OCR00205 - Final Fantasy VI "Death on the Snowfield"

[Origami]

However, I am also slightly confused by it. I distinctly remember a song somewhere that sounded almost exactly like this, only with an opera-ish voice addition, and no background. I don't remember the file too well, but I'll check around for it. As for everyone else, if someone finds out about this, can you help me clarify? It may be just pure coincidence (sp.?), but I'd still like to know.

I actually have this file you speak of, and yes, it is in this song. In case anyone cares, this voice part is played by (insert some instrument that I cannot name here) that comes in at about 1:33.

I kinda hate to say it, but I'm not hearing any kind of remix here, just additional background parts. As to if that still counts or not, I don't know.

In any case, good stuff. 9/10

[jordex]

Damn, this is good!

It's all so beautiful with nice quiet ambient then at 2:22, WOW! This parts 'effin awesome!

How come so many FF3 songs are under the FF6 title?

[Sly Fox]

Because FF3 is FF6. Here's a quick list:

FF1 was released in the US and Japan

FF2 was (at first) not released in the US, but came here later in FF Origins

FF3 was also not released in the US, and to my knowledge, the only way to get it here is to bring it from Japan or download it as a ROM.

FF4 was released in the US as FF2

FF5 was (at first) not released in the US, but came here later in FF Anthology

FF6 was released in the US as FF3.

From here on it's all normal. I hope that clears some stuff up.

[jordex]

That's all even more confusing lol

No but I think I get it, FF3 may be the 6th ever made FF game but it's only the third one released in FF3

[Zero_]

This song is eh. I do enjoy it's quite ambient, but the whole song is quite dull and boring. I know it's meant to be a kind of sad song, but still. It's alot like the original. I like Terra in Black better.

[analyticalchemist]

The original on Final Fantasy: Pray/Love Will Grow???

I can't remember, but the vocal compilations of final fantasy songs sounds almost exactly like this one. Just slightly altered here, with the guitar.

[Bolgard]

It's a good remix, and I'm a big AmIEvil fan, but some of the detractors are right in saying that, for the most part, it's very simplistic, with not much originality or interpretation.

That said, I still think it's good, but IMHO not in the same league as most of his other work.

[PerLichtman]

I haven't posted in this thread for quite a while now but after having read some of the comments during the last year or two I thought I might provide some food for thought. I think this remix is a wonderful illustration of the importance that every change made to a song can have. I encountered the mix so many people have referenced from the Final Fantasy vocal album years before I ever heard this one and it was for a long time my favorite mix of Terra's theme. Now it share that position with this track as both have equally valid approaches to the track which differ significantly in their impact.

If we look at trends in art music (sometimes referred to generically as classical music regardless of the period) we will find that musical styles change to become more and more complex until once again a simpler style takes over and the process repeats. During the twentieth century we find examples both early on (think Eric Satie's Gymnopedies) and much later on with the minimalist school (Phillip Glass, Stever Reich, Terry Riley and my old teacher John Adams). I think it would be folly to say that minimalism is technically inferior to say serialism and dodecaphonic music. Instead the attention is being put into different areas.

This remix is very carefully constructed. By using pads effectively layered with the sound of a distant drum, and crackling background noise that plays with people's associations, a beautiful bed is built upon which the piano's simple repeating chords layer to create an emtional response. This wraps the listener in a beautiful environment that makes the acoustic guitar all the more effective. Then of course later we get horns, a second drumbeat, and a few other well chosen elements during the section starting around 2 min 22 secs.

The choices in arrangements combine to emphasize the loneliness, sadness, distance and isolation of the scene being portrayed. The FF vocal collection work so often referenced here portrays Terra in a very heroic light and goes for more sweeping gestures etc. Personally I prefer this remix to say for instance Jeremy Soule's one, which is a more complex arrangement that takes greater liberties. In short, it is important for us to respect the impact of a subtle changes and have respect for minimalist interpretations.

[Miletus]

I agree. There's very much a beauty in simplicity here, and it's wonderful to see the composer avoiding all the temptations of adding complications that would've destroyed the essence of the piece.

[Digital_Adhesive]

Well, I suppose that's one way to look at it. I see it as just swapping out some voices and making some very minor changes to the original piece. It's not really a remix per-se.

I agree, it sounds "good", but not so much because it's a fantastic remix as because the original was so good.

[Gate Jumper]

I love it because it so simple and, it remind us of The great song that us mortals can only call Terra. Sometimes I wonder if a song is relly the song they say it is and, AmlEvil has put myself at esase.

[Magical Ninja]

I......Love......This........Mix.....

[Ænru]

When I listen to this on my CD player, I like to imagine a cinematic scene, in a snowfield, of course. My main character is holding his best friend, who died in his arms. He thinks of revenge, and takes his sword. The enemy is there and waiting. Snow is drifting and blowing all around.

[Rouen]

I have to agree with Enru. I picture kinda the same thing. If my book every made it as a movie (seriously doubt it) This song would do great for one of the best scenes, very similar as what you imagined when you listen to this song. A big congrats to the remixer, he did a wonderful job. I hope guys like this won't stop cranking out music of this quality.

[pilif]

Hi,

I just listened to this song on the stream at http://oc.ormgas.com/. This was so incredibly beautyful. I think I have not heard anything as nice as this in a very, very long time.

I mean, FF6 has one of the greatest soundtracks ever made by Uematsu, but this remix was so beautiful. Great.

It made me cry - so beautiful it was.

