[Album] Masashi Hamauzu Solo Album

I'm surprised this wasn't posted here. I'll be ordering this for sure.

http://www.gmronline.com/info.asp?CatNumber=SQEX-10098

I must say, I'm looking forward to this. I'm a fan of the three works from Hamauzu listed in the product description. However, I'm most looking forward to the new material, to be honest, I hold high expectations.

Ideally, my favourite pieces from him would be arranged, but I can't say my favourites are widely viewed as the best. And example being his "To the End of the Abyss" from FFX. The crowd favourite "Decisive Battle" should get some attention, I would assume. (I just got a thought: an orchestral arrangement of "Traveling Company" would be pretty awesome. ^_^)

I don't think I can choose any specific tracks from SaGa Frontier II; they're all just pretty flawless. o.0"

I'd like to see tracks such as "Perpetual Movements" and "UNLIMITED: SaGa Overture" (<3) get arranged. All of the battle themes from the game would be spectacular, too.

I hope there's no Dirge of Cerberus stuff...I know the music has it's fans, but I'm definitely not one of them. Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon is great, of couse. Overall, I'm highly anticipating this release; if only more composers did their own works like this with arrangements.

Perhaps some FF XIII music might make its way to the album?

I can agree with Muzza's post word for word. Although to be honest, I'm not exactly crazy about Hamauzu's orchestrated tracks.

Just thank god there's nothing from DoC on there.

There's probably going to be more Unlimited SaGa tracks on this album than you think. In an interview a while back, Hamauzu and Yamazaki talked about a lot of the songs and how they would like to re-arrange them ("DG Comfort" was one of them). It was a great interview.

Dirge of Cerberus didn't rock my world or anything but it was decent. I own the soundtracks for FFX, SaGa Frontier II and UNLIMITED SaGa, so I'm more intrigued by the new arrangements that will be featured on this album. I wouldn't mind seeing some arrangements of his work in Musashiden II BLADEMASTER, or Gun Hazard, even. I'll be keeping a close eye on this one.

That says of 24 themes 12 are new compositions. Plus, while there are a few strings quartet-based tracks, the arrangement basically centers on piano. FYI, this album is the first installment of SE composer best series. What is going to be published next? Uematsu? Mitsuda? Or Nakano?

Hmm...You can bet Yoko Shimomura will be a part of the series in some shape or form. I'd like to see Nakano featured as well.

But for the love of god, no Kenji Ito. I love the guy, I really do, but once you've heard one Saga soundtrack, you've heard them all. His arrangements aren't much better.

A Mitsuda arrangement CD would be interesting, but would he do it? Maybe it would be the mythical Chrono Cross arrange album he's been talking about for the last 200,000 years.

And Uematsu's involvement in the series is a given, although it's anybody's guess how good the arrangements will be.

Hamaauzu only has certain sleeper tracks that appeal to me, I don't generally look forward to his stuff since it seems too modern or aimless at times. I will definitely check this out if the likes of Enigmatic Scheme, Decisive Battle, Ruckerinnerung or Todosengel are present. That said, I think I'll do a bit more research to find out if he has any more songs that are particularly like Enigmatic Scheme, hoping that's not the exception.

You'll be disappointed. For Hamauzu, abstract creativity comes first. His melodic works are ''exceptions''. Though he does write some wonderful tunes.

Anyway, I'm really looking forward to this. I hope we get some concert works. Perhaps a sonata for piano and violin?

If the rumors are true, a piano arrangement of soaring wings will be included. Yeah..

Nice! I only heard about this news today. Really looking forward to it too. Although, it seems difficult to do DoC on a piano and strings. Maybe Calm before the storm would have been possible?

Actually I'm hoping for some DoC in it, this quote could keep that dream alive:

"Visiblement, les compositeurs de Square Enix se préparent à nous offrir des albums plus ou moins solo. Masashi Hamauzu ouvre la marche avec un disque au titre encore non annoncé mais qui a de quoi faire baver : une sorte de compilation arrangée de ses compositions pour les jeux Square (de SaGa Frontier 2 à Dirge of Cerberus, semble-t-il) plus quelques musiques inédites. Et vous savez quoi ? Hamauzu s'est rendu dans sa ville natale, Munich (Allemagne), pour enregistrer les musiques !

Sortie prévue pour le 30 mai prochain, référence SQEX-10098, prix 2800 yens. Le tout arrangé et produit par Hamauzu lui-même, évidemment !"

Boy, this sounds like something I wrote.

If we refer to the Japanese description of this album, then SaGa Frontier 2, FFX, Unlimited SaGa, Musashiden 2 and Dirge of Cerberus are mentioned. I would definitely welcome some music from Dirge of Cerberus.

If you refer to Hamauzu, how do you do that?

My style is: Hamuzuian, Hamauzuidal, Hamauzuic?

I prefer Hamuzuian, but I think Hamauzuic is the right way.

I... don't know. What about Hamauzuesque?

Good news today:

http://www.square-enix.co.jp/music/s...051/index.html

A list of his arranged game music has been added.

SaGa Frontier 2: Feltschlacht5 (5? huh?), Interludium, Zufall and Botshaft
Unlimited SaGa: Nalgae (Korean version of Soaring Wings)
Dirge of Cerberus: Forgotten Tears and Splinter of Sadness
FFX: To the End of Abyss (CD4 track 11)
Musashiden 2: Symphony of Fire1, Symphony of Fire2, Silent Dialogue, Eternal Sorrow and Aqua Memory

Nice!

That doesn't sound too pianistic? And does he live in Germany (the title...)?

He recorded the album in Munich, his birthplace.

Originally Posted by Zanasea

FFX: To the End of Abyss (CD4 track 11)

*performs victory dance*
I don't like the Musashiden selection, but then again, the tracklist for FFXPC didn't sound too good at first, but he made some great arragements.

Yes, the only one I really like is Aqua Memory, I hope for a longer version with a variation or two.

Originally Posted by Zanasea

SaGa Frontier 2: Feltschlacht5 (5? huh?)

Is it a typo? Or there existed the unreleased version of Feltschlacht? And no "Soaring Wings"? (Hamauzu said this album would have that...). Anyway, since I was disappointed when the SF2 arrange album didn't have any battle themes, it's good news.

One matter for concern is, though many online shops say it's the first release of SQUARE ENIX Composers' Best series, but the title of this album doesn't indicate it at all, and it's quite strange that more than half tracks of a composer's best album are additional compositions. So, it could be a bum steer.

Originally Posted by Me

Ideally, my favourite pieces from him would be arranged, but I can't say my favourites are widely viewed as the best. And example being his "To the End of the Abyss" from FFX.

Originally Posted by Zanasea

FFX: To the End of Abyss (CD4 track 11)

Awesome. I can't wait to hear this tracks arrangment. <3 Thankyou Hamauzu-san.

I'm full expected for other 13 orignal tracks.No doubt,Ill buy this CD

Go!Go! Hamauzu san