Classical music isn't dying, it's just been modernized and integrated into video games. It's great. The music really enhances the sense of immersion with the in-game activities.
The fight against Sephiroth would be nothing without this score. In fact the music makes entire game. Omfg... I just realised after 25 years that Final Fantasy VII is an opera 🤯
Careful with this rabbit hole, us Final Fantasy fans will never let you go. Nobuo Uematsu was the sound of many Millennials'' childhoods. His successor, Masayoshi Soken, is currently doing a bang up job as well with the live service MMO FF14 which has hundreds and hundreds of tracks alone. The boss fights like E12S, Susano, and more are just so beyond epic and as you mentioned in this video with your comparison to Genshin, just fun and loaded with personality. And because the FF series spans many settings from high fantasy to steampunk to futuristic, each game stands out. For my money, FF7, FF8, and FF13 are the best complete soundtracks
@_badmadsadlad I'd argue that Nobuo has many dozens of successors if not more. In terms of sheer popularity I'd say Soken, while Shimamura's music might more closely resemble Uematsu's. For me personaly Soken's music has the impact on me today that Nobuo's music had on me when I was younger (and today lol). No doubt though Nobuo will influence generations. Sort of a Genghis Khan effect in the best way possible.
It's worth noting that this is straight-up one of the most beloved pieces of video game music of all time. There are whole symphonies of Final Fantasy music, and this is pretty much always the grand finale. Nobuo Uematsu is an absolute rockstar in gaming circles, and this is his most famous piece.
I went to one of those performances! It was an absolute treat to sit in a beautiful theater and listen to live musicians play songs I love. The only place I’ve been where one my left was a couple in dressed to the nines in near-black-tie attire, and to my right was a man dressed as a chocobo and no one bats an eye 😊
The character of Sephiroth is several things. An elite soldier, a national hero, Frankenstein's monster and in the end Lovecraftian horror. This song perfectly matched how exciting yet unnerving the player's final confrontation is with him.
Definitely check out the Advent Children version of One-Winged Angel if you want to hear the rock elements realised more overtly, with electric instruments on top of the orchestra and choir
Here’s the oldest track I could find: th-cam.com/video/nNms5rOaGlk/w-d-xo.htmlsi=3Sb2oP-XCzavmHcH Here’s the Advent Children Complete (Directors Cut) version: th-cam.com/video/ZgPCKazn_Mc/w-d-xo.htmlsi=YPdd3_Ly1wJmrHrt
100% agree the Distant Worlds Version is far more classical in feeling. The Advent Children Version with the electric guitar is where the more rock / Hendrix feeling comes in. Both are great.
I don't think classical music will ever die. The anount of passion people have for the arts will keep it alive for as long as we live no matter how often music trends evolve.
The Hendrix influence in this piece is specifically the intro for Purple Haze. Hendrix does staccato octaves landing squarely on the beat. This idea forms the basis form One Winged Angel. Chords landing on the beat to mimic a matching rhythm and the pattern of low-high low-high
Nobuo Uematsu changed my life and is a huge reason I'm a musician and engineer today. When I was 12 I ordered the FFX Piano Collections sheet music from a Japanese vendor and proceeded to learn everything with nothing to stop me.
As soon as I saw his name on the feed I clicked through to this video. Nobuob Uematsu was a huge reason in me expanding my musical horizons. So glad to see so many people were influenced as well.
An anecdote: Uematsu-san composed my kid brother's favorite lullaby. I was 16 to his 3, our mother was in the hospital, and FFIV had just been remastered for the DS. It was played a lot, and it's one of my favorite OSTs, so the soundtrack was really on my mind. I would sing my brother to sleep to these songs, but he was particularly fond of "Welcome To Our Town", the town music. When he was tired and ready for a nap, he'd ask me to walk him up and down the hall and "sing him his little song." That game kept us sane that summer.
there's a version of that song that plays in ffxiv endwalker, and even though i had only played ff4 for the first time earlier that year, it felt nostalgic to me and that combined with where it played (a location where you're separated from most other characters in the story) and feeling very lonely myself around that time made me want to cry. i think it's fascinating how everyone can have their own personal story from the same song
This is reminding me of when me and my best friend convinced our middle school band director to listen to our Uematsu mix CD on the bus to a band field trip 😂 she was also pleasantly surprised. I believe the first track we had her listen to was Liberi Fatalie!
If you were to listen to Nobuo Uematsu's other famous track: "Dancing Mad", which he composed in the game before "One-Winged Angel", I would actually consider recommending listening to its original form. There's a specific reason for this, the game it was made for was released back in 1994 on the SNES game system. Because of the limiting technology at the time, music on video games back then was highly simplistic, often short and compressed to preserve memory. Yet despite that, Nobuo Uematsu was able to craft a ridiculously complex and haunting song that's nearly TWENTY MINUTES LONG. Some one once described composing a song like he did for the SNES was like "painting the Sistine Chapel with crayons." So if you were to listen to it, that is the specific version I would recommend listening to.
Well to be clear, the technology did exist, but it wasn't wildly utilized. The PC Engine and the Sega Genesis both had CD Add-ons with the ability to playback CD quality audio.
I'm of two minds about this comment. Yes I get it, the true genius is shown how he worked within the constraints of the technology of the time. However, the pure musical beauty is on full display with the full orchestra here. I think for this channel she went with the right version.
One Winged Angel... The Megalovania of old. IT STILL makes me think "oh no" when I hear it. Because this isn't your theme, this isn't a theme of the battle you are having. This is Sephiroth's theme. It's playing for him as he defeats HIS enemies. Which is you. And all throughout the song for that first time, you're learning that he is not arrogant, he is confident. It's pretty chilling when you have that context. It was also so unique sounding compared to every other boss theme of the era. I'm glad it's still getting the attention it deserves.
I agree for the most part but i think some elements in the song had the "hero arrives" moment. like with the flutish sound which is a version of a final fantasy piece.
Best comment ever about it? DAYUM! The "oh no" quote was so precise, and the "it's HIS theme, and he's confident"... "Man, we are SOOOOOOOO dead" that's what the player should say!
Oh the memories, the panicked "he won't die, he won't die, every time I kill him he transforms and gets back up stronger, he won't die." And the prolonged siege, entire turns of just healing your wounds bracing for the next crashing blow before you can respond. It was like fighting the ocean.
True story, I was 10 minutes late to work because I decided to fight 1 more boss so when I got home I could beat the game. Fight Starts: "Ok, cool, this has to be a mini boss. I know there'll be a save right after. Let me make this quick and use KotR and Mimic!" 10 minutes in: "Huh... not ending. That's ok, I'll just keep casting KotR and what not. He should die soon." 20 minutes into fighting Sephiroth I'm saying "Huh, this is going a little long for a mini boss fight, am I doing any damage with Knights of the Round? Is he absorbing my damage?" 30 minutes in "I wonder if this is the final boss. I hope this ends soon, I'm gonna be late." 40 minutes in "Huh, I guess this is the final boss. OH WAIT he died! Oh good I hope there is a save... wait, there's the final boss. No save... I wonder if I can just pause it and... he died in one hit? Huh. I guess that was the final boss."
@@TheOnceMoreGaming It took you 40 MINUTES?! I think I beat Jenova + Sephiroth and Seraph Sephiroth combined in less than 20 minutes, that was on PlayStation 1.... were you seriously underleveled?
That reminds me of playing Persona 3 fes for the first time and reaching the final boss and it took me 4 hours to beat because I was underpowered @@Asherek
To give you a sense of how highly regarded Nobuo Uematsu's work is, he is often considered "the John Williams of video game scores". He has so many memorably iconic pieces that whole concert tours have been held that were comprised entirely of his music from the Final Fantasy franchise, though "One Winged Angel" is probably his most well-known song. It really conveys the intensity and foreboding sense of doom of heading into battle against your most dreaded foe while the fate of the world hangs in the balance. When you're playing the game and "One Winged Angel" kicks in, you simultaneously get goosebumps while your stomach drops.
@@aden538 do yourself the biggest favor. find when the next one is happening close to you, buy the tickets and make the trek to see it. you will NOT be disappointed
@@aden538 I can't recommend them enough, I went last year to the one in London, and before I got back to my hotel had already booked tickets for 2 more dates. The NieR concerts under the same production company are also absolutely fantastic.
It's crazy how, as well regarded as that song is, is such a step down from Dancing Mad. Like, One Winged Angel is not even on the top 10 best composed songs from him, that's how crazy good Uematsu is.
The Hendrix influence is in the "Advent Children" arrangement of this piece, which is still orchestral but includes extra instruments that bring a rockier edge.
I think video games are a driving force in keeping classical music alive. So many amazing composistions come from video games. Final Fantasy alone has so much great music.
No real surprise there when you look at the age of the people who make video game music Good chance they listen to stuff like this when growing up or when they were at school
@@snakekingblues3017 how fucking old do you think these guys are? Nobuo Uematsu is only 65, and Koji Kondo is 62. They're in my dad's generation. That was the era of disco, acid rock, and early heavy metal, not classical music.
I'm so glad you listened to the Distant World's version. I rarely see people talk about it and how it accurately it adapts the original midi version from the game into live instrumentation, and I interact directly with parts of the Final Fantasy fandom!
The march-like, militaristic rhythm with the timpani and the snare rolls are not only due to it being used for battle, but the character this theme is attached to is a famous soldier in the game setting. In a way, you could parallel this to, say, the Imperial March from Star Wars.
