Dragon Quest IV - Dragon Quest In Brass II

Well, this recording is different than the title would lead you to believe. It is not just for brass, but for a full wind band. Certainly a different approach. The music is undeniably excellent. Many themes are apparent throughout, and the performance is very, very good. However, this is more like thematic stage music and, while good, can be difficult to listen to. The music tells a story, and at many points is actually more like a musical dialogue between two or more characters. This does prevent it from reaching several climaxes, and it has a certain jerkiness to it. Since each piece is short, as would be appropriate of a piece set to a scene, the themes never really seem to develop. They just stay there, mostly unchanged, jerking the listener about. However, I don't believe that the DQIV music was intended to be separate from the story, but more like a small addition to it. Unfortunately for those of us who are spoiled on the Final Fantasy series, it's just not that great. Don't get me wrong, the music is good, and the playing is excellent, but it's just not as good as it is within the context of the game. However, its sheer uniqueness and the quality help to keep it up there.