Xenogears Original Soundtrack

Infobox Album
Name = Xenogears Original Soundtrack
Type = soundtrack
Artist = Yasunori Mitsuda


Released = March 1, 1998
Recorded = Green Bird Studio, Tokyo
Westland Studio, Dublin
Radio Studio, Sofia
Genre = Video game music, Traditional music, Irish music
Length = 144:05
Label = DigiCube
Producer = Yasunori Mitsuda
Reviews =
Last album = "Tobal No. 1 Original Soundtrack"
(1996)
This album = "Xenogears Original Soundtrack"
(1998)
Next album = "Creid"
(1998)
Misc = Extra album cover 2
Upper caption = Alternate cover
Type = soundtrack


Lower caption = The limited edition of the soundtrack features a different illustration on a keep case format. The "Xenogears Original Soundtrack" is the official soundtrack to Square's console role-playing game "Xenogears". It was composed by Yasunori Mitsuda and contains 44 tracks, including a Bulgarian choral song and two pieces performed by the Irish singer Joanne Hogg. Though the game was released in both Japan and North America, the album was published in Japan exclusively as a 2-CD set on March 1, 1998.

The soundtrack was composed with strong traditional and Irish music influences, while the lyrics for the vocal tracks were written by the game's director Tetsuya Takahashi and its scenario writer Masato Kato. The soundtrack was generally well-received by critics, though some disagreed on whether the album can be fully appreciated by non-players.

An arranged version of the soundtrack, titled "Creid", was also released by Mitsuda. The composer, along with Joanne Hogg, later reprised their roles for the soundtrack to "Xenogears"'s spiritual prequel "". A tribute album called "Xenogears Light" was also produced by fans.

Creation

Context

"Xenogears" was Yasunori Mitsuda's first major solo work, as his previous soundtracks were collaborations with other composers with the exception of the score to "", which never saw an album release. [cite web |url=http://www.rpgamer.com/news/currents/2005/feature/curfea043005b.html |title=Original Soundtrack of Life |accessdate=2008-07-26 |publisher=RPGamer |author=Elliot Guisinger |date=2005-04-30 |pages=p. 2] Mitsuda worked closely with Masato Kato, the event planner and script writer of "Xenogears", to compose the score. [cite web |url=http://mitsuda.cocoebiz.com/friends/kato.html |title=This month's friend… Masato Kato |accessdate=2008-07-23 |publisher=Procyon Studio |author=Procyon Studio staff |year=1999 |month=November] The game's director Tetsuya Takahashi did not initially think "music was all that important" compared to graphics, but eventually acknowledged its importance when he realized it could strongly enhance the expressivity of the images. Takahashi explained that without Mitsuda's music, he would not have been able to achieve his goals for the project.cite album-notes |title=Xenogears Original Soundtrack |bandname=Yasunori Mitsuda |year=1998 |format=booklet, Japanese |publisher=DigiCube |publisherid=SSCX-10013 |location=Tokyo]

The development team wanted to have a Western singer contribute to the score. Mitsuda initially had difficulties finding an artist that matched his vision,cite web |url=http://mitsuda.cocoebiz.com/qanda/qanda_04-02.html |title=Questions from April, 2002 |accessdate=2008-07-22 |publisher=Procyon Studio |author=Yasunori Mitsuda |year=2002 |month=April] but eventually chose Joanne Hogg from the Celtic band Iona after stumbling upon their album "The Book of Kells" in a CD store and listening to the song "Chi-Rho".cite web |url=http://mitsuda.cocoebiz.com/qanda/qanda_06-02.html |title=Questions from June, 2002 |accessdate=2008-07-22 |publisher=Procyon Studio |author=Yasunori Mitsuda |year=2002 |month=June] Hogg was enthusiastic in contributing as it was her first video game-related recording. She did not play the game for the project, however.