Dancing Mad from Uematsu is a must, but frankly I'd listen to all of his music all day. Love also his "Phantasmagoria" which is the only project by Uematsu that doesn't involve videogames
I'm kinda sad people always react to the orchestral or FF7 remake version and not the original instead. If they do listen to the original it's usually not until after a different version. But I think the original first is the best way to go for a proper context.
Nobuo Uematsu is in a league of his own. I have played probably hundreds of games in my life, but music from the Final Fantasy series has always been the most well-orchestrated, awe-inspiring, and "loaded with personality" as you say. Simply fantastic.
Yes, I'm sure her notes included a reference to hendrix in the soundtrack. Hence, she was looking for it in this piece. They should've used the original V.G. piece instead of the theatrical version.
One thing thats even more excellent is that Uematsu used to tour with his own progressive rock band called "The Black Mages" where he made prog rock versions of his final fantasy music.
I absolutely love how in some of his compositions that prog influence really comes through. Some parts, most famously the 3rd movement of Dancing Mad, just scream one of those massive Moog synths from the 70's.
39 year old man and I still cry every time I hear this song. Best friend introduced me to this back in 97 and I went and got a Playstation that day because of it. I've replayed it countless times and have devoted thousands of hours to playing it in different ways. Thank you, Chris. Miss ya.
My heart broke when I first finished 7. Knowing it was over and that I would never feel that ever again. I could play it again, but I know it more, the joy of discovery cannot come again. There will be an ff8, but that's be _another_ final fantasy and I'd know roughly what to expect. They'll always just be _more_ of it. I sat there in tears.
@@MostlyPennyCat Ahhh but then you only had to set goals the next gameplay. Beat the game at low level Use no material Get Omnislash and Great Gospel in disk one Max out character stats using Yuffie in the Crashed Gelnika Making one of each Master Materia for every character. Every single character. Finishing the game with the characters original gear. Those were each different gameplay but memorable ones. Also Emerald Weapon is pretty difficult with a Buster Sword.
@@Jchmcom Oh yeah, I did say you could do it again, there's always _more_ But there can only ever be one _first_ Knowing that that first was gone was absolutely a knife to the heart. I'm so glad 8 was as good as it was and I can't remember a single thing about 9. Except the final fight I ended in a handful of minutes. It was embarrassingly short and easy. Haven't played an FF since! 😂 I played the first one after they got rid of ATB, didn't like it, didn't get past the first disk. I've also finished chronotrigger and 6, but after is played 7.
Game designer here (and former indie musician) I understand that your focus is purely on the musical composition, but I cannot stress enough how important it is to not just hear the music in a vacuum. When we design games, it is a comprehensive experience made up of many components and everything that the player experiences - visuals, sound effects, gameplay and indeed music - all come together to make a cohesive whole that is greater than the some of its parts. This piece in particular is the epic and climatic final battle against, not only a thematic enemy, but an ideological foe. And this music compliments that narrative build up in ways that just listening to it sat in a room cant do justice. I know games are not for everyone, but I think for some of those high moments in the art of gaming, like this one, its worth it to experience it in context. Regarding the Hendrix influence: Uematsu san was more of a rock musician before he took the job composing for games. So his influences were often things like Led Zeppelin. That said... yeah I have trouble seeing the Hendrix connection myself...
This is exactly right, when I listen to this piece I reminisce on the battle and the scene it was in and the many hundreds of hours of gameplay. I think of the scene, I think of the pacing, the little bits and the end. It's the intensity and trepidation for the battle you are in. You imho sum it up exactly how it is suppose to be listened to, well done :)
So cool how she described the music as the feeling of going onto stage to play a difficult piece, with so much at stake, yet you've prepared for the challenge. This is the exact way one feels entering a tough final boss at the end of a long and fun video game. She nailed it without (I think) even realizing this connection. Addition: "The fact that someone could play a game while listening to this kind of music... is exciting to me." Video game music is absolutely a gold mine of amazing, terrific music. We've been trying to tell you all this whole time. In the future, these composers, who wrote for video games, will be seen as we view Bach or Beethoven today: founders of the musical language that lives on through the decades and centuries.
I remain convinced that someday there's going to be kids, a thousand years from now, who join a band class and become composers themselves as a direct result of Christopher Tin's 'Dream of Flight'. That piece is beautiful.
I still remember it: the first time I heard the strike and strain of the orchestra, it was in the middle of the day a summer long ago, and I knew that I was approaching the end of a beautiful story brilliantly told. And I knew that I was in INCREDIBLE peril. God, what a tune!
I love that the music feels off-kilter. There are moments where it feels like it's setting something up musically, then it jumps ahead, resolving faster than you were expecting. It gives it a strange, unsettling feeling.
When Uematsu originally composed this he wrote 2 to 4 measures a day that popped into his head and after 20-30 he started to rearrange them until they "fit well together"
If you are diving into Modern Japanese Composers Yoko Kano has one of the most varied ranges as well as a consistently high level of creativity of anyone ever.
This is crazy to me, I have no idea how I came across this video other than the fact that Nobuo Uematsu is my all time favorite composer due to the video game series itself. One Winged Angel is so good it makes me emotional every time I hear it. I was lucky enough to see the performance in Honolulu a few years ago and it was the best experience ever. I’m actually emotional listening to this. Thank you for doing this haha.
There are no video game composers more well respected than Nobuo Uematsu. I fell in love with his work as a teenager, and watching you enjoy it was just so fun. Thank you.
10:10 is interesting to me because she had no idea that Sephiroth is the epitome of SOLDIER and was the most well-known member. Even more interesting that she mentions how it has that military feel and then it deviates off and does something unique. That's a distillation of Sephiroth's journey. Incredibly insightful, especially given that she has no idea of the character or story. It's a testament to Nobuo's skill.
It's really interesting how to see as someone who doesn't play games she really delves into how the music will get your adrenaline going and affect you playing the game. But it's even more interesting how she doesn't really touch on at all the horror, fear and terror that permeates through the piece. I would have thought it's meant to sound threatening yet she finds it more motivational.
18:30 I think this is not a problem in this case since Final Fantasy VII is a single-player videogame and not one that requires that level of skill and coordination. Also, something that happens with every videogame player after playing for a long time is the ability to focus even in the most chaotic situations, as playing becomes second nature.
12:12 When i first heard this, Sephiroth was "summonning" a meteor that cause Super Nova with animation so epic at that time that make me froze in time. (Summoning animation was only player technic before super nova)
One-Winged Angel was Nobuo's second shot at an Operatic/Classical sound. Final Fantasy 7 has had several sequels or remakes, and he's gotten to redo it as many times. He's redone it with his band "Black Mages", as part of an animated movie "Advent Children", and once again as part of Final Fantasy Rebirth. Most have a lot more rock in them.
listen to purple haze by Jimi Hendrix, then one winged angel. Uematsu was quoted as drawing inspiration from that song specifically when composing one wing angel.
I have never clicked on a video faster! My favorite videogame of all time. My Spotify listening habits are 90 percent Nobuo Uematsu after decades of mostly listening to death metal.
You described the early part of the music as this feeling of excitement like you're up against a great challenge, but you're also confident and prepared for it. That is remarkably on brand for when you first hear this piece in the original game, where Sephiroth is the final boss. So it's the moment when the Narrative stakes are as high as they possibly could be, player and character are as prepared as they every will be.
And then you get you ass whopped and you realize you were WRONG. I saw it in a comment here that this is HIS theme song, not your. You are the enemy about to be defeated. That's why it's such a great song! Makes the fight that epic.
18:40 a very important note about this song. it was not played in the game, but in an cinematografic battle in a movie. The music played in the game is the same but played differently, adapted to a game it self.
I don't know if you'll read this Amy, but I'd like to set the stage just a bit for how this piece of music is presented in the game. Sephiroth is not only the villain in Final Fantasy VII, he is one of the most iconic villains in video game history. When first introduced in the game he is an imposing figure dressed in black with long white hair and an impossibly long sword. He is charismatic, terrifying and mysterious, and he murders the main characters' friend/love interest in front of him. This also directly impacts the player as she too was a playable and important character in her own right, and you spend the entire game chasing him around the world. By the final confrontation, which might come after over a hundred hours of playing the game, he has become more than a man; a godlike horror of genetics and ancient magic which threatens the entire planet. I had to laugh a bit when you said that you could not concentrate on a game if there was music, but it might help to think of this more as the climactic final scene at the end of an epic movie or tv-show. Final Fantasy is not a competitive game which demands all your concentration, it is an interactive saga where the challenge is more about making the right choices than fast reactions. One Winged Angel sets the mood perfectly for this last battle with the thunderingly ominous bam-bam-bam playing as his monstrously angelic form slowly descends towards you from the sky. A human torso resting atop strange white limbs with one black wing on his back; the one winged angel of the apocalypse. This song made me reevaluate what video game music could be, and to this day I can't hear it without picturing moments from that final epic confrontation.
Uematsu is legitimately one of the best video game composers of all time, I think one of his major strengths as an untrained composer is that he's more willing to experiment with his music and do things that might not necessarily speak to everyone. I wouldn't say ever song of his is a hit, but when he does hit with a song he really really hits with it. I think another thing that makes Uematsu great is that he's making these songs for story beats, there's a narrative that comes with them and a lot of the time if you separate the music from the game you can still get that sense of pageantry and drama from the music. I always like to imagine every Final Fantasy game as a Stage Play (Neverminded that the developers often structure them like stage plays anyway.) And I like to think of Uematsu as the play composer, really supporting the stories that are told.