Thanks to whoever made it.

So good.

Philip

[Babylon Skyscraper]

I'm going to share a lovely story with you all. It's how I got to play FF6. My friend came back from Japan with FF6 and a Super Famicom...yes, the real thing. But I can't read Japanese, and so I stole his SNES and English FF3. First thing...can you imagine how hard the opera scene would be in Japanese? Yeowch. Not that Celes' synth voice is that pretty anyways...but Kefka's laughter made me giggle.

Mind you, I'd played VII through X, and I'll leave my opinions on each aside. But of all of them, the only one that's really ruined with a spoiler is VII. And yes, it was ruined for me before I played the game (though I still cried when Jessie died. Jessie > Aerith. Kthxbi). No one told me what would happen in VI. No, I didn't know about the secret plot, and how one vial can kill a castle's population in 30 seconds. But...wow. Talk about epic. It's like "what would happen in FFVII if Meteor hit." The reality check was necessary and moving.

That brings me to this piece. Hi. Your world is gone. You don't know if anyone's alive. As far as you know, you're the last person on earth, and you have no way of confirming this suspicion. It happened to the guys in Robotech, too. World devestation isn't a pretty thing. It affects everyone dramatically, and you have to be a brave author to throw it in your story. In 99% of those cases, you can't go back to the way things were before. I'd imagine the mood would be something like the one inspired by this song.

The people before me talk about the beauty in minimalism. Let's talk about that. When you hear Indiana Jones themes, they try to replicate explosions and armies and loud cacophanous voices with all the chaos of an action movie. Marching bands focus on joining cliques of instruments into a symphony, much like the school environment that the band students come from. By taking the minimalist approach, this song seems to have every desire to illustrate what the title deems "Death on the Snowfield". And illustrate it does, very well.

You can have your opinions on the song...it's slow, it's boring, it doesn't have a lot of "oomph!" But when it comes down to it, is that really the point? Take a look at Terra when you first see her after the gigamondo collapse. She is more alone than anyone else in the world. Isolation is the best word. There's no civilization where she is, just death and desolation. What is more desolated than a tundra or a desert? Knowing where you first see Terra, the tundra is probably more appropriate for her, but this song could probably be called "Death on the Wasteland" or something vaguely similar, and it would still work.

I favor the minimalist approach. I think, knowing where Terra is, what she's feeling in response to the world, her heritage, and her duty, that this song couldn't have hit a better mark. Yes, I'll admit that it doesn't always work with all of the times that Terra appears, but it works for a lot of them, because she's generally an angsty character (everyone in FFVI is; that's why they have to band together to fight Kefka! Save the world from supreme happiness by filling the world with angst!). This song works like a thought process; survey the scene. Review your feelings. A good memory? A hope? ...but there's still that thing dragging you down. Listen again, see what I mean?

I'm all for this song. It works for me, and gets my thumbs up.

[Bummer]

This reminds me of "Clubbed to Death" from Matrix,

some calm piano that touches you, then...FOOM! In comes

the seriously part with boompobidombombompodidom that makes you jump. Good choice to pick the guitar for the Terra melody, that was really swell.

Well meet again, mr AmIEvil.

[SerBarristantheOld]

Personally, I really love the intro to this song. He does a great job setting the mood.

[SakakiAzu]

Hmm..... I like the opening... And the instrument whatever it is that is playing is nice for the tune... but some parts just don't sound like like Terra.

Overall: 7/10

[juggalojaf]

The biggest compliment I can give this song is making it the first song on my all time greatest video game remix cd. And yep that's what I did. Thanks AmIEvil, and no I don't think you really are. You're just misunderstood.

For those curious, my "all time greatest video game remix cd" track list is as follows:

[MOD EDIT: Favorites list buhleeted/discouraged. Go get ALL the ReMixes instead. They're worth it.]

Look at all that free music. If you don't have some of that, go get it! It's all top quality jams for you and your jammies. Ya heard me?

EDIT: Hmm, I guess y'all didn't hear me.

well, good job, AmIEvil, once again. I guess I'll have to secretely post good reviews for everybody who made my "all time greatest video game remix cd" instead, secrete spy ninja style.

So, those in the know can just check out all the reviews and look for ole double J to find his easter eggs. I guess that's what everyone does...

Dang, I was all proud of my cd too. Well, it's worth a little extra work to spread the word.

[lady zelda]

Wow. Just wow! The guitar is amazing and I love the smooth transition from this period of tranquility to that section around 2:15 where this haunting feeling just blankets mix while maintaining the utter beauty from the very beginning. And then it beautifully finishes off by getting back into the original guitar motif ending with a long triad, which leaves you with this subtle suspense for a couple seconds though it feels like so much longer, just to make sure it leaves a lasting effect on you. This is the best mix of yours I've heard, AmIEvil! True musical genius.

[Soapy]

Normally I wouldn't be interested in something so many people like, but I know how ciritcal gamers are, if this many Ubro critical fanboys, and girls love it, its obviously good. 11/10!!!

[PJ]

Beautiful orchestration. One of the best Terra remixes, although i prefer Terra in Black, this is damn good!

[avaris]

all i got to say is this is by far top 5 mix for me. What I love about it, is how it is so simple but yeah offers so much feeling and depth, this is truly something difficult to accomplish. Sure like to have AmiEvil come back and do another mix like this sometime.

[Chickenwarlord]

This is a great atmosphere piece. Just absolutely brilliant.