Discography of Final Fantasy I and II

The music of the video games "Final Fantasy" and "Final Fantasy II" was composed by regular series composer Nobuo Uematsu, who would go on be the exclusive composer for the next seven "Final Fantasy" games. Although they were composed separately, music from the two games have only been released together. "All Sounds of Final Fantasy I•II", a compilation of almost all of the music in the games, was released by DataM/Polystar in 1989, and subsequently re-released by NTT Publishing in 1994. "Symphonic Suite Final Fantasy", an arranged album of music from the two games by Katsuhisa Hattori and his son Takayuki Hattori was released by DataM in 1989, and re-released by NTT Publishing/Polystar in 1994. "Final Fantasy & Final Fantasy II Original Soundtrack", another arranged album, this time by Nobuo Uematsu and Tsuyoshi Sekito, was released in 2002 by DigiCube and again in 2004 by Square Enix.

The music was well received by critics; reviewers have praised the quality and power of the original songs, and reacted favorably to the arranged soundtracks. Several songs, especially "Main Theme" and "Matoya's Cave", remain popular today, and have been performed numerous times in orchestral concert series, as well as been published in arranged and compilation albums by Square Enix as well as outside groups.

Concept and creation

When Uematsu was working at a music rental shop in Tokyo, a woman working in the art department for Square, which would later become Square Enix, asked if he would be interested in creating music for some of the titles they were working on, and he agreed. Uematsu considered it a side job, and he did not believe it would become any sort of full-time job. He said it was a way to make some money on the side, while also keeping his part-time job at the music rental shop.cite web|url= http://www.1up.com/do/feature?cId=3166165|title=A Day in the Life of Final Fantasy's Nobuo Uematsu|publisher=1UP.com|first=James| last=Mielke|date=2008-02-15|accessdate=2008-05-30] Before joining Square, he composed music for television commercials.cite web|url=http://www.square-enix-usa.com/uematsu/profile/index.html|title=N's profile|publisher=Square Enix USA|accessdate=2008-06-01] His first score was for was the soundtrack for the computer role-playing game "Cruise Chaser Blassty". While working at Square, he met "Final Fantasy" creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, who asked him if he wanted to compose music for some of his games, which Uematsu agreed to. Sakaguchi gave him a few instructions, such as that the game needed a "battle" music and a "town" music, but left the remainder of the composing to Uematsu, aside from informing him of the specific technical limitations of the Famicom. Several songs from "Final Fantasy I" and "Final Fantasy II" have been reused in different forms throughout the series, especially the "Prelude", "Battle", "Victory" and "Chocobo" themes.cite web | author=Gann, Patrick; Schweitzer,Ben | title=All Sounds of Final Fantasy I - II | url=http://www.rpgfan.com/soundtracks/ff1&2/index.html | publisher=RPGFan| accessdate=2008-07-09] cite web|author=Nick | url=http://www.squareenixmusic.com/reviews/nick/ff1-2aso.shtml |title=All Sounds of Final Fantasy I & II| publisher=Square Enix Music Online| accessdate=2008-07-21]

Albums

"All Sounds of Final Fantasy I•II"

Infobox Album
Name = All Sounds of Final Fantasy I•II
Type = Soundtrack
Artist = Nobuo Uematsu


Cover size = 150
Released = February 28, 1989 March 25, 1994 (re-release)
Recorded =
Genre =
Length =
Label = DataM/Polystar NTT Publishing (re-release)
Producer =
Reviews = "All Sounds of Final Fantasy I•II" is a soundtrack album of video game music from "Final Fantasy I" and "Final Fantasy II", composed, arranged, and performed by Nobuo Uematsu. It spans 49 tracks and covers a duration of 62:32. It was first released on February 28, 1989, by DataM/Polystar, and subsequently re-released on March 25, 1994, by NTT Publishing. The original release bears the catalog number H25X-20015, and the re-release bears the catalog number PSCR-5251. Tracks 1 and 49 are arranged versions of songs which appeared in both of the games, tracks 2-21 are from "Final Fantasy I", and 22-47 are from "Final Fantasy II". Track 48, "Dungeon", was composed for "Final Fantasy II", but was not used in the game; it was later used in "Final Fantasy VI" under the name "The Magic House".