I’ve been to Distant Worlds concert a couple of times, in Barcelona and in London, and when “One Winged Angel” the audience goes totally crazy. It’s an amazing experience ☺️
"Kind of the feeling of If you have ever gone into a tense situation, a challenging situation with a lot of confidence," Yep. As someone who _has_ played these games, this is spot on for what the music evokes in players. "Kind of excitement and thrill to be tackling this challenge." Right again "And you know that a whole lot is at stake" Totally nailed it. "But there's also this feeling of 'I've prepared for this.'" NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE. No one feels adequately prepared when One Winged Angel starts.
LOVED watching this, I love that you provided your thoughts and insights about this and gave some analysis. I've seen some music reaction videos that just don't give any of that. So this was so refreshing!
I went to see Distant Worlds (I am a huge Final Fantasy fan) and I took a friend of mine who had never played any Final Fantasy games but they are a classical musician. We both had an amazing time, this specific song was the finale and the crowd sang along. Afterwards, my friend said that it was an amazing experience to see a theater packed with people clapping and cheering with such vibrant enthusiasm and volume, and that they wished that culture allowed for that type of expression of appreciation for other types of classical music experiences.
Your explanation of this piece is so eloquently put, it describes the true and raw emotion of this magnificent work, at the highest degree this song has changed the way games have created music for decades now
Nobuo Uematsu is a genuine master composer. He particularly excels at instrument selection to craft and set up atmospheres with the different combinations of timbres. Lovely, memorable pieces one after another. I really love to watch educated musicians break down and study his pieces so i can appreciate them even more, thank you for your insight.
The lyrics are all lines lifted from Carmina Burana. I don't know if they were chosen for specific meaning or if they were chosen for the cool-factor of latin choral voices and these lines just had the sound the composer needed. Keep in mind this was written for the end of one of the first epic long cinematic RPGs of its generation in 1997. I don't know if they knew people would be looking at it that deeply 25 years later. But that history makes it all that much more special to me.
"Burning inside with violent anger" and "Fate, monstrous and empty" both fit Sephiroth pretty well, as does "Come to me, do not let me die" towards the end. Sephiroth is seeking to destroy all life and become a cosmic entity that devours planets, and Cloud and the party are trying to stop him; it's about as direct as one could hope.
Was looking for this comment as it's something I don't often see mentioned about one-winged angel. I noticed real quick that those lyrics were familiar when I first looked them up in '98.
I think they were chosen partially for their meaning, but it's also worth noting that the Advent Children version had lyrics rewritten specifically for it.
With game music, the experience harmonizes with the player interactivity. Some music sounds OK when heard separately, but spectacular when experiencing it playing that game.
I've always been curious what a classically trained musician thinks of this song. I think many of us "gamers" felt as if our musical tastes ascended to a higher plane the day we first heard it so it's good to have that feeling validated by someone who knows what they are talking about.
@@ominayu Well yeah that's understandable, but the Virgin Rock never played this game and won't be nostalgic about it. She should rather listen to en arranged version, that would be more fitting of her I think.
Man, I envy anyone who gets to hear One Winged Angel for the first time! The original MIDI version was my first time and I didn't get to hear the "orchestral" version until later. Such an exceptional song from an amazing composer!
I like this piece a lot. So much so that I added it to my playlist. Such great dramatic orchestration and interesting themes and phrases. I loved all the different instrumental and choir parts. A powerful piece. I agree Amy, it is much more engaging and interesting than Genshin Impact, and it does have a lot of character and personality to it. While I have never dug deep into the Final Fantasy series' sound tracks (I did play this game back when it was released in the 90s), I know these sound tracks are considered very accomplished and well done. I really did enjoy this piece and your reaction to it. I am glad you enjoyed it too.
I suggest watching a youtube video called "The Nintendo-fication of Jazz" which talks about how video game music is becoming the new "jazz standards" that musicians are going to for identifiable pop culture sounds and music. Classic and progressive composers like Uematsu being just one of the driving forces behind games music being recognized by the next generation of musicians as their heroes. And with the extreme popularity of game music being played by symphony orchestras for the past two decades, it's only a matter of time before these compositions become new classics.
Kinda crazy listening to you, listening to this piece the first time and IMMEDIATELY putting in words EXACTLY how music from Nobuo makes you feel? I hope you tackle all of his music, its so good. As someone who grew up with this, listening to it as a kid, I can agree with everything you said. One Winged Angel is the peak of the game - its the final confrontation, the last battle that will shape the fate of the whole planet and everybody on it. thats exactly what it is supposed to do - push you forwards, give you the confidence, as the player, to push forward, to trust in what you build up through the game, being ready for the conclusion, to bring everything home. Thats the song. thats the game. Nubuo has as much to do with Final Fantasies success as the storywriters had.
Seeing a pro react to this is fire. What a great idea. Seeing her react to notes and such is cool to look at. Like she's trying to understand what's happening.
In case you're not already aware of MarcoMeatball's channel, he's a classically trained opera singer and video game fan who talks a lot about video game music, classical music, and their connections in modern times. Your comments on the discussions over classical music dying out reminded me of some things he's talked about as well.
Then you should post a collab on his (MarcoMeatball) community channel asking, "What TH-camr/Streamers would you be interested in seeing me invite to the channel to share music with? Either we exchange our favorites or introduce each other to new music we haven't heard." He posted this.
There is a video on youtube that the man himself talks a little bit about his creative proccess behind this piece. It`s called "How Nobuo Uematsu Composed FF7's "One-Winged Angel"" I really recommend watching it!
As someone who really enjoyed your reactions to the wall and pink floyd, my favorite rock band ever. Im going to tell you right now Nobou Uematsu is probably the greatest musician of this generation, or maybe even ever. sometimes its helpful to play the final fantasy games to help understand the context of the music but it stands on its own. This is one of his most popular songs and rightfully so, but some of his work is so incredible, you just have to listen to it. some of the most beautiful, riveting music Ive ever listened to, Ive never listened to music besides him or yasunori mitsuda (another legendary game composer) that can conjure up so many different emotions at one time and opposite emotions at that. I cant explain it, but his music just does something to you. Also to clarify, you mention this song isnt very jimi hendrix like, and I agree, but Nobou has a huge body of work that has many rock song influence. he covers a wide genre of styles that he often will fuse together. He even has his own rock band called the black mages where he did more rock centric covers of his music with guitar players etc. All of it is really good.
I played the game that this was featured in, upon release in 1997. At this time music had only just evolved from what we call 'chip-tunes' in the world of video-game music that consisted of 3-4 tones that would be sequentially styled to produce the sound. It was amazing to hear such an amazing orchestral piece of music in a video-game back in '97. I am now a big fan of this composer, Nobuo Uematsu. He inspired me to learn several instruments thanks to his inspiring works. Thankyou for your thoughts, an amazing reaction! Subbed and will explore more of your channel! 🤩
I still find it amazing a man with zero classical training and barely any musical training compared to most compusers not only wrote masterclass pieces, but also on limiting hardware. No one can say he isn’t a brilliant musician
One of the most recognizable and iconic pieces in video game history (the final fantasy prelude theme) was written in something like 20 minutes because they realized at the last minute the game still needed a title screen song. Mind blowing
Whether for good or bad reasons, video game and film music has allowed me a backdoor into orchestral music. I recently went to a performance of Verdi's Requiem.
Hurray! That has to be my all time favorite masterwork. You might also enjoy the Mozart Requiem and the Britten War Requiem, and maybe even Handel’s Messiah or Mendelssohn’s Elijah if you like that.
There's another version of the song which was composed for the film Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, which has a rock/hendrix segment added to it. Maybe worth checking out, too :) Great video!
As much as I love this song, I will caution you that it is not exactly representative of his works. It's not the first boss theme he's written in this sort of style (with various sections being kind of pasted together to create the whole), but that style is not his typical writing. A running theme in his music is the use of melody. One reason melody is such an important part of his music is that on the early gaming consoles, you were very restricted in the number of musical sounds that could be played at once. This limitation meant that you couldn't really create densely harmonic music. Your harmony had to mostly be implied by careful voice leading and melody writing in general. Although even when technology progressed to the point where he had much more freedom, his melodic sensibilities remained, leading to many wonderfully memorable pieces. Hopefully the next Nobuo Uematsu you check out is the opera from Final Fantasy 6, Maria and Draco. I think you'd find it fascinating. Ideally you would listen to both the original SNES soundtrack version and a modern orchestral version.
Uematsu is the father of modern video game music. I think Dancing Mad is the best thing he's ever done and it was done on a Super Nintendo, a 16-bit cartridge! I would also recommend stuff made by Masayoshi Soken, who inherited the part of main composer in Final Fantasy games. He is an incredible talent too!
I've just discovered you and you're a joy to watch. I very seldom can hold my focus during this style of content, but you held me the entire time. Your face journeys are fabulously entertaining. One thing you said that struck me as maybe unaware - yes people don't go to the symphony as often, but we still are! But we're not going to see Stravinsky or Beethoven etc - we're going to see Nobuo Uematsu, Koji Kondo, and Yoko Kanno pieces performed. We're going to see music that we connect and relate to. Gen X, millennials, and Gen Z all grew up with video games and the music evolved to become quite carefully crafted and superbly immersive rapidly. This is what pulls our hearts to the symphony now ❤
I am impressed by your conclusion and your description of the initial feeling it brings, about being locked in and expecting something while feeling ready is accurate to the context when you experience it through the game. I think it does help introduce people to classical music unseemingly but it could also set unrealistic expectation regarding how upbeat and strong classical music would be, while it's generally more tame because the pieces are usually longer than this specific climax of a song.