"Stars of Tears", one of the songs included on the soundtrack album, did not appear in the final version of the game. It was originally intended to play in a cut scene at the start of the game along with the main staff credits. The scene, however, was removed for pacing issues, as it would have made the combined opening movie and introduction scenes last roughly ten minutes. [cite web |url=http://www.procyon-studio.com/special/qa_2003b.html |title=Q & A ! Form |accessdate=2008-07-24 |publisher=Procyon Studio |author=Yasunori Mitsuda |year=2003 |month=September |language=Japanese] Another song on the soundtrack, "Small Two of Pieces ~Screeching Shards~", was the first ending song to ever appear in a game developed by Square.

Composition and writing

The score contains 41 instrumental tracks, in addition to a choral track and two songs. According to Mitsuda, the music of "Xenogears" belongs to the traditional music genre. Though he first described it as stemming from "a world of [his] own imagining" rather than any specific country, he has also claimed a strong Irish or Celtic music influence. [cite web |url=http://www.n-sider.com/contentview.php?contentid=352&page=3 |title=Play! A Video Game Symphony |accessdate=2008-07-25 |publisher=N-Sider |author=Brandon Daiker |date=2006-05-30 |pages=p. 3] Mitsuda felt that composing for the game was very difficult due to the unfamiliarity of most Japanese with foreign traditionals, but expressed his wish for listeners of the soundtrack to open up to music from all over the world. His musical approach was to insert Celtic influences into "easy-to-listen-to" pop tracks, [cite web |url=http://www.squareenixmusic.com/features/interviews/yasunorimitsuda.shtml |title=Interview with Yasunori Mitsuda (October 2005) |accessdate=2008-07-25 |publisher=Square Enix Music Online (unrelated to Square Enix) |author=Chris |coauthors=Harry |year=2005 |month=October] rather than making either "dense" Celtic music or simple background music.cite web |url=http://mitsuda.cocoebiz.com/discography/xenogears.html |title=Xenogears |accessdate=2008-07-25 |publisher=Procyon Studio |author=Procyon Studio staff] Other influences on the soundtrack include Arabic music on the desert town theme "Dazil, Town of Scorching Sands", and religious music, in keeping with the game's storyline. [cite web |url=http://www.squareenixmusic.com/reviews/don/xenogears.shtml |title=Xenogears Original Soundtrack :: Review by Don |accessdate=2008-07-26 |publisher=Square Enix Music Online (unrelated to Square Enix) |author=Don]

The opening movie of the game was produced before the corresponding track "Dark Dawn" was, and Mitsuda had to rearrange his composition after realizing some parts were out of synch with the frames by about a minute and a half. [cite web |url=http://mitsuda.cocoebiz.com/qanda/qanda_past.html |title=Questions from 1999 - 2000 |accessdate=2008-07-23 |publisher=Procyon Studio |author=Yasunori Mitsuda] The choral track, titled "The Beginning and the End", was performed by a 41-voice choir named The Great Voices of Bulgaria and features lyrics written by Tetsuya Takahashi. His lyrics were translated from Japanese to English then to Bulgarian for the recording. Joanne Hogg sang in English on "Stars of Tears" and "Small Two of Pieces ~Screeching Shards~". The latter took Mitsuda "an awfully long amount of time" just to compose the demo version. Masato Kato wrote the original lyrics for the two songs, and Hogg arranged them so that they would fit the melodies better and sound more Celtic. As with most of his previous soundtracks, Mitsuda composed a musical box arrangement of one of the main themes; in "Xenogears"' case, the track "Distant Promise" is the musical box version of "Small Two of Pieces".cite web |url=http://www.squareenixmusic.com/reviews/aevloss/xenogears.shtml |title=Xenogears Original Soundtrack :: Review by Aevloss |accessdate=2008-07-26 |publisher=Square Enix Music Online (unrelated to Square Enix) |author=Aevloss]

