In 2013, Square-Enix announced their new concert series surrounding the Final Fantasy series. Having already the highly successful "Distant Worlds" concert series under their belt, "Final Symphony" had to be a markedly different experience to stand out, and upon the opening of its first show, it was.
Its success was touted by many critics, and the album, recorded at the legendary Abbey Roads studio with the equally legendary London Symphony Orchestra, was lauded as a new era of Final Fantasy concerts. This, in turn, gave birth to its sequel, Final Symphony II, in 2015.
Together, both concerts offered a glimpse into the music of Nobuo Uematsu and Masashi Hamauzu as they were never heard before, but with the coming and passing of Final Symphony II, the well began to run dry.
The promotional effort for Final Symphony included behind-the-scenes YouTube videos, a section of the show completely recorded for video revolving around the piece from Final Fantasy VI, "Born With the Gift of Magic," a physical release on CD and Vinyl as well as a digital release. In contrast, Final Symphony II only received two short clips on YouTube announcing itself and eventually a full video for the piece revolving around Final Fantasy VIII, "Mono No Aware."
For almost a decade, I agonized. Final Symphony had never come close to my corner of the world. I was fortunate to own Final Symphony I, but I was desperate for Final Symphony II.
Final Symphony I boated re-arranged symphonic poems dedicated to the music of Final Fantasy: X, VI, and VII. VII, being arguably the most popular Final Fantasy, included a section in three movements spanning over a half hour of music. Rager Wanamo, Jonne Valtonen, and Masashi Hamauzu himself were recruited to rearrange and compose for the series, creating a spectacular reimagining of Uematsu and Hamauzu's music.
For Final Symphony II, this team was brought back, this time to work on pieces from Final Fantasy: V, VIII, IX, and XIII.
I was fortunate enough to catch Final Symphony I in Birmingham, England, in the Spring of 2023. Performed at the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. The BSO is an absolutely beautiful venue, as opera houses typically are, but there's something so modern and stunning about the BSO. A large hall with great vantage points in every seat. The first surprise of the show was Ben Starr coming out for a quick introduction. Final Fantasy XVI has not been released yet, so the anticipation of the game mixed with Starr's vibrant personality set the mood correctly.
There's something about hearing and seeing an orchestra perform, the beauty of a group of instruments and their talented performers working together is stunning to hear and see. Like a living creature breathing on the stage, an animal of pure art. The BSO, along with guest pianist Mischa Cheung (who rightfully plays solo piano pieces on both albums with such luscious expertise that he threatens to steal the entire show), put on a faithful rendition of the pieces with precision but with an extra sense of care that makes the live performances feel alive and dynamic from their recorded counterparts. All the pieces stand out, but to hear the story of Final Fantasy VI play out in a 15-minute suite felt like a fever dream. Every note familiar from my playing the game in my childhood but an excitement of the unknown as Wanamo's arrangement takes the music to such areas unexplored to this point. To make a beautiful thing even more beautiful is such a rarity, but it is the only way to describe Final Symphony I. It is a daring act to take some of the most beloved music in video game history and dare to elevate it to a place where it lives within itself as a higher form of art and understanding.
I was awed by the experience and found myself so happy to be a part of something that felt a part of me. My love for the music of Final Fantasy is shared not only by the other listeners in the room but also by the brilliant arrangers who clearly love this music as I do.
Final Symphony II felt like an impossibility at many points. Because it did not center around the popular child, Final Fantasy VII, I assume its ability to reach an audience was inherently more difficult, and that's why so many of the promotional materials for Final Symphony I were missing. Most startling was that for many years, there was no way to hear the entire show outside of a live performance. No digital release, no vinyl, no CD. Those who were lucky enough to see Final Symphony II in 2015 were the keeper of all the secrets.
I found this reprehensible. I spent days, weeks, even scouring the internet for any news I could get about the concert series. I traversed onto the 100th page of Google searches looking for a sound byte of the show and eventually found myself successful with an audience recording of the show.
I was knocked out. I loved Final Symphony I, but I was always a bigger fan of the music of Final Fantasy VIII than VII, and to hear "Mono No Aware" take VIII's dramatic and gorgeous score and arrange it into this masterpiece that could grip me so strongly, made me feel seen again. A total shock, though, was the selection from Final Fantasy V, "Library of the Ancients," arranged by Valtonen, it grabbed me by the throat. A stark exhibition of Uematsu's genius and Valtonen's completely otherwordly mastery of music, it put Valtonen in a class of his own in my mind suddenly, I had a new person to aspire to, to be in touch with his talent and be transformed by it.
That audience copy kept me afloat for many years before the surprise announcement in 2023 that Final Symphony would not only be getting a digital and physical release but another round of shows, with one of them being right back at the BSO in England.
Well, it was a no-brainer for me, my tickets were secured the second they went on sale. A trip halfway across the world was nothing in comparison to the chance to see and hear the unparalleled beauty of Final Symphony II live. The show will remain a highlight of my life for many years. I cannot boast about the beauty of the talent of the BSO anymore. Even Ben Starr showed up again for this show; everything old was new again, but once the music began, I was gripped.
Firstly, I was even more lucky to have Eckehard Stier, who conducted the initial sessions of both Final Symphonies, to be conducting this show, and even more shocking, Thomas Böcker, creator of the entire Final Symphony series, was in attendance.
I could go into detail about every note played, every memory conjured from the depths of the child that still lives within me, but I will leave it simply by saying that I saw with my own eyes and heard with my own ears one of the most beautiful experiences this life can offer. Hamauzu, Wanamo, and Valtonen's arrangements benefit greatly from having done it once before, and the relief of finally being able to experience this show after almost a decade of despair made it even more special.
I now wait with bated breath for Valtonen to sneeze! Anything he produces is gold, and I am grateful to live in the same world at the same time as him.
I certainly hope those two shows aren't the last I'll experience Final Symphony. There is no intent on making a Final Symphony III, and that's alright with me. Should the tour come closer to NYC again, I will certainly find myself strapped to my seat, ready to be wowed once again.
Uematsu's legacy continues to grow, and even now, in my mid-30s, I find myself as enamored with his music as always, maybe even more.
This final symphony review has to end with one clear thought and that is that Final Symphony feels like a love letter, not just to Uematsu but to the child who played those games and fell in love with that music. They heard the music as I did, and their talent translated it into the unwavering, awe-inspiring product that it is today, and for that, I could never be more grateful.
My Verdict: 10/10
Comments