You stumbled onto something beautiful with this. Nobuo Uematsu is a font of brilliance that produced many of the most renowned pieces of music in video game history, so you could do many more react videos just like this if you enjoy his work. He is *prolific* and has worked on many incredible soundtracks. If you enjoyed this, I would wager you would enjoy much of his music for Final Fantasy 6 (3 in the US) and the rest of Final Fantasy 7, where he was principle composer. He also helped to do finishing work and contributed several pieces (though was not principle composer) on the soundtrack for Chrono Trigger. These games are not only loved for their music, but are considered some of the best story arcs written in gaming history. His music contributed a lot to the legendary status of these games, because it manifested the emotions and the story elements in these games so vividly. If I could give a targeted recommendation. The final villain sequence for Final Fantasy 6, Dancing Mad, is also a masterpiece. Both of these games share a similar theme in that the villain has arisen to some kind of dark deity-like status, where their lust for absolute power has made them a cataclysmic risk to existence. This is reason for the frantic urgency and peril heard in both of these themes. Might I add, Dancing Mad forms a more complete suite with the piece called Ending Theme, where he reprises all the leitmotifs from the entire Final Fantasy 6 soundtrack and it is one of the most incredible scores I have ever heard to this day. Anyway, hope to see more!
Around 6:25 to 7:00, the word you're looking for is despair, it's a big theme in Sephiroth's identity. Also wanting silence during something that is meant to be engaging is an interesting take. Considering that music is intrinsically linked to storytelling, especially in games. This piece is meant to make you feel hope and despair during the battle, it adds the necessary tension to the already very high stakes. Other great music would be Ultrakill's music, it's Bach if he was a heavy metal composer. If you want to get hit in the feels, Undertale, it got an orchestral arrangement for its 5th anniversary. Then there's plenty of orchestra in the FromSoft games. Blood Borne is probably the best starting point for classical. Have fun.
Nobuo Uematsu and Joe Hisaishi are two of my favorite contemporary composers. In fact favorite composers of all time. You can never go wrong with any piece from these two people. :)
Clicked on this SUPER fast. It was really nice watching someone listen to this song for the first time. As a 13 year old experiencing this on a PlayStation I bought specifically for FFVII and this being my favorite Final Fantasy game, I have such a massive love for this song. It was great watching you break it down. You got a new subscriber in me :)
I was maybe 8 or 9 watching my brother fight Sephiroth. The game had its unsettling moments, but nothing like this. That last battle scared the LIFE OUTTA ME and I wasn't even the one playing! To this day, that song sends chills down my spine lmao
How much I wish you could experience the evolved versions of this song, The experience is so amazing when you know the story of it. The Bipolar sounds plays so well when knowing the inner turmoil within the character. Always gives me shivers every listen I hear more.
For the Hendrix connection in One winged Angel, the opening to the song is similar to the opening of Purple Haze. There are others, but that is the most notable one.
I think the genre of videogame it was released on is one that's quite slow paced and allows you to take your time, so the music does a good job of conveying the intensity of the story's situation.
It's possible the Hendrix influence he mentioned was actually referencing the Advent Children version of this song which introduces rock to it.Advent Children is the movie squeal to the game. Hope you check that version out too!
Ah, this was the purely orchestral version. I was puzzled when the howl of an electric guitar didn't start in. Nobuo Uematsu is an amazing composer, and an absolute legend. I strongly recommend listening to his entire catalogue, which, while immense, is full of incredible, unforgettable music that spans many genres.
Your facial expressions at the beginning were exactly the same expressions I was making, lol. I also love how you actually do your research on the composers, have the lines and translations ready, and take all that into consideration too. Love it. New subscriber here for sure.
![[MV] A leap of faith...ความเชื่อใจครั้งสุดท้าย (From "Petrichor the series")](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/U1piZH2CNXA/mqdefault.jpg)
Classical music isn't dying, it's just been modernized and integrated into video games. It's great. The music really enhances the sense of immersion with the in-game activities.
I agree. Some of the most memorable games I've ever played had amazing OSTs. Shadow of the Colossus is one that immediately comes to mind.
Same goes with movies
Anime as well
Very true. If you listen to OSTs like the ones of Dragon Quest, you hear the continuity with great composers like Prokofiev or Dvorak.
Wow vanilla music goes hard
I like how she’s describing ”is that boss battle music I hear?”
Absolutely 😂
Not any boss battle, THE Boss battle !
@@tofton1977 Precisely
@@tofton1977 And to think, it was probably this music that inspired Kenny Omega to name his finishing move after it :)
@@osutubahe even cosplayed as Sephiroth for a Japanese house show, Kenny utterly rocked the look too
6:30 you're describing entering a boss fight without having the gamer lingo/experience to articulate it. I love it
I have 99 elixirs but I won’t use any in case there’s another phase
Right lol
The fight against Sephiroth would be nothing without this score. In fact the music makes entire game.
Omfg... I just realised after 25 years that Final Fantasy VII is an opera 🤯
@@Menuki haha, oh man, that so me! I'll finish the game not having used any of my expensive items.
@@Menuki Final boss battles are probably the only time I *will* blow all of my items just so I don't have to start over.
Careful with this rabbit hole, us Final Fantasy fans will never let you go. Nobuo Uematsu was the sound of many Millennials'' childhoods. His successor, Masayoshi Soken, is currently doing a bang up job as well with the live service MMO FF14 which has hundreds and hundreds of tracks alone. The boss fights like E12S, Susano, and more are just so beyond epic and as you mentioned in this video with your comparison to Genshin, just fun and loaded with personality. And because the FF series spans many settings from high fantasy to steampunk to futuristic, each game stands out. For my money, FF7, FF8, and FF13 are the best complete soundtracks
God kefka's ff14 dancing cmon. Ff6 and fftactics ost have to warm your heart.
For me ff9 strikes me the most due to nostalgia
I'd argue Yoko Shimamura is more the successor of Uematsu
@_badmadsadlad I'd argue that Nobuo has many dozens of successors if not more. In terms of sheer popularity I'd say Soken, while Shimamura's music might more closely resemble Uematsu's. For me personaly Soken's music has the impact on me today that Nobuo's music had on me when I was younger (and today lol). No doubt though Nobuo will influence generations. Sort of a Genghis Khan effect in the best way possible.
Let's not forget Kefka's theme and slam shuffle, much less the Aria in the opera house.
I love ffxiii music despite not liking the game itself at all. That's how good it is.
10:05
"Some sort of... character to it"
Boy do I have a mad clown laying in wait for you.
Somebody get this man a pipe organ.
Up!
Ahem. There's SAND on my boots!
Son of a submariner!
@@baltakatei *kefkalaugh.wav*
It's worth noting that this is straight-up one of the most beloved pieces of video game music of all time. There are whole symphonies of Final Fantasy music, and this is pretty much always the grand finale. Nobuo Uematsu is an absolute rockstar in gaming circles, and this is his most famous piece.
He's also a literal rockstar. He's a founding member of The Black Mages.
💯
It’s truly an iconic piece. The paragon of “boss music”. It blends epic and imposing. “This is awesome” with “I’m in danger”
This is also literally the only piece of music that gives me PTSD from my childhood.
I went to one of those performances! It was an absolute treat to sit in a beautiful theater and listen to live musicians play songs I love. The only place I’ve been where one my left was a couple in dressed to the nines in near-black-tie attire, and to my right was a man dressed as a chocobo and no one bats an eye 😊
The character of Sephiroth is several things. An elite soldier, a national hero, Frankenstein's monster and in the end Lovecraftian horror. This song perfectly matched how exciting yet unnerving the player's final confrontation is with him.
and a demi god... the music is that of facing off with a God
You forgot something
Tragic
Don’t forget the jaws reference!
Lot of things, but not a good character.
@DGSnowolf we all cant be right or not know what we are talking about.i accept all people
Definitely check out the Advent Children version of One-Winged Angel if you want to hear the rock elements realised more overtly, with electric instruments on top of the orchestra and choir
Here’s the oldest track I could find:
th-cam.com/video/nNms5rOaGlk/w-d-xo.htmlsi=3Sb2oP-XCzavmHcH
Here’s the Advent Children Complete (Directors Cut) version:
th-cam.com/video/ZgPCKazn_Mc/w-d-xo.htmlsi=YPdd3_Ly1wJmrHrt
God this version is amazing.
100% agree the Distant Worlds Version is far more classical in feeling. The Advent Children Version with the electric guitar is where the more rock / Hendrix feeling comes in. Both are great.
Advent Children was underrated. Especially with regards to the scoring.
Absolutely this
This song has played on repeat in my head for the past 26 years
This man is legitimately one of the most influential composers of the 20th century. Loved your video.
Hate to break it to you, but we're in the 21st century.
A generational talent
@@ReedoTV Self-taught as well. Truly a genius.
When 3 notes is all it takes for people to feel it their guts, you know hes good.
Not 1 of the most, he is THE most. Until him there was no real music in any video games. He revolutionized the industry and was amazing at that
Nobuo Uematsu is to Video Games as John Williams is to American Films.
On a side note, As Yokko Kano is to Anime.
Uematsu’s Chocobo Theme is William’s Cantina Band
*Yoko Kanno
What about Koji Kondo? I'd say he's more the John Williams.
@@DomesticHausCat Koji Kondo is the Henry Mancini.
