Music is hard.

Till now, I can't tell the difference between Classical, Romantic, Baroque and whatever Neoclassicism. ): I mean seriously, why do they have to use so many foreign terms.
They should create a book called Music for Dummies: How to sound like you know what the hell you're saying.

Up till now, I like enough of one or two composers to have a "favourite" track.

Verdi's Dies Irae
Mozart's Lacrymosa (and tonnes others that are prolly numbered)
Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture

I forgot which guy was it that had all the seasonal music. The Spring whatevers.

I'm a regular music moron.

I think I like Tchaikovsky best. But I don't know much about him, so I shan't make any assumptions of his music yet. And anyway, I have one or two modern composers I like who are actually alive and not bothered with whatever crazy Periods in Western culture.

They are Nobuo Uematsu, Jo Hisashi and Ryuichi Sakamoto.
And they are my excuse to post more youtube videos here to slow down all of your PCs.

I have too many favourites in the realm of Uematsu's compositions, but if I really had to choose, they'd be Aerith's Theme (which is famous), One Winged Angel (featured in the ending of Advent Children and the guy bobbing at the keyboard is the composer Uematsu himself :D), Ronfaure (which is an epic battle march), and To Zanarkand (which the piano version does not do justice to) and Liberi Fatali, which are all from the Final Fantasy series. If I really really really had to choose, then I choose Liberi Fatali.

Because it's one of the most powerful pieces I've heard. And, because it's the opening to FFVIII, which I own and still play occasionally on my antique playstation one.

The words featured in the video are actually part of a conversation between the lead and his romantic interest. And you actually do visit the Field Of Flowers featured. Albeit, only once. FFVIII features one of the coolest villains ever. And also a super exploitable cheap trick to make yourself laugh during the tiresome final boss battle.

P.s. check out the rest of the Tour De Japon for Orchestra versions.
If you hear singing and don't get the lyrics, that's cause they're in Latin. (:

It was also the opening to their Distant Worlds Tour in May 2009. I attended. Jealous? ;D


Jo Hisashi is the main composer for Studio Ghibli, famous for their animated films such as Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle and also Princess Mononoke amongst others. My favourite tracks come from Spirited Away, but I'm not picky. It's a tie between One Summer's Day and Ryu No Shounen (piano solo linked. It sounds better with the full orchestra) but ah the heck, I prefer the former. Mainly because it sounds nostalgic.

It reminds me of "childhood" if I ever had one >)



There's no debate over Ryuichi Sakamoto. I love only one song. And I'm trying to learn to play that one song as well. Sakamoto composes for movie soundtracks usually, and he has been given the (unofficial?) title of "World's Best Pianist". The song is Forbidden Colours or Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence from the movie of the same name, but also alternately titled Last Christmas.

It's actually surprisingly easy (well in comparison) and it's really repetitive.
It sounds best when matched with a cello though, because it gets old fast on piano.



Now you can rave over the insane music that is the compositions of Japanese composers. ;) I still like Nobuo Uematsu the best though.