Recording

The instrumental tracks of the score were programmed with the PlayStation sound module in Tokyo, Japan, while "The Beginning and the End" was recorded live in Sofia, Bulgaria. Recording sessions for Hogg's songs were done live in 1996 in Dublin, Ireland and lasted two days. As with some of his previous soundtracks, Mitsuda would stay in the Japanese studio for long amounts of time and regularly fall asleep from overwork, while some melodies would first come to him in his dreams, such as that of "Ties of Sea and Flames". [cite web |url=http://www.1up.com/do/feature?pager.offset=1&cId=3162780 |title=Radical Dreamer: Yasunori Mitsuda's Interview from 1UP.com |accessdate=2008-07-25 |publisher=1UP.com |author=Sam Kennedy |date=2008-01-28 |pages=p. 2] The composer had to be taken to the hospital by ambulance during the soundtrack mastering process, due to exhaustion. [cite web |url=http://www.squareenixmusic.com/composers/mitsuda/feb01interview.shtml |title=Interview with Yasunori Mitsuda (RocketBaby - February 2001) |accessdate=2008-07-26 |publisher=Square Enix Music Online (unrelated to Square Enix) |author=RocketBaby staff |year=2001 |month=February] [cite web |url=http://www.g-wie-gorilla.de/content/view/691/5/ |title=Yasunori Mitsuda - Chrono Trigger |accessdate=2008-07-26 |publisher=G wie Gorilla |author=Michael Ecke |date=2007-12-13 |language=German] The score involved in total nearly a hundred people. At one point, the music staff considered adding sound effects and voice narrations into the soundtrack album, but the idea was scrapped in favour of normal renditions of the game's music. [cite web |url=http://mitsuda.cocoebiz.com/friends/nagashima.html |title=This month's friend… Kenji Nagashima |accessdate=2008-07-23 |publisher=Procyon Studio |author=Procyon Studio staff |year=1999 |month=December]

Reception

Listen
filename=Joanne Hogg - Small Two of Pieces.ogg
title="Small Two of Pieces ~Screeching Shards~~"
description=30-second sample from the ending song performed by Joanne Hogg.
format=OggSoundtrack Central felt that Mitsuda "created a masterpiece in "Xenogears", while RPGFan thought it was "most certainly his greatest achievement".cite web |url=http://www.soundtrackcentral.com/cds/xenogears_ost.htm |title=Xenogears Original Soundtrack |accessdate=2008-07-26 |publisher=Soundtrack Central |author=Sharon Sung |coauthors=Aaron Lau] cite web |url=http://www.rpgfan.com/soundtracks/xenogears/index.html |title=Xenogears OST |accessdate=2008-07-26 |publisher=RPGFan |author=Jesse Jones | coauthors=Jason Walton |date=2004-12-11] On the other hand, one reviewer on Square Enix Music Online (unrelated to Square Enix) felt it did not represent Mitsuda's best album, saying that "what was an amazing soundtrack in its day ... has [not] stood the test of time very well." Reviewers disagreed whether the album could only be enjoyed by "Xenogears" players, or if it could be appreciated by a wider audience.

Several reviewers noted the diversity of styles present in the score. Soundtrack Central thought it was a "superb mix of epic adventure and traditional themes", while Square Enix Music Online appreciated the melding of futuristic, ethnic and religious themes, feeling that the recurring chanting sound effects made everything sound coherent. Critics also noticed similarities between some melodies and Mitsuda's previous work "Chrono Trigger", though reviewers felt that those of "Xenogears" were more "widely based" and had a distinctive Celtic sound.cite web |url=http://www.squareenixmusic.com/reviews/z-freak/xenogears.shtml |title=Xenogears Original Soundtrack :: Review by Z-Freak |accessdate=2008-07-27 |publisher=Square Enix Music Online (unrelated to Square Enix) |author=Z-Freak] The reviewers also praised the sound system used for the instrumental tracks as being up to the highest standard for the PlayStation console.