Joe Hisaishi guys
I don't think classical music will ever die. The anount of passion people have for the arts will keep it alive for as long as we live no matter how often music trends evolve.
The Hendrix influence in this piece is specifically the intro for Purple Haze. Hendrix does staccato octaves landing squarely on the beat. This idea forms the basis form One Winged Angel. Chords landing on the beat to mimic a matching rhythm and the pattern of low-high low-high
Oh I can totally see the comparison now
Listen to the Theme for Psycho by Bernard Herrmann
coinciding with the near-end of 1996 - there was another reference to purple haze in a certain other media franchise from japan
@@GalekC ??
@@GalekC JoJo's Bizarre Adventure?
Nobuo Uematsu changed my life and is a huge reason I'm a musician and engineer today. When I was 12 I ordered the FFX Piano Collections sheet music from a Japanese vendor and proceeded to learn everything with nothing to stop me.
As soon as I saw his name on the feed I clicked through to this video. Nobuob Uematsu was a huge reason in me expanding my musical horizons. So glad to see so many people were influenced as well.
SAME
I ordered the original (I think) sheet music for FF IV/II. It took about 5 weeks to arrive from Japan.
Damn bro so you woke up one day and decided to be BADASS?!
To Zanarkand from FFX is still one of my favorite songs of all time.
An anecdote: Uematsu-san composed my kid brother's favorite lullaby. I was 16 to his 3, our mother was in the hospital, and FFIV had just been remastered for the DS. It was played a lot, and it's one of my favorite OSTs, so the soundtrack was really on my mind. I would sing my brother to sleep to these songs, but he was particularly fond of "Welcome To Our Town", the town music. When he was tired and ready for a nap, he'd ask me to walk him up and down the hall and "sing him his little song." That game kept us sane that summer.
there's a version of that song that plays in ffxiv endwalker, and even though i had only played ff4 for the first time earlier that year, it felt nostalgic to me and that combined with where it played (a location where you're separated from most other characters in the story) and feeling very lonely myself around that time made me want to cry. i think it's fascinating how everyone can have their own personal story from the same song
This is reminding me of when me and my best friend convinced our middle school band director to listen to our Uematsu mix CD on the bus to a band field trip 😂 she was also pleasantly surprised. I believe the first track we had her listen to was Liberi Fatalie!
Darn these ninjas, cutting onions near me...
what a bitter sweet memory, I hope your mom is well as your brother.
If you were to listen to Nobuo Uematsu's other famous track: "Dancing Mad", which he composed in the game before "One-Winged Angel", I would actually consider recommending listening to its original form. There's a specific reason for this, the game it was made for was released back in 1994 on the SNES game system. Because of the limiting technology at the time, music on video games back then was highly simplistic, often short and compressed to preserve memory. Yet despite that, Nobuo Uematsu was able to craft a ridiculously complex and haunting song that's nearly TWENTY MINUTES LONG. Some one once described composing a song like he did for the SNES was like "painting the Sistine Chapel with crayons." So if you were to listen to it, that is the specific version I would recommend listening to.
Well to be clear, the technology did exist, but it wasn't wildly utilized.
The PC Engine and the Sega Genesis both had CD Add-ons with the ability to playback CD quality audio.
@@Finakechi I guess it would be correct to state "the limiting sound technology of the console the game was made for"
10 minutes; the 20 minute versions loop sections.
I'm of two minds about this comment. Yes I get it, the true genius is shown how he worked within the constraints of the technology of the time. However, the pure musical beauty is on full display with the full orchestra here. I think for this channel she went with the right version.
@@NereidAlbel The original is 17:39. The 10 minute version is the edited to remove the loops, just for listening convenience.
One Winged Angel... The Megalovania of old. IT STILL makes me think "oh no" when I hear it. Because this isn't your theme, this isn't a theme of the battle you are having. This is Sephiroth's theme. It's playing for him as he defeats HIS enemies. Which is you. And all throughout the song for that first time, you're learning that he is not arrogant, he is confident. It's pretty chilling when you have that context. It was also so unique sounding compared to every other boss theme of the era. I'm glad it's still getting the attention it deserves.
Such a well-written comment 🍷
☝️💯
I agree for the most part but i think some elements in the song had the "hero arrives" moment. like with the flutish sound which is a version of a final fantasy piece.
Yeah makes me go oh no too. Ever get Supernova cast on you twice? Like, how is that even possible?
Best comment ever about it?
DAYUM! The "oh no" quote was so precise, and the "it's HIS theme, and he's confident"...
"Man, we are SOOOOOOOO dead" that's what the player should say!
I still get the chills every time I hear this
Oh the memories, the panicked "he won't die, he won't die, every time I kill him he transforms and gets back up stronger, he won't die." And the prolonged siege, entire turns of just healing your wounds bracing for the next crashing blow before you can respond. It was like fighting the ocean.
And he don't die.
True story, I was 10 minutes late to work because I decided to fight 1 more boss so when I got home I could beat the game.
Fight Starts: "Ok, cool, this has to be a mini boss. I know there'll be a save right after. Let me make this quick and use KotR and Mimic!"
10 minutes in: "Huh... not ending. That's ok, I'll just keep casting KotR and what not. He should die soon."
20 minutes into fighting Sephiroth I'm saying "Huh, this is going a little long for a mini boss fight, am I doing any damage with Knights of the Round? Is he absorbing my damage?"
30 minutes in "I wonder if this is the final boss. I hope this ends soon, I'm gonna be late."
40 minutes in "Huh, I guess this is the final boss. OH WAIT he died! Oh good I hope there is a save... wait, there's the final boss. No save... I wonder if I can just pause it and... he died in one hit? Huh. I guess that was the final boss."
@@TheOnceMoreGaming It took you 40 MINUTES?! I think I beat Jenova + Sephiroth and Seraph Sephiroth combined in less than 20 minutes, that was on PlayStation 1.... were you seriously underleveled?
That reminds me of playing Persona 3 fes for the first time and reaching the final boss and it took me 4 hours to beat because I was underpowered @@Asherek
@@Rthe47 i just spammed him with Knights of round.
To give you a sense of how highly regarded Nobuo Uematsu's work is, he is often considered "the John Williams of video game scores". He has so many memorably iconic pieces that whole concert tours have been held that were comprised entirely of his music from the Final Fantasy franchise, though "One Winged Angel" is probably his most well-known song. It really conveys the intensity and foreboding sense of doom of heading into battle against your most dreaded foe while the fate of the world hangs in the balance. When you're playing the game and "One Winged Angel" kicks in, you simultaneously get goosebumps while your stomach drops.
I disagree...I reckon John Williams is the Nobuo Uematsu of film scores!
But really I totally agree with you, he's just epic!
Distant Worlds is one of my bucket list concerts.
@@aden538 do yourself the biggest favor. find when the next one is happening close to you, buy the tickets and make the trek to see it. you will NOT be disappointed
@@aden538 I can't recommend them enough, I went last year to the one in London, and before I got back to my hotel had already booked tickets for 2 more dates. The NieR concerts under the same production company are also absolutely fantastic.
It's crazy how, as well regarded as that song is, is such a step down from Dancing Mad. Like, One Winged Angel is not even on the top 10 best composed songs from him, that's how crazy good Uematsu is.
5:48 "There's a feeling of........excitement" That's the feeling of the Boss Battle right there. Better lean forward, it's time to test your mettle.
The Hendrix influence is in the "Advent Children" arrangement of this piece, which is still orchestral but includes extra instruments that bring a rockier edge.
The hendrix influence is the begining, that looks like the purple haze intro
I'm so used to the wailing guitar in it, I forgot it wasn't originally there.
It's very interesting how if you hear the "midi" version inside the game, the beginning is more rock than in the official orchestral one.
Its not just in advent children.... this guy
The Black Mages were the rock part of it all during that more modern take. Its awesome stuff, wish they'd reform ;)
I think video games are a driving force in keeping classical music alive. So many amazing composistions come from video games. Final Fantasy alone has so much great music.
th-cam.com/video/-PkdLMIz-Ys/w-d-xo.htmlsi=puBXvAkGRn-j8X58
I went to Sweden to see this show. I was raised on video game music.
No real surprise there when you look at the age of the people who make video game music
Good chance they listen to stuff like this when growing up or when they were at school
Adam Neely has this great video about how video game music are becoming modern day jazz standards
Zelda music is so great at it that "Zelda or Classical" is a _way_ harder game than it has any right to be, even for Zelda fans.
@@snakekingblues3017 how fucking old do you think these guys are? Nobuo Uematsu is only 65, and Koji Kondo is 62. They're in my dad's generation. That was the era of disco, acid rock, and early heavy metal, not classical music.
I'm so glad you listened to the Distant World's version. I rarely see people talk about it and how it accurately it adapts the original midi version from the game into live instrumentation, and I interact directly with parts of the Final Fantasy fandom!
It is missing the guitar solo, which is a big psrt of the songm
Feel like the Smash Bros version, with the guitar shredding, is where the Hendrix expectations came from…?
@@JamesCountryman that isn't the smash bros version, that is the Advent Children version of the game that was used in Smash Bros.
The march-like, militaristic rhythm with the timpani and the snare rolls are not only due to it being used for battle, but the character this theme is attached to is a famous soldier in the game setting. In a way, you could parallel this to, say, the Imperial March from Star Wars.