"Symphonic Suite Final Fantasy"

Infobox Album
Name = Symphonic Suite Final Fantasy
Type = Soundtrack
Artist = Nobuo Uematsu
Released = July 25, 1989 March 25, 1994 (re-release)
Recorded =
Genre =
Length = 39:49
Label = DataM NTT Publishing/Polystar (re-release)
Producer =
Reviews = "Symphonic Suite Final Fantasy" is an arranged soundtrack album of music from "Final Fantasy I" and "Final Fantasy II", composed by Nobuo Uematsu, arranged by Katsuhisa Hattori and his son Takayuki Hattori, and performed by the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra.cite web|author=Engelhorn, Isaac | url=http://www.soundtrackcentral.com/cds/finalfantasy_symphonicsuite.htm |title=Final Fantasy Symphonic Suite| publisher=Soundtrack Central| accessdate=2008-07-25] It spans 7 tracks and covers a duration of 39:49. It was first released on July 25, 1989, by DataM, and subsequently re-released on March 25, 1994, by NTT Publishing/Polystar. The original release bears the catalog number H28X-10007, and the re-release bears the catalog number PSCR-5253.cite web | author=Gann, Patrick | title=Final Fantasy Symphonic Suite | url=http://www.rpgfan.com/soundtracks/ffss/index.html | publisher=RPGFan| accessdate=2008-07-09] The music itself is a recording of a concert given by the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra in the Gohanda temporary hall in Tokyo. [cite web|author=Uematsu, Nobuo | url=http://x111.com/ffmo/Liner_Notes/ffss.php |title=Final Fantasy Symphonic Suite Liner Notes| publisher=Final Fantasy Music Online| accessdate=2008-07-25]

"Final Fantasy & Final Fantasy II Original Soundtrack"

Infobox Album
Name = Final Fantasy & Final Fantasy II Original Soundtrack
Type = Soundtrack
Artist = Nobuo Uematsu, Tsuyoshi Sekito
Released = October 23, 2002 September 23, 2004 (re-release)
Recorded =
Genre =
Length = Disk 1: 55:11 Disk 2: 47:19
Label = DigiCube Square Enix (re-release)
Producer =
Reviews = "Final Fantasy & Final Fantasy II Original Soundtrack" is an arranged soundtrack album of music from "Final Fantasy I" and "Final Fantasy II", composed by Nobuo Uematsu and arranged by Nobuo Uematsu and Tsuyoshi Sekito. It spans 65 tracks over two disks and covers a duration of 1:42:30. It was first released on October 23, 2002, by DigiCube, and subsequently re-released on September 23, 2004, by Square Enix. The original release bears the catalog numbers SSCX-10071-2, and the re-release bears the catalog numbers SQEX-10032-3. The first disk contains arrangements of music from "Final Fantasy I" by Nobuo Uematsu, while the second disk contains arrangements of "Final Fantasy II" by Tsuyoshi Sekito.cite web | author=Dragon God | title=Final Fantasy I & II OST | url=http://www.rpgfan.com/soundtracks/ff1&2-remake/index.html | publisher=RPGFan| accessdate=2008-07-09]

Track listing [cite web | title=Final Fantasy I • II Original Soundtrack | url=http://www.rpgfan.com/soundtracks/ff1&2-remake/index.html | publisher=RPGFan | accessdate=2008-09-14]

Reception and legacy

"All Sounds of Final Fantasy I•II" was moderately well received by critics such as Ben Schweitzer of RPGFan, who felt that it had "the same power today that it had 18 years ago", although he also felt that it was much weaker than Uematsu's later works with many of the themes "simplistic and undeveloped". Patrick Gann of RPGFan, on the other hand, praised the album for what he considered to be good music and the rush of nostalgia it brought with it, and was especially pleased with the two arranged tracks. Aaron Lau of Soundtrack Central agreed with the sentiments expressed by Gann, and stated that the arranged tracks alone were worth buying the album for.cite web|author=Lau, Aaron; Balibalita, Romil | url=http://www.soundtrackcentral.com/cds/finalfantasy1a2_aso.htm |title=Final Fantasy I & II, All Sounds of| publisher=Soundtrack Central| accessdate=2008-07-21] Romil Balibalita of Soundtrack Central, however, felt that while the soundtrack was good, it was "only worth one or two listens" and recommended it for fans of the original versions of video game music. Nick of Square Enix Music Online said that the album was "an acquired taste" and recommended it primarily to fans of Nobuo Uematsu interested in his earlier work. "Symphonic Suite Final Fantasy" was very well received by reviewers, with Patrick Gann saying that "the music itself is brilliant" and that "the arrangements are stunning" while remarking not only on the nostalgia inherent in the music but also the combination of the choir and orchestra. Other reviewers such as Chris and Simon from Square Enix Music Online agreed, terming the album "an orchestral masterpiece amassed with some of the best quality and most subtle attempts of arranging available in the Final Fantasy series' discography" and "technically accomplished and on scale that was rarely done at the time of making", respectively. [cite web|author=Chris | url=http://www.squareenixmusic.com/reviews/chris/ffss.shtml |title=Final Fantasy Symphonic Suite| publisher=Square Enix Music Online| accessdate=2008-07-25] [cite web|author=Simon | url=http://www.squareenixmusic.com/reviews/simon/ffss.shtml |title=Final Fantasy Symphonic Suite| publisher=Square Enix Music Online| accessdate=2008-07-25] Isaac Engelhorn of Soundtrack Central also enjoyed the album, calling it "wonderful" and his favorite "Final Fantasy" arranged album, although he did take issue with the length of the album, as well as the sound quality. "Final Fantasy & Final Fantasy II Original Soundtrack" was well received, with Luc of Square Enix Music Online approving of Tsuyoshi Sekito's influence on the arrangements and recommending the album to hardcore fans of "Final Fantasy". [cite web|author=Z-Freak | url=http://www.squareenixmusic.com/reviews/z-freak/fforigins.shtml |title=Final Fantasy & Final Fantasy II Original Soundtrack| publisher=Square Enix Music Online| accessdate=2008-07-25]

