| Daryl's Library - Final Fantasy CDs |
|
Ikuko Noguchi joins Risa Ohki in this second collection of vocalized Final Fantasy songs. Comments for each song are written by the arranger of the song.
Liner notes from Mr. Uematsu
Even Tchaikovsky's music is just random symbols on a piece of paper, without musicians to play it them. Likewise, a violin is just a wooden block without a player. An unused computer is just a box. Things come alive when humans use them, find something out of them, and think about them. In that instant, a "thing" becomes an "instrument" for the first time. This silver-colored disc is not complete yet. This disc is complete only if you listen and find something out of it. Yes, you are one of the last staff involved in the making of this album, too. Thank you for completing this CD with me.
Comments from Risa Ohki
During the development of this album, China and France continued testing nuclear weapons. Earth is becoming a swiss cheese full of holes after over 2,000 nuclear bomb tests. If every effect has a reasonable cause, how can this be explained? Will animals morphed due to radiation conquer humans? Then, would the job of humans be done (the job to create such a world), leading them into extinction like the dinosaurs?
I hear that the Earth is a single life form and that the universe, too, is a huge life form. Lives grow and evolve. Both are in some form of changing. We change, learn something out of the change, and change again; with Earth and the Universe. Is Earth, the many-holed cheese, a result of our learned change, and a milestone indicating that we are heading toward something? As skin cells replace themselves, many humans die as others are being born rapidly. Is there a guide that would show us the way, maybe in our DNA?
Cells. If everything in the universe is contained in me as if every cell of me contains information all about me, I want to know more. I want to see the "guide" in me. I want to know the answer to this question: "Who am I ?"
Nobody can or would answer. It seems that I must follow the "guide" in my body, and walk with it, facing all the questions coming up to me.
Long Distance
Only computers remained for him after the end of human kind and the planet. He abandoned Earth with a rocket... faster than light. Reversing time, he entered eternity, just as he witnessed the birth of the blue planet Earth. The beauty of the single planet in the darkness could not be expressed in words. Only then did "loneliness" overcome his heart. Imagine such a story. The scenes will come up in front of your eyes.
Yuukyuu no Kaze (Eternal Wind)
Have a cup of cocktail while this bossa nova-style song creates an adult mood. It is fascinating how songs can change so much by an arrangement.
Have You Ever Seen Me?
You can hear pretty music coming out from the forest. There, you can hear the dwarves playing the violin, guitar, or the flute while others sing. This arrangement is played with guitar, violin, cello, and clarinet. Unusual picks, but nice sounds.
Valse des Amoureux
This European song starting with accordion is this album's original song. Miss Noguchi sings the solo, sung by Risa Ohki. (2 accordions, 2 guitars, and a bass)
GAIA
Miss Mino starts off this song with her beautiful, sensitive piano. Miss Noguchi sings this time. The song depicts our planet GAIA, while Mr. Tousaki's strings meticulously harmonize with the piano.
(GAIA: The earth is itself a huge life form, while every life, air, water, soil, etc. are a part of the organism. [James Lovelock])
(WAAHAY [wa:hei] : Word to express eternal happiness in the Sik religion.)
Tohi Hi no Nagori (Memories From Long Ago)
Miss Mino plays the piano, while Miss Ohki sings in this simple arrangement. Still, you can hear the clear air between the notes, while the images of this song come up.
Harukanaru Kokyou (My Home, Sweet Home)
What do you think is being sung by this mysterious song? Think carefully, looking at the words while listening... You will probably be able to understand the beautiful poem. The [duet] by the two is amazing.
Idolem urodo iatu a wi rot
Ukufu kush onuoy nehawuoch
Etia di ukoik ura nakurah
Enadu yoimi nnesar urugem
Eteako ich atak
Ureatu tso oodah
Amia wibo koro yonneie
Estrelas
This piece neatly fits the love and care of this song, enforced with guitar, violin, bass, and percussion. The arranger of this song, Mr. Nakamura, has arranged 2 songs in "PRAY," too. He has used Gypsy violin to bring out an ethnic feeling.
Kami no Yurikago (God's Cradle)
The only instrument in this song is human voice. Miss Ohki's solo rings over the 16 mixed SATB singers. Would it be like African spirituals? Miss Ohki herself arranged this song. Mr. Kishimoto, who sings Bass 1, has won first place in a contest in Russia. Has God cradled your cradle yet?
Love Will Grow
This dramatic song combined Miss Ohki, Miss Noguchi, full choir, and full orchestra as the finale of this album. This is the grandest song of this album. Mr. Tousaki has arranged this song, but he also plays the timpani in this one, as well as directing the 1st violins.
Prelude
I (Kiyo Kobayashi) had a hard time deciding how to arrange this song. There have been so many arrangements of this song, and I wanted to create an original one. The result is this. 1st chorus by Miss Ohki, 2nd chorus by Miss Noguchi, and flugelhorn, accordion, and guitar in the middle, while the two sing in harmony in the 3rd and 4th chorus, at last echoing each other in the 5th. I think this went pretty well.
Translations by Tomo
Back to the main Final Fantasy CD page