Chudah's Corner - Liner Notes

# A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon ~ Coi Vanni Gialli

Catalog Number: SSCX-10016
Translation By: Ongakusei

Liner Notes

It's really only in recent years that I seriously began listening to classical music...I've particularly come to love it since graduating from college. I've felt for a long time that I should spread something wonderful as this throughout the world, but I've also known that I couldn't make my living doing classical music. Demand for classical music in Japan is still low compared to other countries, and the market is limited to recorded media. In the post-war days of the 50s, performers made an effort to popularize classical music, and believed somewhat naively that if they committed themselves steadily and wholeheartedly to that venture, the proper culture of appreciation would take root. Unfortunately it seems that a lot of musicians, without realizing what they're doing, limit their performances to those areas where people already appreciate classical music as a sublime art. I have lately come to feel the significance of what I write in these liner notes very strongly. Actually, writing liner notes was something I had wanted to do for a long time. I wonder if any of you have ever felt the same? I'm sure everyone has a kind of music they particularly like, but have you ever wanted to advocate that music to as many people as you could, no matter who? The direct approach is to just force people to listen to your music, but this callous tactic might lead to impatience. But of course I still feel that I'd like to spread the word on this music by any means necessary, to borrow any forum for that purpose, no matter how unfairly. What will come of all this, I don't know. The effect may be worth nothing. But I'd like to believe that simply being able to write "classical music is truly wonderful" in an environment like this has been the point. Had I tried to make my living in classical music, to rise to the status of giving my own recitals, I wouldn't be able to say that. And even if I could, I'd only be preaching to listeners who already love classical music like I do...I've never been one for taking the slow route like that (laughs). Anyway, allow me to express something I've wanted to say for a long while.

There's a tired, but still interesting platitude relevant to classical music: take your time with it, and the day will come when you appreciate it.

By the way, I rambled throughout the liner notes about it, but the music in this album was just written so it's not "classical" at all. I thank everyone involved in this album, and you who have bought it, from the bottom of my heart. That's all from me.

-Masashi Hamauzu (Composer)

Just as we label brands of wine, so we label composers of orchestral music. How would music critics and music lovers respond to this CD? A fantastical work of Debussy? No, perhaps Ryuichi Sakamoto? No, maybe a new Broadway show or Hollywood film... Now, one can suss the provenance of a grape from its scent, but I doubt anyone would guess that the pulpwood out of which this rarefied music was built came from Playstation game music. This is a truly new, original music. Here the curtain rises on the world of up-and-coming composer Hamauzu.

I'll not waste time on the uncouth endeavour to put Mr. Hamauzu's musical style into words. I would leave it to everyone to figure that out for themselves.

The majestic reverberations of full orchestra, a lonesome violin tugging at the heartstrings, the superb, dizzying piano technique, the accordion redolent of Paris... before you know it, your heart will be soothed.

Impudently, this music was not hashed out in front of the piano. The sound of each instrumental phrase in Hamauzu's head was digitally sequenced directly on computer without a score, and from there printed out as symphonic music to shake the world of the full orchestra.

In short, this is the debut of a composer of genius.

-Yasuo Sako (Orchestrator)