RPGamers Network > Reviews > Game Music Reviews > Genso Suikoden Music Collection: Produced by Kentaro Haneda
Reviewed by: Elhaym van Houten
Well...being a big fan of the music from Suikoden 1 and 2, I was a bit skeptic at first when I decided to get the album - the music IS already great, especially from Suikoden 1, and it is also already a orchestrated soundtrack... so I feared that it would not stand out as something unique, but rather be a re-instrumentation of the original scores...
...when I finally got to listen to it I was amazed...and not skeptic anymore - this album is great, and on the best way to becoming one of my favourite orchestrated arranges.
The choice of instruments is rather classic - strings, piano, violin, flute and cembalo, a complete chamber music ensemble. (Hey, I like the combination...)
The recording quality is quite good, the album has a very clear sound. This also supports the technical accuracy of the musicians...which enhances the general feel of the music, every note seems to be where it was intended to be.
The arranged composition are really good - they follow the melodies of the original scores, but add a lot of new variations and phrases, so the tracks are still somewhat unique and sometimes surprising. In general I think the composition in combination with the perfect job the musicians did enhances and condenses the atmosphere and emotions the music intends to convey....
Take the Theme of Sadness (Track 5) as an example. It is already a very moving track in the original score - the interpretation by violin and piano makes it feel even more fragile, desperate and sad.
Or Gothic Neclord (Track 4)...it always was one of my favourites, in Suikoden 1 (the slower fugue) as well as in Suikoden 2 (the gothic remix of the slower fugue)...the interpretation by piano (as the bass), strings (backing up the piano), cembalo (for nice little interluding phrases) and violin (for the main melody) is simply outstanding, it sounds more dramatic, with some nice retardations.
The opening theme (Into a World of Illusions, Track 1) is a lot lighter than in the original score, but with a lot more joy and excitement...like someone starting in on a great adventure.
The Royal Palace Consultation (Track 2) sound as though someone liked Händel and Telemann a lot - the courty, formational feeling this track always had is very good preserved. One can imagine a small group of chamber musicians providing delicate and non-disturbing music to the royals and nobles...
Imprisoned City (Track 3) is calm and even, and also keeps very close to the original score - while varying the instrumentation and expression.
Beautiful Morning, Track 6, is slightly jazzy which fits the general tone of the original quite nicely.
Crossing the Mountains (Track 7) and The Festival of Abundance (track 8) I also like a lot, but I cannot compare them to the original music and its feel, as I haven't played Suikoden 3 yet...Track 7 is a bit less classic - it has drums for rhythm, and really good acoustic guitar parts. Track 8 is mainly piano arranged, with strings as a counterpart, and occasional flute motives - very nice and easy listening.
Reminiscence (Track 9) also sticks close to the original score - but with a flute accompanying the piano. It is also a bit lighter than the original and has some slightly jazzy rhythms.
The ending theme Avertuneiro Antes Lance Mao (Track 10) is also great - the smaller orchestration (as in comparison to the original score) gives opportunity to more rhythmical, jazzy interludes and some nice flute improvisations. Also the choir is less dominating.
Well, to sum it up: I love this album. I think it is worth listening more than only once or twice because there are lots of details one can find. I also like it because the music is very energetic, and uplifting (except for Track 3 and 5, ok).
Anyone who likes the music from Suikoden should think about getting it. For those who don't like classic instrumentation as much as I do, there is also the second Suikoden Ongakushu album by Hiroyuki Nanba...which is more experimentational in instrumentation and arrangement.
I give it such a high rating, because it simply has everything I expect from a good arranged soundtrack of (course this does not have to apply for someone who expects other things from an arranged soundtrack), plus a very good recording quality and good performance by the musicians...and I think that some people who usually don't like classic or chamber music or jazzy touches might like at least the highlights of this soundtrack (Track 4 and 6).
