath. Actually if you have little or no knowledge of the Final Fantasy II soundtrack I recommend starting the CD on track 3 on the first time. The Final Fantasy Theme [that's the "bridge music", the theme heard at the far end of the credits in most FFs] comes out grandly, and fades into the first game's insanely catchy town theme... Then ever so smoothly [gives me shivers] into "Matoya's Cave", one of the very finest music pieces ever composed, then back into "Final Fantasy" This one is anmazing. Again if unknowing of Final Fantasy II you may want to skip track 4, which would remain the CDs least interresting tack until you've heard "Love Will Grow" from the CD of the same name. It's *just* Final Fantasy II's end theme, beautifully orchestrated. Track 5 is somewhat tricky: it starts with some Peter Pan music or something, then after a while it fades into the well known crystal theme [that's the title screen music from all FFs except FFVI]. A nice rendition but quite uneventful. Then as it goes into "Main Theme from Final Fantasy I" there's just enough to send you soaring... IT'S BEAUTIFUL!! And expect Chaos' Temple to put to shame any version of a "heavy" Uematsu song... ANY version. IT ROCKS! Track 5 only is worth purchasing the CD at any price up to $60... "Scene VI" features a ultra-smooth version of "Gurgu Volcano" [that would be Earth Cave too] and some nice if nameless tunes from FFII. "Scene VII" comes as the big surprise of the CD, wether or not you have any familiarity with FFII... Anyone with *any* musical taste at all will recognize for the incredible piece that it is.

Although I would strongly recommend this CD to anyone, I will say it is mostly aimed at people with knowledge of the first Final Fantasy [or the second one for that matter] and serious Uematsu fans. Or people who just like a masterful orchestral performance.

Well er.. 9/10

- Archon Shiva