Dancing Mad from Uematsu is a must, but frankly I'd listen to all of his music all day. Love also his "Phantasmagoria" which is the only project by Uematsu that doesn't involve videogames
I came to the comments to say this as well, Dancing Mad is 17 minutes of absolute genius
I'm kinda sad people always react to the orchestral or FF7 remake version and not the original instead. If they do listen to the original it's usually not until after a different version. But I think the original first is the best way to go for a proper context.
I'd really like to see what she thinks of Dancing Mad and it's different movements @@nekrazero8331
@@thenonexistinghero Yes I agree!!
Ill raise you ff14 God kefka's dancing mad
Nobuo Uematsu is in a league of his own. I have played probably hundreds of games in my life, but music from the Final Fantasy series has always been the most well-orchestrated, awe-inspiring, and "loaded with personality" as you say. Simply fantastic.
If you listen to the Advent Children version the Hendrix influence becomes a lot more clear. He uses a lot of electronic guitar in that version.
Yes, I'm sure her notes included a reference to hendrix in the soundtrack. Hence, she was looking for it in this piece. They should've used the original V.G. piece instead of the theatrical version.
hell yeah!
That version is my favorite.
the version with electric guitars kinda ruins the song for me
Best version
One thing thats even more excellent is that Uematsu used to tour with his own progressive rock band called "The Black Mages" where he made prog rock versions of his final fantasy music.
I was going to come and mention this! Their arrangements are my focus music!
I absolutely love how in some of his compositions that prog influence really comes through. Some parts, most famously the 3rd movement of Dancing Mad, just scream one of those massive Moog synths from the 70's.
Love how her first few minutes of describing the feeling of the music is basically describing a boss battle. She was spot on! 😂
you know a final boss is gonna be good when the theme is not only in Latin, but says THE BOSS' NAME AS THE HIT
Razgriz
39 year old man and I still cry every time I hear this song. Best friend introduced me to this back in 97 and I went and got a Playstation that day because of it. I've replayed it countless times and have devoted thousands of hours to playing it in different ways. Thank you, Chris. Miss ya.
7 timer here. 37 years old. 1997 was when life began 😂
My heart broke when I first finished 7.
Knowing it was over and that I would never feel that ever again.
I could play it again, but I know it more, the joy of discovery cannot come again.
There will be an ff8, but that's be _another_ final fantasy and I'd know roughly what to expect.
They'll always just be _more_ of it.
I sat there in tears.
Of course, 8 was utterly spectacular, 7 and 8 are clearly a duology.
@@MostlyPennyCat Ahhh but then you only had to set goals the next gameplay.
Beat the game at low level
Use no material
Get Omnislash and Great Gospel in disk one
Max out character stats using Yuffie in the Crashed Gelnika
Making one of each Master Materia for every character. Every single character.
Finishing the game with the characters original gear.
Those were each different gameplay but memorable ones. Also Emerald Weapon is pretty difficult with a Buster Sword.
@@Jchmcom
Oh yeah, I did say you could do it again, there's always _more_
But there can only ever be one _first_
Knowing that that first was gone was absolutely a knife to the heart.
I'm so glad 8 was as good as it was and I can't remember a single thing about 9.
Except the final fight I ended in a handful of minutes. It was embarrassingly short and easy.
Haven't played an FF since! 😂
I played the first one after they got rid of ATB, didn't like it, didn't get past the first disk.
I've also finished chronotrigger and 6, but after is played 7.
Game designer here (and former indie musician)
I understand that your focus is purely on the musical composition, but I cannot stress enough how important it is to not just hear the music in a vacuum.
When we design games, it is a comprehensive experience made up of many components and everything that the player experiences - visuals, sound effects, gameplay and indeed music - all come together to make a cohesive whole that is greater than the some of its parts.
This piece in particular is the epic and climatic final battle against, not only a thematic enemy, but an ideological foe. And this music compliments that narrative build up in ways that just listening to it sat in a room cant do justice.
I know games are not for everyone, but I think for some of those high moments in the art of gaming, like this one, its worth it to experience it in context.
Regarding the Hendrix influence: Uematsu san was more of a rock musician before he took the job composing for games. So his influences were often things like Led Zeppelin. That said... yeah I have trouble seeing the Hendrix connection myself...
This is exactly right, when I listen to this piece I reminisce on the battle and the scene it was in and the many hundreds of hours of gameplay.
I think of the scene, I think of the pacing, the little bits and the end.
It's the intensity and trepidation for the battle you are in.
You imho sum it up exactly how it is suppose to be listened to, well done :)
@@sinAnon6689
Lol cant believe this song still makes my eyes water uncontrollably. Never gets old lol
You are not alone (cit.)
I thought I was the only one... Sob
So cool how she described the music as the feeling of going onto stage to play a difficult piece, with so much at stake, yet you've prepared for the challenge.
This is the exact way one feels entering a tough final boss at the end of a long and fun video game. She nailed it without (I think) even realizing this connection.
Addition: "The fact that someone could play a game while listening to this kind of music... is exciting to me." Video game music is absolutely a gold mine of amazing, terrific music. We've been trying to tell you all this whole time. In the future, these composers, who wrote for video games, will be seen as we view Bach or Beethoven today: founders of the musical language that lives on through the decades and centuries.
I remain convinced that someday there's going to be kids, a thousand years from now, who join a band class and become composers themselves as a direct result of Christopher Tin's 'Dream of Flight'. That piece is beautiful.
I still remember it: the first time I heard the strike and strain of the orchestra, it was in the middle of the day a summer long ago, and I knew that I was approaching the end of a beautiful story brilliantly told. And I knew that I was in INCREDIBLE peril. God, what a tune!
I love that the music feels off-kilter. There are moments where it feels like it's setting something up musically, then it jumps ahead, resolving faster than you were expecting. It gives it a strange, unsettling feeling.
When Uematsu originally composed this he wrote 2 to 4 measures a day that popped into his head and after 20-30 he started to rearrange them until they "fit well together"
It kinda makes sense, because as we all know, Sephiroth is not well in the head, so it makes sense his theme is kinda unpredictable.
Off kilter like a one winged angel. Beautiful, but wrong in nature.
Pretty sure Hendrix does that
If you are diving into Modern Japanese Composers Yoko Kano has one of the most varied ranges as well as a consistently high level of creativity of anyone ever.
THE QUEEN!
I have to say Yuki Kajiura is right up there as well
This is crazy to me, I have no idea how I came across this video other than the fact that Nobuo Uematsu is my all time favorite composer due to the video game series itself. One Winged Angel is so good it makes me emotional every time I hear it. I was lucky enough to see the performance in Honolulu a few years ago and it was the best experience ever. I’m actually emotional listening to this. Thank you for doing this haha.
There are no video game composers more well respected than Nobuo Uematsu. I fell in love with his work as a teenager, and watching you enjoy it was just so fun. Thank you.
rofl, a lot of them are way better
From videogames?. Hard... there is few but not over him, so if you want list it, is easy to 😂 about you.
@@haeventein634 perhaps, but the respect he commands is inarguable.
6:15 it is insane how your description is so spot on with what is happening in the videogame when this song is played.
10:10 is interesting to me because she had no idea that Sephiroth is the epitome of SOLDIER and was the most well-known member. Even more interesting that she mentions how it has that military feel and then it deviates off and does something unique. That's a distillation of Sephiroth's journey.
Incredibly insightful, especially given that she has no idea of the character or story. It's a testament to Nobuo's skill.
It's really interesting how to see as someone who doesn't play games she really delves into how the music will get your adrenaline going and affect you playing the game. But it's even more interesting how she doesn't really touch on at all the horror, fear and terror that permeates through the piece. I would have thought it's meant to sound threatening yet she finds it more motivational.
@@Qarth56well, it was a little different for us when we had Sephiroth literally throwing exploding suns at us. 😉
18:30 I think this is not a problem in this case since Final Fantasy VII is a single-player videogame and not one that requires that level of skill and coordination. Also, something that happens with every videogame player after playing for a long time is the ability to focus even in the most chaotic situations, as playing becomes second nature.
First time I faced Sepiroth, I am definitely NOT prepared 😂😂😂
12:12 When i first heard this, Sephiroth was "summonning" a meteor that cause Super Nova with animation so epic at that time that make me froze in time. (Summoning animation was only player technic before super nova)
One-Winged Angel was Nobuo's second shot at an Operatic/Classical sound. Final Fantasy 7 has had several sequels or remakes, and he's gotten to redo it as many times.
He's redone it with his band "Black Mages", as part of an animated movie "Advent Children", and once again as part of Final Fantasy Rebirth. Most have a lot more rock in them.
Except they change the latin lyrics on the non OG ff7 versions(and maybe remake)
yea I really missed the rock instruments. makes the song so much more menacing. The live performance with the black mages with always be the best imo
listen to purple haze by Jimi Hendrix, then one winged angel. Uematsu was quoted as drawing inspiration from that song specifically when composing one wing angel.
I've listened to these songs thousands of times and never put that together before. Thanks
Yep the plodding pace and the intervals are nearly identical to the opening of Purple Haze.
Oh my God.
My mouth truly opened wide when I saw the title lol. I'm so happy that you listened to such an iconic song
I have never clicked on a video faster! My favorite videogame of all time. My Spotify listening habits are 90 percent Nobuo Uematsu after decades of mostly listening to death metal.
same here
You described the early part of the music as this feeling of excitement like you're up against a great challenge, but you're also confident and prepared for it.
That is remarkably on brand for when you first hear this piece in the original game, where Sephiroth is the final boss. So it's the moment when the Narrative stakes are as high as they possibly could be, player and character are as prepared as they every will be.