The emotional tracks were considered the strongest part of the score, and were praised for their ability to musically reflect the various locales and characters seen in the game. The opening track "Dark Dawn" was similarly lauded for showcasing all the influences of the soundtrack in a single composition. The battle themes were described as a weaker area and were called either effective or repetitive, with Square Enix Music Online noting that "Mitsuda has never been very good at composing interesting battle tracks".cite web |url=http://www.squareenixmusic.com/reviews/don/xenogears.shtml |title=Xenogears Original Soundtrack :: Review by Don |accessdate=2008-07-27 |publisher=Square Enix Music Online (unrelated to Square Enix) |author=Don] The final boss theme "The One Who Bares Fangs at God" received the most diverse comments, ranging from praises to criticism, due to its reliance on synth choral sound effects rather than a clear melody. The ending song "Small Two of Pieces" was received positively and compared to Celine Dion's 1997 hit "My Heart Will Go On".

Legacy

Mitsuda released an arranged soundtrack of "Xenogears" in April 1998; the album, titled "Creid", features 10 instrumental and vocal tracks arranged in a more dominant Celtic style. "Stars of Tears" and "Small Two of Pieces" appear on the album as "Two Wings" and "Möbius" respectively, and are sung in Japanese by Tetsuko "Techie" Honma. [cite web |url=http://www.rpgfan.com/soundtracks/xeno-creid/index.html |title=Creid: Yasunori Mitsuda & Millenial Fair |accessdate=2008-07-27 |publisher=RPGFan |author=Patrick Gann |date=2000-10-15] In 2001, the original versions of "Stars of Tears" and "Small Two of Pieces" were featured on the "Square Vocal Collection" compilation. [cite web |url=http://www.rpgfan.com/soundtracks/square-vc/index.html |title=Square Vocal Collection |accessdate=2008-07-27 |publisher=RPGFan |author=SrBehemoth |date=2001-12-06] The "Xenogears" soundtrack is one of the works that Mitsuda continues to feel a "special connection" to. [cite web |url=http://palgn.com.au/article.php?id=5478 |title=Yasunori Mitsuda Interview |accessdate=2008-07-25 |publisher=PALGN |author=James Peter |date=2006-10-13]

In 2002, Mitsuda composed the score to Monolith Soft's ', the spiritual prequel to "Xenogears", also directed by Tetsuya Takahashi. Joanne Hogg returned to sing the soundtrack's vocal themes, while the instrumental tracks were performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra. [cite web |url=http://uk.ps2.ign.com/articles/354/354713p1.html |title=Xenosaga Original Soundtrack |accessdate=2008-07-27 |publisher=IGN |author=IGN Staff |date=2002-03-01] Monolith Soft did not ask Mitsuda and Hogg to reprise their roles for ' and "", however. [cite web |url=http://www.rpgfan.com/soundtracks/xs3/index.html |title=Xenosaga III: Also Sprach Zarathustra Original Sound Best Tracks |accessdate=2008-07-27 |publisher=RPGFan |author=Ben Schweitzer |date=2006-07-23]

A tribute album titled "Xenogears Light: An Arranged Album", was published in limited quantities by the fan group OneUp Studios in 2005. [cite web |url=http://www.oneupstudios.com/ous_003.php |title=Xenogears Light |accessdate=2008-07-27 |publisher=OneUp Studios] The album features 20 tracks arranged from the "Xenogears" score and performed with acoustic instruments, such as piano, flute, guitar and violin. [cite web |url=http://www.animefringe.com/magazine/2005/07/review/15.php |title=Xenogears Light |accessdate=2008-07-27 |work=Animefringe |author=Patrick King |year=2007 |month=July |pages=p. 27] The album was originally titled "Xenogears: Shake the Ivories" and meant to feature piano arrangements only, before a broader multi-instrumental ballad approach was chosen. OneUp Studios licenced the use of the original music from Square Enix. [cite web |url=http://www.music4games.net/Features_Display.aspx?id=256 |title=Interview with Mustin of OneUp Studios |accessdate=2008-07-25 |publisher=Music 4 Games |author=Jay Semerad |date=2004-01-03]

