Final Fantasy IX Piano Collections - Melodies of Life[3] REM For the past month I have been struggling to feel that intense beauty and emotion as I once did before I started this piece. Knowing... I had such "heart" for the Melodies of Life song, I wanted to re-master it. I actually believe that my first Melodies of Life is better than my last revision. There is something missing in the second version... mainly the emotion. Feeling inept at such a piece... I wanted to re-do it, and I have been planning to. I was supposed to have this piece re-mastered a long time ago... but having such fervor for such a beautifully perfected and arranged piece... I needed to re-master it. So what I have done... after trying to recapture that moment as I once did in my MOL first video... I forced myself to listen and watch the aspiring videos from the Final Fantasy IX Playstation Game.
The game ending of course can do some of it for me [The scene with Garnet's reunion with Zidane... in particular, Garnet hitting Zidane's chest, which leads to a massive cheering between all the characters in the game... and finally ending with Steiner and Beatrix holding the Save The Queen sword along with a triumphant musical closure.] But the video which really had captured every essence of the "Melodies of Life" piece in particular I believe is the Final Fantasy IX Game Trailer... which features the Melodies of Life song in Japanese [SEE BELOW!]. I really think that the Japanese version has much more intensity than Emiko Shiratori's English version... Just seeing Garnet crack in anguish after her city... Alexandria was blown to smithereens by the Eidolons Bahamut, Odin, and "Ark" (The Hildagaldy Airship)... And to see all the pain in the character's eyes, I know this should be horrible... but it just makes me see the whole breadth of beauty in this song. Pain, I believe can probably be the most expressive and intense emotion one can feel... and perhaps that type of "feeling" can even be the most important explanation of life itself.
This particular scene (of Garnet breaking with so much pain) remained so etched in my mind when I played this game, I decided to draw it... which isn't that great looking now compared to my newest ones... (It was my second attempt at drawing during 11th grade, which is quite mediocre compared to my new drawings)... but here's the link:
http://www.wouldyouhitthis.com/picview.php?f=http://c.wouldyouhitthis.com/member_files/2005/10/02/299111/orig/04303840011569812121681.jpg&p=f
And what really ends the song in conclusion is when Garnet cuts off her hair... Her hair flies across a beautiful lake... a scene which embarks the Alexandria Castle with the flying white doves. I think a person who has actually played this game... can be the only one to truly embrace such emotion with this song.
For those who have never played Final Fantasy IX... or those who wish to understand what I am talking about... [I highly recommend and suggest you view it!] Follow the link below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuFAteNWt4c
Using some pointers given to me prior to this MOL Video, I tried to improve my technique and note skills.
As I was perfecting every single part of this piece and slowly looking over the notes I realized that when listening to the CD... that there are tempo changes starting each new section (although quite subtle to the ear).
The tempo is Andante (quarter note=69~72) which is a varied tempo.
Hmm. Just to let you all know this will be my "last" Melodies of Life video. Perhaps I have done "Overkill" with this piece, but because this piece is very meaningful to me, I went for it. I am extremely "happy"... that I "got this piece finally done," which is a sad thing for a pianist... because usually you are supposed to enjoy playing... But this just really shows that I have no talent in piano... BUT with hard work effort... I can "dramatize" my talent in piano... It just takes a lot of nervous energy out of me, and of course a lot of time!
Thanks to Kyle556/Kyle5556 for the note/rhythmic corrections. And yes... I paid attention to the RUBATO at the end ;-) Even though, it's a bit more subtle than yours. I decided to start the Rubato... not exactly where it told me to... I tried your way and the CD's way... but I didn't like the feel to it... so I started the Rubato a few measures later. But I liked how the slower effect I played sounded... and I couldn't really tell much a difference from the FF9 PC CD, so hope you don't mind!
I am honestly very proud of this video (especially in terms of trying to evoke as much intense emotion into the listener)... I don't think I can make this piece sound any better than what has been played. Only on few rare occasions I can actually consider a piece to be "Re-Mastered" which has finally been accomplished by my Melodies of Life piece. Enjoy! Well if not... Hell, at least I know I am happy. ^^ Playstation Final Fantasy Piano Collections Nobuo Uematsu Melodies of Life FFIX FF9 CheonHoPark ManHoPark Emiko Shiratori Sony Japan Videos musicales, music y letras