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| Album Information | Reviewer Rank |
|---|---|
|
Genso Suikoden Music Collection: Produced by Kentaro Haneda Published by: Konami Music Entertainment Release Date: April 24th 2002 Composed by: Miki Higashino, Masahiko Kimura, Keiko Fukami, Takashi Yoshida Arranged by: Kousuke Yamashita, Hiroshi Takaki, Michiru Oshima, Rie Akagi, Kenji Yamamoto 1 Disc, 10 Tracks Catalog: KMCA-143 |
90 |
Reviewed by: Elhaym van Houten
Well...being a big fan of the music from Suikoden 1 and 2, I was a bit skeptic at first when I decided to get the album - the music IS already great, especially from Suikoden 1, and it is also already a orchestrated soundtrack... so I feared that it would not stand out as something unique, but rather be a re-instrumentation of the original scores...
...when I finally got to listen to it I was amazed...and not skeptic anymore - this album is great, and on the best way to becoming one of my favourite orchestrated arranges.
The choice of instruments is rather classic - strings, piano, violin, flute and cembalo, a complete chamber music ensemble. (Hey, I like the combination...)
The recording quality is quite good, the album has a very clear sound. This also supports the technical accuracy of the musicians...which enhances the general feel of the music, every note seems to be where it was intended to be.
The arranged composition are really good - they follow the melodies of the original scores, but add a lot of new variations and phrases, so the tracks are still somewhat unique and sometimes surprising. In general I think the composition in combination with the perfect job the musicians did enhances and condenses the atmosphere and emotions the music intends to convey....
Take the Theme of Sadness (Track 5) as an example. It is already a very moving track in the original score - the interpretation by violin and piano makes it feel even more fragile, desperate and sad.
Or Gothic Neclord (Track 4)...it always was one of my favourites, in Suikoden 1 (the slower fugue) as well as in Suikoden 2 (the gothic remix of the slower fugue)...the interpretation by piano (as the bass), strings (backing up the piano), cembalo (for nice little interluding phrases) and violin (for the main melody) is simply outstanding, it sounds more dramatic, with some nice retardations.
The opening theme (Into a World of Illusions, Track 1) is a lot lighter than in the original score, but with a lot more joy and excitement...like someone starting in on a great adventure.
The Royal Palace Consultation (Track 2) sound as though someone liked Händel and Telemann a lot - the courty, formational feeling this track always had is very good preserved. One can imagine a small group of chamber musicians providing delicate and non-disturbing music to the royals and nobles...
Imprisoned City (Track 3) is calm and even, and also keeps very close to the original score - while varying the instrumentation and expression.
Beautiful Morning, Track 6, is slightly jazzy which fits the general tone of the original quite nicely.
Crossing the Mountains (Track 7) and The Festival of Abundance (track 8) I also like a lot, but I cannot compare them to the original music and its feel, as I haven't played Suikoden 3 yet...Track 7 is a bit less classic - it has drums for rhythm, and really good acoustic guitar parts. Track 8 is mainly piano arranged, with strings as a counterpart, and occasional flute motives - very nice and easy listening.
Reminiscence (Track 9) also sticks close to the original score - but with a flute accompanying the piano. It is also a bit lighter than the original and has some slightly jazzy rhythms.
The ending theme Avertuneiro Antes Lance Mao (Track 10) is also great - the smaller orchestration (as in comparison to the original score) gives opportunity to more rhythmical, jazzy interludes and some nice flute improvisations. Also the choir is less dominating.
Well, to sum it up: I love this album. I think it is worth listening more than only once or twice because there are lots of details one can find. I also like it because the music is very energetic, and uplifting (except for Track 3 and 5, ok).
Anyone who likes the music from Suikoden should think about getting it. For those who don't like classic instrumentation as much as I do, there is also the second Suikoden Ongakushu album by Hiroyuki Nanba...which is more experimentational in instrumentation and arrangement.
I give it such a high rating, because it simply has everything I expect from a good arranged soundtrack of (course this does not have to apply for someone who expects other things from an arranged soundtrack), plus a very good recording quality and good performance by the musicians...and I think that some people who usually don't like classic or chamber music or jazzy touches might like at least the highlights of this soundtrack (Track 4 and 6).
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