Final Fantasy IV: Celtic Moon

jayteecork

I'm currently reading "Power Up - How Japanese Video Gave the World an Extra Life" by Chris Kohler. Anyway on the bus this morning I was reading about the music of Final Fantasy. I found this bit fascinating.

Final Fantasy IV Celtic Moon (10/28/1991): The first arrnaged album to be releases on the Square Brand label, Celtic Moon was Uematsu's most ambitious effort to date and perhaps the best arranged album that he has ever produced. Recorded in Dublin, Ireland in the last 2 weeks of August 1991, Celtic Moon had the feel of an Irish pub session with seven accomplished traditional musicians,a few of whom were on the cusp of stardom. Accordian player Sharon Shannon released her solo album in Ireland just as Celtic Moon was being recorded: it was a huge surprise hit that sold over fifty thousand copes. Later, arranger and fiddle player Maire Breatnach, flautist Cormac Breatnach, and tin whistle/uillean pipes player Ronan Browne would be heard the world over on the soundtrack to the Irish dance and music Broadway spectacular Riverdance. Browne, a founding member of the breakthrough fusion ensemble Afro Celt Sound System, would later release, in Japan only, two albums of various game music arranged for uilleann pipes, called Melody of Legend.

Uematsu's music seems to have lent itself almost effortlessly to Irish traditional arrangement. Indeed, early game music and Irish traditional have a lot in common: simple, repeating, easy-to-learn melodies arranged to get the maximum sound of a small set of instruments."

Very interesting I though.
I'll "acquire" myself a copy of Celtic Moon as soon as I find it.

Retr0gamer

It's an album of the music of Final Fantasy IV arranged with celtic instruments. It sounds fantastic, well worth tracking down. FFIV had a very celtic feel to it and it's sound track so the irish arrangements really suit it. The overworld theme is a standout in an album full of excellent tracks.

jayteecork

Just listening to Celtic Moon right now, it's amazing.

Noticed that the "prologue" pops up in Final Fantasy: Revenant Wings as well. Really brilliant piece of music.

Very interesting I thought Uematsu venturing over to Ireland back then. I mean, Ireland in 1991 was a completely different world. No internet etc, amazing how he managed to get in contact with those musicians and convince them to record an album based on a (then) obscure Japanese RPG video game.

Retr0gamer

Prologue has been used in every final fantasy since the first game

jayteecork

got Potion 1 & 2: Relaxin' with Final Fantasy.
Also some Black Mages stuff. Really good.

It'll be interesting to see how Uematsu does with lost Odyssey(spl?I can never spell that word)

Retr0gamer

I think the blackmages stuff is absolutely atrocious. Will be nice to hear an uematsu soundtrack again with lost odyssey. Blue Dragon had a decent soundtrack. FFXII just didn't feel like FF without his involvement, not to mention an uncharacteristically forgettable soundtrack from Hitoshi Sakimoto.