[Album] Dragon Quest IV Seven Fantasies for Piano [betterthanbach.com]

Composer: Koichi Sugiyama
Arranged by Patrick Trickwaters
Source:
Price: n/a. Fan arrangement.
Download Source: Dragon Quest IV Seven Fantasies for Piano


Total playtime 33:45

Tracklist
I. Overture 3:02
II. Pastorale 7:34
III. Menuet 3:40
IV. Sea Breeze 4:56
V Elegy 4:04
VI Tempest 5:04
VII Finale 5:2

Here is the piece of music that introduced me the Dragon Quest music, Dragon Quest IV Piano Fantasia, arranged by Patrick Trickwaters, an outstanding 7 movement virtuostic piano suite that replaced my worshipping over Ravel's Le Tombeau de Couperin. I found this suite accidently while searching for piano mix at vgmix, and eventually, I found this one, and fell for it.

The first movement is an arrangement of Overture, a melody that always appears in all Dragon Quest game. While I dont say the music is bad, it's overused too much. The first track could be refreshment if you like the overture. The overture is much baroque in style. I enjoy this track though I dont add it in my bookmark.

The second movement is my favorite track so far, a medley of Dragon Quest IV 'Comrades' sans Torneko's theme. The first 28 seconds really reminds me of Debussy's Sunken Capital (prelude book I no 12) before it getting into Dragon Quest Theme. This is one my most favorite track in the entire suite. The 7 minutes medley could take your breath away.

The third movement is one of the most amazing arrangement you could find in this suite. Minuet, my favorite theme in Dragon Quest IV is arranged oustandingly in very virtuostic way, not leaving the nuance of baroque music that is the essence of many Sugiyama castle music. The music is entirely powerful, from the simple introduction which eventually goes even virtuostic as the seconds go.

The Fourth movement is the arrangement of 'Expanding the Map', theme when you using ship in the world map. While I I half-heartedly like the many symphonic suite arrangement for using of dissonant in the middle point, I like this one a lot. The first 50 seconds reminds me a lot of Debussy's arabesque. The introductry using passage of chords giving sensation of seabreeze.

The fifth movement is my least favorite track. I dont like Elegy too much, so I dont have much thing to say except the arrangement is very good and tragedic. I think this is the softest piece in the entire suite.

The sixth movement is rocking. An arrangement of Dragon Quest Battle music. I always compare this with track from Final Fantasy VII Piano Collection, 07 Fighting People. The arrangement is really powerful and suits the name entitled 'Tempest'. Note that Trickwaters using Dungeon Theme in 1:39-3:37 which I found bit odd and ruins the mood of heated battle. It would have been better if only the battle theme used in this movement.

The seventh Movement is the grand closing of the suite, using the 'Finale' theme. This one is stand out one fantastic. Very virtuostic.

I dont have anything more to say. This piano suite is just amazing, and leaves me speechless when I listened for it in the first time (and now as well). If you are disappointed with the crappy Dragon Quest on Piano series, I really recommend you to listen this piano suite.

5/5

Note: the track 1, 2, 3, and 4 would probably not available because VGMix is down.

EDIT: all tracks are available now.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Ok, I have uploaded the minuet. I will upload other tracks later.
III. Minuet

There's nowhere I can't reach.

ok, all tracks are uploaded now. Hope you enjoy this master piece.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.