The Black Mages, a band led by Nobuo Uematsu that arranges music from "Final Fantasy" video games into a rock music style, have arranged two pieces from "Final Fantasy I". These are "Battle Scene" from the album "The Black Mages", published in 2003 and "Matoya's Cave" from the album ', published in 2004. They have also arranged a song from "Final Fantasy II", "Battle Scene II", in their "The Black Mages" album. [(February 19, 2003). The Black Mages. DigiCube. SSCX-10080] [(December 22, 2004). "The Black Mages II: The Skies Above". Universal Music. UPCH-1377] Lyrical versions of "Matoya's Cave" from "Final Fantasy I" and "Main Theme" from "Final Fantasy II", sung by Risa Ohki, appeared on ', a compilation album produced by Square. [(June 25, 1994). "Final Fantasy: Pray". NTT Publishing. PSCN-5006] Additionally, lyrical versions of "Main Theme" from "Final Fantasy I" and "Finale" from "Final Fantasy II", sung by Risa Ohki and Ikuko Noguchi, appeared on "". [(November 25, 1995). "Final Fantasy: Love Will Grow". NTT Publishing. PSCN-5041]

The music of "Final Fantasy I" and "II" has also appeared in various official concerts and live albums, such as "20020220 music from FINAL FANTASY", a live recording of an orchestra performing music from the series including several pieces from the games. [cite web| url=http://www.rpgfan.com/soundtracks/20020220/index.html|title=20020220 - Music from FINAL FANTASY| publisher=RPGFan| accessdate=2007-04-01] Additionally, several songs from the games were performed as part of a medley by the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra for the "Distant Worlds - Music from Final Fantasy" concert tour, [cite web|url=http://www.squareenixmusic.com/albums/f/ffdistantworlds.shtml|title=Distant Worlds - Music from Final Fantasy - Album Information |publisher=Square Enix Music Online|accessdate=2008-02-22] while a different medley of songs from the two games were performed by the New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra in the "" concert series. [cite web|url=http://www.squareenixmusic.com/albums/dvds/tourdejapon.shtml|title=Album Information - Tour de Japon: Music from Final Fantasy DVD|publisher=Square Enix Music Online|accessdate=2008-02-22] Independent but officially licensed releases of "Final Fantasy I" and "II" music have been composed by such groups as Project Majestic Mix, which focuses on arranging video game music. [cite web | author=Rzeminski, Lucy | title=Project Majestic Mix: A Tribute to Nobuo Uematsu - Gold Edition | publisher=RPGFan | date=2002-07-02 | url=http://www.rpgfan.com/soundtracks/pmm-gold/index.html | accessdate=2008-08-13] Selections also appear on Japanese remix albums, called "dojin music", and on English remixing websites. [cite web | title=Game: Final Fantasy (1987, Square, NES) | url=http://www.ocremix.org/game/final-fantasy-nes/ | publisher= OverClocked ReMix | accessdate=2008-07-09] [cite web | title=Game: Final Fantasy II (1988, Square, NES) | url=http://www.ocremix.org/game/final-fantasy-ii-nes/ | publisher= OverClocked ReMix | accessdate=2008-07-09]

References

External links

* [http://na.square-enix.com/uematsu/ Nobuo Uematsu's official website]
* [http://na.square-enix.com/music/tunes/ff/ Square Enix's official music store]