And then you get you ass whopped and you realize you were WRONG. I saw it in a comment here that this is HIS theme song, not your. You are the enemy about to be defeated. That's why it's such a great song! Makes the fight that epic.
18:40 a very important note about this song. it was not played in the game, but in an cinematografic battle in a movie. The music played in the game is the same but played differently, adapted to a game it self.
I don't know if you'll read this Amy, but I'd like to set the stage just a bit for how this piece of music is presented in the game. Sephiroth is not only the villain in Final Fantasy VII, he is one of the most iconic villains in video game history. When first introduced in the game he is an imposing figure dressed in black with long white hair and an impossibly long sword. He is charismatic, terrifying and mysterious, and he murders the main characters' friend/love interest in front of him. This also directly impacts the player as she too was a playable and important character in her own right, and you spend the entire game chasing him around the world. By the final confrontation, which might come after over a hundred hours of playing the game, he has become more than a man; a godlike horror of genetics and ancient magic which threatens the entire planet.
I had to laugh a bit when you said that you could not concentrate on a game if there was music, but it might help to think of this more as the climactic final scene at the end of an epic movie or tv-show. Final Fantasy is not a competitive game which demands all your concentration, it is an interactive saga where the challenge is more about making the right choices than fast reactions. One Winged Angel sets the mood perfectly for this last battle with the thunderingly ominous bam-bam-bam playing as his monstrously angelic form slowly descends towards you from the sky. A human torso resting atop strange white limbs with one black wing on his back; the one winged angel of the apocalypse.
This song made me reevaluate what video game music could be, and to this day I can't hear it without picturing moments from that final epic confrontation.
Sephiroth is also a pussy if you pair Knights of the Round with Mime, he's beaten in 2 moves
Shinra wanted to create a tool. A weapon. They created a monster. A cataclysm.
@@titaniumjackal Dr. Hojo, or How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love My Son
Highly recommend you take a listen to "Dancing Mad." Its a whole piece of work that tells a story of a mad man accending to godhood.
Uematsu is legitimately one of the best video game composers of all time, I think one of his major strengths as an untrained composer is that he's more willing to experiment with his music and do things that might not necessarily speak to everyone. I wouldn't say ever song of his is a hit, but when he does hit with a song he really really hits with it. I think another thing that makes Uematsu great is that he's making these songs for story beats, there's a narrative that comes with them and a lot of the time if you separate the music from the game you can still get that sense of pageantry and drama from the music.
I always like to imagine every Final Fantasy game as a Stage Play (Neverminded that the developers often structure them like stage plays anyway.) And I like to think of Uematsu as the play composer, really supporting the stories that are told.
Everytime, every single time, the “SEPHIROTH!” part never fail to give me goosebumps
I’ve been to Distant Worlds concert a couple of times, in Barcelona and in London, and when “One Winged Angel” the audience goes totally crazy. It’s an amazing experience ☺️
I went just a few weeks ago in SF! What an experience. Such an iconic theme
Was at the one in NYC and OMG the electricity of the audience during One Winged Angel
A couple of times Uematsu joins the choir to sing the Latin portions of the song. Amazing times.
"Kind of the feeling of If you have ever gone into a tense situation, a challenging situation with a lot of confidence,"
Yep. As someone who _has_ played these games, this is spot on for what the music evokes in players.
"Kind of excitement and thrill to be tackling this challenge."
Right again
"And you know that a whole lot is at stake"
Totally nailed it.
"But there's also this feeling of 'I've prepared for this.'"
NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE. No one feels adequately prepared when One Winged Angel starts.
I was not ready to see Sephiroth cast Super nova for the first time.
I was not ready to see Sephiroth cast Super nova for the first time.
LOVED watching this, I love that you provided your thoughts and insights about this and gave some analysis. I've seen some music reaction videos that just don't give any of that. So this was so refreshing!
I went to see Distant Worlds (I am a huge Final Fantasy fan) and I took a friend of mine who had never played any Final Fantasy games but they are a classical musician.
We both had an amazing time, this specific song was the finale and the crowd sang along.
Afterwards, my friend said that it was an amazing experience to see a theater packed with people clapping and cheering with such vibrant enthusiasm and volume, and that they wished that culture allowed for that type of expression of appreciation for other types of classical music experiences.
For some reason this song always plays when my mother in law comes for a visit.
if she has white hair, she may be a figment of your imagination. or is just old.
Your explanation of this piece is so eloquently put, it describes the true and raw emotion of this magnificent work, at the highest degree this song has changed the way games have created music for decades now
Nobuo Uematsu is a genuine master composer. He particularly excels at instrument selection to craft and set up atmospheres with the different combinations of timbres. Lovely, memorable pieces one after another.
I really love to watch educated musicians break down and study his pieces so i can appreciate them even more, thank you for your insight.
The lyrics are all lines lifted from Carmina Burana. I don't know if they were chosen for specific meaning or if they were chosen for the cool-factor of latin choral voices and these lines just had the sound the composer needed. Keep in mind this was written for the end of one of the first epic long cinematic RPGs of its generation in 1997. I don't know if they knew people would be looking at it that deeply 25 years later. But that history makes it all that much more special to me.
"Burning inside with violent anger" and "Fate, monstrous and empty" both fit Sephiroth pretty well, as does "Come to me, do not let me die" towards the end. Sephiroth is seeking to destroy all life and become a cosmic entity that devours planets, and Cloud and the party are trying to stop him; it's about as direct as one could hope.
Was looking for this comment as it's something I don't often see mentioned about one-winged angel. I noticed real quick that those lyrics were familiar when I first looked them up in '98.
I think they were chosen partially for their meaning, but it's also worth noting that the Advent Children version had lyrics rewritten specifically for it.
With game music, the experience harmonizes with the player interactivity.
Some music sounds OK when heard separately, but spectacular when experiencing it playing that game.
I've always been curious what a classically trained musician thinks of this song. I think many of us "gamers" felt as if our musical tastes ascended to a higher plane the day we first heard it so it's good to have that feeling validated by someone who knows what they are talking about.
Can't wait for the Nobuo Uematsu rabbit hole reaction!
Now I'm hopping of a "Dancing mad" reaction
@@ominayu By the Black Mages.
@@Nekoala to be honest I prefer the original version from snes, the other renditions are good, but the original has nostalgia on its side XD
@@ominayu Well yeah that's understandable, but the Virgin Rock never played this game and won't be nostalgic about it. She should rather listen to en arranged version, that would be more fitting of her I think.
@@ominayuThere is also that version which Daily Doug reacted too that she can have a look at as well
A person who she's talked with recently too haha
Man, I envy anyone who gets to hear One Winged Angel for the first time! The original MIDI version was my first time and I didn't get to hear the "orchestral" version until later. Such an exceptional song from an amazing composer!
I like this piece a lot. So much so that I added it to my playlist. Such great dramatic orchestration and interesting themes and phrases. I loved all the different instrumental and choir parts. A powerful piece. I agree Amy, it is much more engaging and interesting than Genshin Impact, and it does have a lot of character and personality to it. While I have never dug deep into the Final Fantasy series' sound tracks (I did play this game back when it was released in the 90s), I know these sound tracks are considered very accomplished and well done. I really did enjoy this piece and your reaction to it. I am glad you enjoyed it too.
I suggest watching a youtube video called "The Nintendo-fication of Jazz" which talks about how video game music is becoming the new "jazz standards" that musicians are going to for identifiable pop culture sounds and music. Classic and progressive composers like Uematsu being just one of the driving forces behind games music being recognized by the next generation of musicians as their heroes. And with the extreme popularity of game music being played by symphony orchestras for the past two decades, it's only a matter of time before these compositions become new classics.
This will never not remind me of school band kids playing that one saxophone bit from Mario Kart
@@CarbonMage Bro I literally only joined band to learn how to play OOT music as a kid specifically the gerudo valley theme lmao
Kinda crazy listening to you, listening to this piece the first time and IMMEDIATELY putting in words EXACTLY how music from Nobuo makes you feel? I hope you tackle all of his music, its so good.
As someone who grew up with this, listening to it as a kid, I can agree with everything you said. One Winged Angel is the peak of the game - its the final confrontation, the last battle that will shape the fate of the whole planet and everybody on it. thats exactly what it is supposed to do - push you forwards, give you the confidence, as the player, to push forward, to trust in what you build up through the game, being ready for the conclusion, to bring everything home.
Thats the song. thats the game. Nubuo has as much to do with Final Fantasies success as the storywriters had.
6:46 Speaking of feelings, this is the theme for a literal battle for the fate of the planet. Well described.
Never, I say NEVER, have I listened to this soundtrack without feeling dread and excitement and goosebumps. Thanks for the reaction video!
Seeing a pro react to this is fire. What a great idea. Seeing her react to notes and such is cool to look at. Like she's trying to understand what's happening.
In case you're not already aware of MarcoMeatball's channel, he's a classically trained opera singer and video game fan who talks a lot about video game music, classical music, and their connections in modern times. Your comments on the discussions over classical music dying out reminded me of some things he's talked about as well.
I think a collab would be nice!
Then you should post a collab on his (MarcoMeatball) community channel asking, "What TH-camr/Streamers would you be interested in seeing me invite to the channel to share music with? Either we exchange our favorites or introduce each other to new music we haven't heard." He posted this.
There is a video on youtube that the man himself talks a little bit about his creative proccess behind this piece. It`s called "How Nobuo Uematsu Composed FF7's "One-Winged Angel"" I really recommend watching it!
