Final Fantasy VII: Reunion Tracks [Soundtrack, Import]

Nobuo Uematsu (Artist), Shiro Hamaguchi (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 10, 2000)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack, Import
• Label: Jms
• ASIN: B000058AB2
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #71,892 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Opening Theme - Bombing Mission

2. Valley Of The Fallen Star

3. Still More Fighting

4. Farm Boy

5. Rufus' Welcoming Ceremony

6. Electric De Chocobo

7. Honeybee Manoy

8. Cid's Theme

9. Forested Temple

10. Fighting

11. Ahead On Our Way

12. Golden Saucer

13. Crazy Motorcycle Chase

14. Cait Sith's Theme

15. Descendant Of The Shinobi (Yuffie's Theme)

16. J-E-N-O-V-A

17. Main Theme Of Final Fantasy Vii (Orchestra Version)

18. One-Winged Angel (Orchestra Version)

19. Aeris' Theme (Orchestra Version)

Editorial Reviews

Brand New and manufacture sealed. First class shipping from New York. Customer satisfaction is guaranteed.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great FF7 souveneir, nice tour of Uematsu's score, January 21, 2001

By 

Chris Adamson "invalidname" (Grand Rapids, MI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Final Fantasy VII: Reunion Tracks (Audio CD)

First off, some basic info: this is a one-disc set, 19 tracks, 68:11 total running time. The first 16 tracks are totally synthesized, sounding just as they would coming from the PlayStation's audio outputs. Tracks 17-19 are performed by a small orchestra (the CD booklet picture shows about 25 musicians). The booklet contains an interview (in Japanese) with composer/arranger/producer Nobuo Uematsu.

Essentially all packaging is in Japanese, but English song titles can be gleaned by placing the disc in a computer with an internet connection and a CDDB-compatible audio application, like "iTunes" for the Mac. I'm assuming CDDB data is copyrighted, so I can't simply copy the track list into this review.

As a "highlights" album, this disc of course can't cover all the bases from the 70-minute game and its complete soundtrack, which I think was a 4-disc set. It does do an admirable job of covering some of the catchier melodies, like "Valley of the Fallen Star" (Red XIII's theme), "Farm Boy", and the battle themes "Fighting" and "Still More Falling". Most of the melodies hold up despite the limited expressiveness of the synthesizer, although some ("Bombing Mission", "Rufus' Welcoming Ceremony") sound a little cheesy for their lack of real brass.

So, in saving the best for last, the game's three most important themes are given the orchestral treatment. The "Main Theme", heard on the game's world map, contrasts a soothing anthem with occasional minor-key counter-melodies. "One-Winged Angel" recreates the music for the final battle with Sephiroth as a powerful gothic march with a live chorus chanting in Latin. This rendition is much more powerful than the actual game music, and was briefly featured as part of an unlockable mini-movie in the game "Ehrgeiz". The disc concludes with the hopeful "Aeris' Theme", which with piano, strings, and ultimately horns, sounds almost totally different from the warbling pseudo-woodwinds heard in the game.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars I know I'm bucking the trend, but..., May 26, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Final Fantasy VII: Reunion Tracks (Audio CD)

...I really don't like the orchestrations all that much. There. I said it. Now, let me explain. I've always liked Nobuo Uematsu's music because it is more melodic than classical music, and more complex than pop music. And, it's more emotional than either of those two; I like to think Uematsu's music triggers pure emotions instead of images in your head. While I really like the orchestration of One Winged Angel (real instruments blasting away at the notes sounds far better than the ... midi version), I don't like the orchestrations of Aeris' Theme and the Main Theme as much because I think they add too much "noise." For example, I loved the beginning of the original Aeris' Theme because the melody was so simple, yet moving, and played by a solo piano. But the beginning of the orchestration starts with a segment from the middle of the piece, and when the piano solo does come, it's backed up by strings and such, so it isn't really that "pure" melody that I love. The Main Theme is a little better, adding another round of the melody that does make the piece more exciting, but again, it takes the focus off of the simple meldoy that Uematsu composed. Going back to the midi versions, it was like I had rediscovered the pieces, as if they were "restored" to their simplistic glory.

Now I'm not saying that I think the orchestrations are bad; they've just changed the original piece. And although I don't like them, I've found that most people do. Plus, with the other tracks taken from the original soundtrack, it isn't a bad purchase if you don't plan on getting the full soundtrack.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Music is priceless, February 24, 2002

By 

Carlo San Juan "Caz MD" (Metro Manila, Philippines) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Final Fantasy VII: Reunion Tracks (Audio CD)

If you're thinking of buying the soundtrack to Final Fantasy VII, get this album and no other. If you've played through the game you'll find that most, if not all, the songs you'd want to keep are in it. Most noteworthy, and the real reason why anyone would buy this album, are the final three tracks.
I'm no collector of video game music, but the quantum leap in emotion and quality that was derived from merely translating a MIDI format song to pure orchestration definitely warranted at the very least my applause.
The orchestrated main theme starts of with a subtle pizzicato that captures the moment you (as Cloud Strife) step outside of Midgar and be thrust into a huge new world. The feelings of wonder, excitement, adventure, and brooding darkness that is the Final Fantasy VII experience are truly expressed in this rich composition.
One-Winged Angel is much more dark and powerful in this rendition. The choir did not have as much "oomph" as I wished but they nevertheless were spellbinding. To be true to the composition the horrible "cartoony" portions were still played, though somewhat compensated with not only excellent orchestration, but a few added parts by the vocals and instruments.
As good as the last two discussed tracks were, the most heart-wrenching and emotionally rending piece is the orchestrated Aeris' Theme. It starts with the piano notes that captured us in the game, then gets richer (albeit a bit repetitive) as the notes are played by different instruments. Still, absolutely beautiful and masterfully translated. Good job, Uematsu-san.