Track listing

Disc one

tracklist
lyrics_credits = yes
title1 = Dark Dawn
note1 = nihongo2|冥き黎明
length1 = 4:51
title2 = Star of Tears (Out Take)
lyrics2 = Masato Kato
length2 = 2:56
title3 = Ties of Sea and Flames
note3 = nihongo2|海と炎の絆
length3 = 3:08
title4 = Our Village is Number One
note4 = nihongo2|おらが村は世界一
length4 = 4:03
title5 = Valley from Where the Wind is Born
note5 = nihongo2|風のうまれる谷
length5 = 2:32
title6 = Distant Promise
note6 = nihongo2|遠い約束
length6 = 1:51
title7 = Steel Giant
note7 = nihongo2|鋼の巨人
length7 = 2:28
title8 = Black Moon Forest
note8 = nihongo2|黒月の森
length8 = 4:02
title9 = Where the Eggs of Dreams Hatch
note9 = nihongo2|夢の卵の孵るところ
length9 = 3:02
title10 = Slumber (Short Version)
note10 = nihongo2|まどろみ（ショートバージョン）
length10 = 0:09
title11 = Dazil, Town of Scorching Sands
note11 = nihongo2|熱砂の街ダジル
length11 = 3:27
title12 = Longing
note12 = nihongo2|憧憬
length12 = 3:08
title13 = Grahf, Dark Conqueror
note13 = nihongo2|グラーフ 闇の覇者
length13 = 3:50
title14 = Fuse
note14 = nihongo2|導火線
length14 = 2:33
title15 = Traces Left from Warriors' Dreams
note15 = nihongo2|つわものどもが夢のあと
length15 = 5:08
title16 = Gem Which Cannot Be Stolen
note16 = nihongo2|盗めない宝石
length16 = 3:26
title17 = Aveh, Ancient Dance
note17 = nihongo2|アヴェ いにしえの舞
length17 = 1:50
title18 = Invasion
note18 = nihongo2|侵入
length18 = 3:12
title19 = Dance of death
note19 = nihongo2|死の舞踏
length19 = 2:38
title20 = In a Dark Sleep…
note20 = nihongo2|暗き眠りに･･･
length20 = 0:22
title21 = The Gentle Wind Sings
note21 = nihongo2|やさしい風がうたう
length21 = 4:09
title22 = We, the Wounded Shall Advance into the Light
note22 = nihongo2|傷もてるわれら 光のなかを進まん
length22 = 1:56
title23 = Lost… Broken Shards
note23 = nihongo2|lost… きしんだかけら
length23 = 1:05
title24 = Thames, the Spirit of a Man of the Sea
note24 = nihongo2|タムズ 海の男の心意気
length24 = 3:49
title25 = Blue Traveller
note25 = nihongo2|蒼き旅人
length25 = 3:12
total_length = 72:47

Disc two

tracklist
lyrics_credits = yes
title1 = In a Prison of Remorse and Contentment
note1 = nihongo2|悔恨と安らぎの檻にて
length1 = 2:42
title2 = Jaws of Ice
note2 = nihongo2|氷の顎
length2 = 2:53
title3 = Crimson Knight
note3 = nihongo2|紅蓮の騎士
length3 = 2:42
title4 = October Mermaid
note4 = nihongo2|神無月の人魚
length4 = 4:27
title5 = The Wind is Calling, Shevat of the Azure Sky
note5 = nihongo2|風が呼ぶ、蒼穹のシェバト
length5 = 3:31
title6 = The Heavens, Clouds and You
note6 = nihongo2|大空と雲ときみと
length6 = 2:35
title7 = Gathering Stars in the Night Sky
note7 = nihongo2|夜空一杯の星を集めて
length7 = 3:04
title8 = A Star's Tears, a Man's Sentiments
note8 = nihongo2|星の涙、人の想い
length8 = 3:34
title9 = Soaring the Skies
note9 = nihongo2|飛翔
length9 = 4:48
title10 = Wings
note10 = nihongo2|翼
length10 = 2:20
title11 = Solaris, Heaven's Paradise
note11 = nihongo2|天上の楽園ソラリス
length11 = 3:43
title12 = Slumber (Long Version)
note12 = nihongo2|まどろみ（ロングバージョン）
length12 = 0:13
title13 = The One Who Is Torn Apart
note13 = nihongo2|引き裂かれしもの
length13 = 5:06
title14 = Prayer, the Happiness People Wish for
note14 = nihongo2|祈り、人の望みの喜びよ
length14 = 3:25
title15 = Premonition
note15 = nihongo2|予感
length15 = 4:53
title16 = Awakening
note16 = nihongo2|覚醒
length16 = 4:21
title17 = The One Who Bares Fangs at God
note17 = nihongo2|神に牙むくもの
length17 = 6:05
title18 = The Beginning and the End
note18 = nihongo2|最先と最後
lyrics18 = Tetsuya Takahashi
length18 = 4:36
title19 = Small Two of Pieces ~Screeching Shards~
note19 = nihongo2|SMALL TWO OF PIECES～軋んだ破片～
lyrics19 = Masato Kato
length19 = 6:20
total_length = 71:18

