https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJ8hdwM5h4E

This album is a fully orchestrated version of a few tracks from Final Fantasy VI. However, having been done so early, it does not quite live up to the more recent orchestrated albums and is generally uninteresting.

The reason is simple: the orchestra was simply incapable of taking advantage of its number in order to make epic arrangements. Kefka’s Piano theme, for example, sounded a little goofy in its introduction but at least the end of the loop reflected its character better. The version on Grand Finale does not sound evil at all; it even sounds burlesque during the softer parts of the track. And when louder brasses kick in, it sounds even more burlesque.

The same thing goes of Phantom Forest. The piano version was able to better capture the mystery surrounding this confusing dungeon. While the flute in Grand Finale sounds nice, its tempo is much too slow and the orchestra behind it wasn’t able to create an ambiance of mystery. Ditto for Black Jack (the first airship theme). The tempo is much too slow compared to the usual epicness airship themes have been conveying since Final Fantasy 1 – heck even the NES version sounded more epic.

Or because the tracks are played with real instruments, the orchestra tries to do too much. Kids Run through the City has an endless introduction that is uninteresting with violins and harpsichord. Fortunately, the core of the track sounds welcoming and relaxing thanks to its slower tempo and excellent violin arrangements. However it ends rather abruptly.

Opening Theme sounds on the right note, with slow arrangements and bells in the background that are faithful to the original track. The core of Tina’s theme is played OK – the flute sounds too Celtic for my taste – but the “variation” after the first loop sounds completely out of place. As if the instruments were played at random rather than try to build a climax like more recent arrangements of the track.

Or also because the arrangements are a complete miss. Milan de Chocobo has to be the ugliest such theme EVER composed, second only to Techno the Chocobo in FF 6. The tempo is much too slow and it goes on and on without keeping the listener’s interest, unlike the famous out-of-synch crowd clapping on Brass de Chocobo. THAT version had interesting variations after playing the loop twice. Aria di Mezzo Carattere, while finally having a soprano singer, is too slow to be enjoyable (for my taste). Plus the arrangements get too loud when the violins quick in, almost drowning the singer’s voice.

Finally, only two tracks caught my attention for not being totally bad. Gau’s theme DOES sound more beautiful with real instruments, especially real cellos. They aren’t as loud as on the Super Nintendo, and the arrangements are able to carry the sad feelings of Gau’s life in the Veldt. Unfortunately the track gets spoiled midway with “joyful” arrangements, which are good in and by themselves but feel completely out of place.

Troops March On (the military camp theme) was MUCH better with real instrument. The tempo is much slower and heavier, the constant drum beat in the background shows that it’s a military theme and the second part of the first loop starts loudly But like Gau’s theme this track gets spoiled midway with arrangements good in and by themselves but that feel completely out of place – they don’t even sound military.

In short I can not recommend this soundtrack. There are much better arrangements available, be it with orchestras or piano, so you would be better looking out for those.