ReMix:Final Fantasy VI "Snowy Pines" 5:47

Rebecca E. Tripp had a legendary 2017 on OCR, and begins 2018 with a stirring symphonic arrangement of "Terra" from FF6 which oscillates between liberal and conservative treatment of the source & incorporates bells, harp, and harpsichord into a larger orchestral context:

"This here is my remake of the FF6 overworld theme (or "Terra's Theme," if you prefer). It incorporates elements of both the main overworld track and "Awakening" (which, as far as I'm concerned, is the "true" Terra/Tina theme song.)

Since I'm so utterly enamored with FF music - especially this particular soundtrack -- I sort of went overboard with this one, heh heh! The beginning section represents her more gentle, pacifist side, as well as her magical essence, and the final movement represents her immense power and strength. The mid section is more about the overworld and Terra's connection with the entire party in Final Fantasy 6."

The first 1'35" is a more new age, intimate treatment of the source, with bells, harp, and solo winds setting the stage, after which we transition into the more familiar orchestral march. Gario covers most of the highlights:

"Having something that's conservative sandwiched between two rather cleverly arranged portions is a pretty cool way to organize an arrangement, in my book. It's not like the middle portion doesn't have its share of orchestral flourishes to make it into something that stands on its own two feet, even - it's just a conservative portion between two more interesting sections...

Loving what you did with the meter (using 3/4 instead of 4/4) in the opening minute and a half. It's a clever way to get something fresh on an overly arranged source. With themes using a lot of space between phrases it's a useful way to transform an arrangement. Utilizing this technique again at 4:14 (going from 4/4 to 12/16) is a nice way to bookend the whole thing."

Agreed, on both counts; it's basically an inverted arrangement sandwich, with the "bread" offering more interpretive takes on a classic theme while the "meats & cheese" are a more familiar take. I need to eat lunch, soon. From a production perspective, I had a few more nits to pick than most judges; Nutritious did point out the cymbal crashes, which seem sporadic and oddly isolated without an accompanying bass drum or timpani, but I also felt like relative levels & reverb sends clashed at times. Specifically, some of the symphonic ensemble components sit lower & further back, in a larger space, than pitched & non-pitched percussion. These are tricky things to get right when transitioning between timbral palettes like this arrangement does, but it's worth mentioning nonetheless as a potential point of development & growth. This is a classic theme with plenty of worthy interpretations out there, but Rebecca's style & approach makes for a unique, engrossing, and narrative incarnation that captures the magic of the source.