Personnel

All information is taken from the "Xenogears" ending credits and the independent site Square Enix Music Online.cite video game |title=Xenogears |developer=Square |publisher=Square Electronic Arts |date=1998-10-21 |platform=PlayStation |level=Ending credits |language=English] [cite web |url=http://www.squareenixmusic.com/albums/x/xenogears.shtml |title=Xenogears Original Soundtrack |accessdate=2008-07-22 |publisher=Square Enix Music Online (unrelated to Square Enix)]

;Main personnel
*Yasunori Mitsuda – composer, producer
*Hidenori Suzuki – sound programmer

;"The Beginning and the End" personnel
*Peter Liondev – arranger
*Tetsuya Takahashi – lyrics
*The Great Voices of Bulgaria
**Choir I – Snejanka Radoulova, Iordanka Alexieva, Nina Stanimirova, Tania Dosseva, Zlatina Ouzounova, Iva Gidikova, Tzvetanka Varimezova, Zoia Jeleva, Sylvana Pravtcheva, Hristiana Ignatova
**Choir II – Galina Nedekova, Svetla Anastassova, Veronika Hristova, Svetla Tzetkova, Mariana Gueorguieva, Ivanka LuBomirova, Valentina Lavtcheva
**Choir III – Maria Naydenova, Virgina Antikadjieva, Ludmila Stoyanova, Silviya Nenkova, Kouna Staykova, Daniela Entcheva
**Choir IV – Hristinka Vassileva, Lora Beltcheva, Stoyanka Boneva, Hristina Lutova, Daniela Malamova, Donka Stoyanova
**Tenors – Veliko Totev, Nikolay Varionov, Karlo Hristov, Peter Todorov, Alexander Alexandrov
**Baritones – Benedikt Molhov, Dentcho Belev, Ivan Rendov
**Bass – Teodor Hristov, Anton Donkov, Alexander Stoyanov, Kiril Stoyanov

;"Stars of Tears" personnel
*Joanne Hogg – vocals
*Masato Kato – lyrics
*Davy Spillane – low whistle
*Hitoshi Watanabe – electric bass
*Hiroshi Hata – electric guitar, acoustic guitar
*Hidenobu Ootsuki – drums, percussion
*Yasunori Mitsuda – keyboards

;"Small Two of pieces ~Screeching Shards~" personnel
*Joanne Hogg – vocals
*Masato Kato – lyrics
*Davy Spillane – low whistle
*Anne-Marie O'Farrell – harp
*Hitoshi Watanabe – electric bass
*Hiroshi Hata – electric guitar, acoustic guitar
*Hidenobu Ootsuki – drums
*Yasunori Mitsuda – keyboards

Release history

References

External links

* [http://mitsuda.cocoebiz.com/discography/xenogears.html "Xenogears Original Soundtrack"] at Yasunori Mitsuda's website