As someone who really enjoyed your reactions to the wall and pink floyd, my favorite rock band ever. Im going to tell you right now Nobou Uematsu is probably the greatest musician of this generation, or maybe even ever. sometimes its helpful to play the final fantasy games to help understand the context of the music but it stands on its own. This is one of his most popular songs and rightfully so, but some of his work is so incredible, you just have to listen to it. some of the most beautiful, riveting music Ive ever listened to, Ive never listened to music besides him or yasunori mitsuda (another legendary game composer) that can conjure up so many different emotions at one time and opposite emotions at that. I cant explain it, but his music just does something to you.
Also to clarify, you mention this song isnt very jimi hendrix like, and I agree, but Nobou has a huge body of work that has many rock song influence. he covers a wide genre of styles that he often will fuse together. He even has his own rock band called the black mages where he did more rock centric covers of his music with guitar players etc. All of it is really good.
It would be interesting to get your opinion of the Advent Children version of this song. It has metal guitar and drums.
Yeah, that version has a much stronger rock music presence.
silvagunner best version
Dancing mad (ff6) is really one you should consider, if you are going down this path
I played the game that this was featured in, upon release in 1997. At this time music had only just evolved from what we call 'chip-tunes' in the world of video-game music that consisted of 3-4 tones that would be sequentially styled to produce the sound. It was amazing to hear such an amazing orchestral piece of music in a video-game back in '97.
I am now a big fan of this composer, Nobuo Uematsu. He inspired me to learn several instruments thanks to his inspiring works. Thankyou for your thoughts, an amazing reaction! Subbed and will explore more of your channel! 🤩
I still find it amazing a man with zero classical training and barely any musical training compared to most compusers not only wrote masterclass pieces, but also on limiting hardware. No one can say he isn’t a brilliant musician
One of the most recognizable and iconic pieces in video game history (the final fantasy prelude theme) was written in something like 20 minutes because they realized at the last minute the game still needed a title screen song. Mind blowing
@@DennGreenIII Doesn't Legend of Zelda have a similar story?
The playstation version is sutch an iconic peace of music.
His philosophy of composing is that you should be able to perform his music on virtually any set of instruments and it should still make sense.
Whether for good or bad reasons, video game and film music has allowed me a backdoor into orchestral music. I recently went to a performance of Verdi's Requiem.
Hurray! That has to be my all time favorite masterwork. You might also enjoy the Mozart Requiem and the Britten War Requiem, and maybe even Handel’s Messiah or Mendelssohn’s Elijah if you like that.
There's another version of the song which was composed for the film Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, which has a rock/hendrix segment added to it. Maybe worth checking out, too :) Great video!
Please I need more Uematsu reactions. 💖 This was delightful to watch you experience.
As much as I love this song, I will caution you that it is not exactly representative of his works. It's not the first boss theme he's written in this sort of style (with various sections being kind of pasted together to create the whole), but that style is not his typical writing.
A running theme in his music is the use of melody. One reason melody is such an important part of his music is that on the early gaming consoles, you were very restricted in the number of musical sounds that could be played at once. This limitation meant that you couldn't really create densely harmonic music. Your harmony had to mostly be implied by careful voice leading and melody writing in general. Although even when technology progressed to the point where he had much more freedom, his melodic sensibilities remained, leading to many wonderfully memorable pieces.
Hopefully the next Nobuo Uematsu you check out is the opera from Final Fantasy 6, Maria and Draco. I think you'd find it fascinating. Ideally you would listen to both the original SNES soundtrack version and a modern orchestral version.
Ooh, I hadn't thought of Maria and Draco. That's a good suggestion
i mean, its a literal opera scene inside a game.
Your description of the opening - you just described BOSS mucsic in every video game. A lot rides on this, and I'm ready for it
The version of One-Winged Angel from the movie Advent Children has an electric guitar that's a fun listen.
Caught him live at NJPAC many years ago. This song was performed and the audience was asked to provide the chant. We did pretty well. Amazing night.
I'm glad you loved it. Some of us threw our controllers and shed many tears to this music 😂
Uematsu is the father of modern video game music. I think Dancing Mad is the best thing he's ever done and it was done on a Super Nintendo, a 16-bit cartridge! I would also recommend stuff made by Masayoshi Soken, who inherited the part of main composer in Final Fantasy games. He is an incredible talent too!
I've just discovered you and you're a joy to watch. I very seldom can hold my focus during this style of content, but you held me the entire time.
Your face journeys are fabulously entertaining.
One thing you said that struck me as maybe unaware - yes people don't go to the symphony as often, but we still are! But we're not going to see Stravinsky or Beethoven etc - we're going to see Nobuo Uematsu, Koji Kondo, and Yoko Kanno pieces performed. We're going to see music that we connect and relate to. Gen X, millennials, and Gen Z all grew up with video games and the music evolved to become quite carefully crafted and superbly immersive rapidly. This is what pulls our hearts to the symphony now ❤
I am impressed by your conclusion and your description of the initial feeling it brings, about being locked in and expecting something while feeling ready is accurate to the context when you experience it through the game.
I think it does help introduce people to classical music unseemingly but it could also set unrealistic expectation regarding how upbeat and strong classical music would be, while it's generally more tame because the pieces are usually longer than this specific climax of a song.
You stumbled onto something beautiful with this. Nobuo Uematsu is a font of brilliance that produced many of the most renowned pieces of music in video game history, so you could do many more react videos just like this if you enjoy his work. He is *prolific* and has worked on many incredible soundtracks. If you enjoyed this, I would wager you would enjoy much of his music for Final Fantasy 6 (3 in the US) and the rest of Final Fantasy 7, where he was principle composer. He also helped to do finishing work and contributed several pieces (though was not principle composer) on the soundtrack for Chrono Trigger. These games are not only loved for their music, but are considered some of the best story arcs written in gaming history. His music contributed a lot to the legendary status of these games, because it manifested the emotions and the story elements in these games so vividly.
If I could give a targeted recommendation. The final villain sequence for Final Fantasy 6, Dancing Mad, is also a masterpiece. Both of these games share a similar theme in that the villain has arisen to some kind of dark deity-like status, where their lust for absolute power has made them a cataclysmic risk to existence. This is reason for the frantic urgency and peril heard in both of these themes. Might I add, Dancing Mad forms a more complete suite with the piece called Ending Theme, where he reprises all the leitmotifs from the entire Final Fantasy 6 soundtrack and it is one of the most incredible scores I have ever heard to this day. Anyway, hope to see more!
Pleasantly surprised you are a Final Fantasy music fan comrade!
Around 6:25 to 7:00, the word you're looking for is despair, it's a big theme in Sephiroth's identity.
Also wanting silence during something that is meant to be engaging is an interesting take. Considering that music is intrinsically linked to storytelling, especially in games. This piece is meant to make you feel hope and despair during the battle, it adds the necessary tension to the already very high stakes.
Other great music would be Ultrakill's music, it's Bach if he was a heavy metal composer. If you want to get hit in the feels, Undertale, it got an orchestral arrangement for its 5th anniversary. Then there's plenty of orchestra in the FromSoft games. Blood Borne is probably the best starting point for classical.
Have fun.
Nobuo Uematsu and Joe Hisaishi are two of my favorite contemporary composers. In fact favorite composers of all time.
You can never go wrong with any piece from these two people. :)
Clicked on this SUPER fast. It was really nice watching someone listen to this song for the first time.
As a 13 year old experiencing this on a PlayStation I bought specifically for FFVII and this being my favorite Final Fantasy game, I have such a massive love for this song.
It was great watching you break it down. You got a new subscriber in me :)
I was maybe 8 or 9 watching my brother fight Sephiroth. The game had its unsettling moments, but nothing like this. That last battle scared the LIFE OUTTA ME and I wasn't even the one playing! To this day, that song sends chills down my spine lmao
How much I wish you could experience the evolved versions of this song,
The experience is so amazing when you know the story of it. The Bipolar sounds plays so well when knowing the inner turmoil within the character. Always gives me shivers every listen I hear more.
Uematsu has tons of great songs. That man is a legend in his field.
For the Hendrix connection in One winged Angel, the opening to the song is similar to the opening of Purple Haze. There are others, but that is the most notable one.
I think the genre of videogame it was released on is one that's quite slow paced and allows you to take your time, so the music does a good job of conveying the intensity of the story's situation.
It's possible the Hendrix influence he mentioned was actually referencing the Advent Children version of this song which introduces rock to it.Advent Children is the movie squeal to the game. Hope you check that version out too!
Yeah.
Hope she gives that version a try since it's where the rock actually comes in to the piece.
Actually, I believe the Hendrix influence is described as being the intro. The *bom* *bom* *bom* *bom* emulating Purple Haze
I was also wondering if it was the Advent Children version of this song. But I'll have to go listen to Purple Haze too
It's the intro. Pulple Haze.
@@TheMrCHELL just listened to it! Totally hear it
This was a great surprise! Glad you enjoyed it. We also clean & march around the house to this.
Ah, this was the purely orchestral version. I was puzzled when the howl of an electric guitar didn't start in.
Nobuo Uematsu is an amazing composer, and an absolute legend. I strongly recommend listening to his entire catalogue, which, while immense, is full of incredible, unforgettable music that spans many genres.
Your facial expressions at the beginning were exactly the same expressions I was making, lol.
I also love how you actually do your research on the composers, have the lines and translations ready, and take all that into consideration too.
Love it.
New subscriber here for sure.