一半算是向valkrey致歉吧……我的确是说了一些会伤害的喜爱wa的人的话。另一半算是推荐
http://www.rpgfan.com这个网站,尤其是那里的乐评,真的非常出色,看了乐评之后再去聆听往往能够得到多得多的享受~
由杰出的Michiko Naruke所作曲的荒野兵器的原声,成功地将非常多种的作曲风格融合在一起,并因此赢得了我个人的尊敬。虽然并非是我最最喜爱的原声。Naruke对非正统乐器的使用和那些微妙的旋律结合在一起,加上非常出色的演奏,使这张原声恰如其分,值得一听。虽然某些章节给人一种很普通的美国西部音乐的感觉,但东方元素、古典成分和击板喜剧风格的影响已经足够在不显得累赘和脱离主题的基础上使它拥有自己的特色。
特别地提一下开场主题“Into the Wilderness”。电视游戏最重要的部分之一就是开场介绍,好的介绍能够利用视觉和听觉的双重力量使我们满怀期待地进入狂热的状态。荒野兵器在两方面都能得到A+。音乐的开始部分是起始旋律伴着两把原声吉他弹奏着的四分音符和弦,轻柔的、漫不经心的却也是肃穆的,直到由口哨声所演绎的主题旋律加入其中。这两种乐器在一起互相呼应着。在整个旋律完成第一次之后,低音乐器、弦乐器和打击乐器开始了第二遍的演绎,并给旋律加入了的冲动和决意。高潮部分是超一流的,弦乐器占据了主旋律,辅之以高音木管乐器和给人强烈冲击的铜管乐器,使片头动画更有紧张感和感染力。曲子的结束是柔和的,开始时的乐器又再次出现,给人以投入游戏之中的渴望和兴奋。
管弦乐配器似乎稍嫌单调。Michiko 在旋律中非常倚靠口哨/长笛/奥卡利那笛, 这三种乐器的电子部分有时会显得过多了一些以致难以忍受。铜管乐器也并没有想像中的那种力度和强度,尤其在紧张激烈的第17首"Courage"和宏伟华贵的23首"Adelhyde Castle"中,我更希望由现场管弦乐来演绎末尾的一些章节。
大部分原声乐评写起来是很容易的,因为总有一些共通的主题把所有的曲子联系在一起。然而荒野兵器的原声,虽然也有一贯始终的部落民族风味,若干曲子也颇为相似,但并没有一个作为桥梁和纽带将所有曲子结合在一起的,最基本的主题。第2和第3首"Demon's Castle" 、 "Bringing it Back to Soil"充满着强烈的部落特征,包括东方式的合唱、重打击乐器和相关的部落背景音乐,第18首"Small Thoughts are Worth A lot"则似乎融合了西方爵士乐和特里尼达等地居民临时编唱的一种即兴小调,第25首"Oops"又展现了拉丁美洲式音乐的不凡和轻佻带嘲笑意味的探戈的组合。第26首"False Marriage on the Ocean"是一段轻快幽默的小调,将门德尔松著名的婚礼进行曲和海盗主题曲“yo-ho-ho”组合在一起。接下来是我的最爱,第27首"Not a Plain Child, but a Young Lady!"使人仿佛看到一位穿着斗篷的战士在夜晚与邪恶进行着战斗。
游戏的战斗音乐,第13首"Critical Hit!",非常之出色。即使是在“战斗主题”这种非常典型和常见的游戏音乐类别中,这首曲子也展现给听者一些另类的意想不到的东西。这些令人惊喜的曲调并没有因它们的异端而减低音乐的质量,而是给曲子以相当的天资和独创性,使这首原声与其他战斗音乐卓然不同,并成为值得聆听的精神食粮。
荒野兵器的曲子以它们自己的方式而显得那样出众和令人愉悦。角色主题曲都是那样独特,情节音乐也是那样的恰当。第20首"Alone in the World"是RPG中典型的“悲伤旋律”,并且它成功地使听者进入怀旧和思乡的绵绵情绪之中,尤其是与角色主题曲一起聆听的时候,这就不仅仅是一首凄凉的挽歌。
这是我所听过的最好的原声之一,每一首曲子都有新的惊喜,新的管弦乐配器,新的感受,绝对能使听者为这样十足的变化性和原创性而深深震撼。当然,中间部分似乎降低了原声整体的质量,而不是提高它,这是一个令人惋惜的事实。CD内册还有不少游戏中所没有的,非常棒的动画图片。我从HKT以15美元购到了它,第二版将会非常便利地从任何网上游戏原声供应商那里得到。
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The Wild ARMs soundtrack, composed by the brilliant Michiko Naruke, wins my personal respect for her successful execution of composition in a wide array of styles. Though not one of my favorite soundtracks, Naruke's use of unorthodox instrumentation combined with subtle melodies, and brilliant execution make this a very valuable and eclectic OST. Though some pieces have a general "American Western" feel, there is enough eastern presence, classical influence and slapstick comedy to distinguish it and give its own flavor without sounding redundant or over themed.
Of particular note is the opening track "Into the Wilderness". One of the most important parts of any video game is the introduction, both the visual and aural appeal have the power to key us into a fever pitch with expectation if performed well and Wild Arms gets an A+ in both. The music begins with two acoustic guitars playing quarter note chord blocks and introductive melody respectively, friendly and swaggering yet serious before it's joined by the theme, which is played by a whistle. The two instruments together have a call and return relationship and after the first exposition of the melody, the bass, strings and percussion come in for the second play through adding drive and purpose. The climax is done superbly, letting the strings take over the main melody with high woodwinds and punching brass as support, bringing even more intensity and feel to the animated video. It ends gently, with the same instrumentation it began with, bringing yearning and excitement to delve into the game.
The orchestration can be a little tiresome to listen to. Michiko relies very heavily on the whistle/flute/ocarina for melody, and the electronic counterpart to this trilling instrument can sometimes be a little too much to bear. The brass is also not as strong and powerful as it seems it should be, especially in track 17's intense "Courage" and 23's stately "Adelhyde Castle" making me wish a live orchestra had performed some of the later pieces.
Most OSTs are easier to review in that there is some general theme that ties them all together, while Wild ARMs has certain ethnic feels and certain tracks seem to run similar courses, there is no one underlying theme that seems to bridge as a current between them all. Tracks 2 and 3 "Demon's Castle" and "Bringing it Back to Soil" have a very tribal sound with eastern chorus, heavy percussion and pyramidal layering, while track 18 "Small Thoughts are Worth A lot" seem to combine western jazz and calypso and track 25's "Oops" is a combination of Latino brilliance and tongue in cheek mockery. Track 26's "False Marriage on the Ocean" is a comic piece that uses Mendelssohn's world famous "Wedding March" combined with a "Yo-Ho-Ho" pirates theme. Then there's my personal favorite, Track 27's "Not a Plain Child, but a Young Lady!" which sounds suspiciously like a caped vigilante who fights evil in the night.
The game's battle music, track 13 "Critical Hit!" is great fight music. And even in this "typical" genre, there are a few unorthodox notes that the listener does not expect, but rather than diminish the quality, the little surprises bring a certain amount of flair and originality that distinguish this OST from the other tried and true fare.
Wild ARM's themes are all remarkable and pleasurable in their own way. The character themes are all unique and the event music is very fitting. Track 20's "Alone in the World" is the typical "sad piece" of the RPG, and it does succeed in bringing the listener down in reminiscence and nostalgia, especially coupled with the character themes now played more as a dirge.
This is truly one of the best OST's I've ever listened to, every track has a new surprise, a new orchestration, a new feel that the listener is sure to be impressed by the sheer variety and originality of the music. It is truly a shame that the medium seems to diminish the quality of the pieces, rather then enhance them. The CD booklet also features some cool anime pictures that aren't from the game. I bought mine from HKT for $15, due to its second release it should be a breeze to obtain from any online game soundtrack dealer.
Saturn's Breakdown
Creativity- 91
Orchestration- 80
Music Variety- 96
Music Quality- 90
Game Compatibility- 90
Overall Likeability- 85
Total Score- 88.6
Reviewed by: Son of Saturn
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响应御姐号召,有机会就要进行资料总结--翻译中了解到的一些音乐术语:
slap stick一种敲板伴奏的喜剧
acoustic guitar 原声吉他(相对于electric guitar:电吉他)
quarter 四分音符
whistle 口哨
bass 低音乐器
strings 弦乐器
woodwinds 木管乐器
brass 铜管乐器
orchestration 管弦乐配器
orchestra 管弦乐器
flute 长笛
ocarina 奥卡利那笛(赛尔达时之笛的英文译法就是“Ocarina of Time”)
chorus 合唱
percussion 打击乐器
calypso 特里尼达等地居民临时编唱的一种即兴小调