Dragon Quest IV Symphonic Suite (London Philharmonic)

Dragon Quest soundtracks can pose a dilemma whether to obtain their full symphonic suites or just experience parts of each via the excellent best collections available. For the series' fourth installment, however, no such dilemma exists. Boasting one impressive orchestral feat after another, Dragon Quest IV Symphonic Suite absolutely demands to be enjoyed in its entirety.

Dragon Quest has always had its share of rousing battle themes, pacifying overworld pieces and grandiose ending themes, but Dragon Quest IV's signature work "Comrades" adds something that had previously been in short supply - character. A perfectly paced medley of various character themes that range from being quirky to solitary to exotic (the gypsy segments at the end are enchanting), it has the charisma you'd expect of classic Final Fantasy themes, but with composer Koichi Sugiyama's elegant orchestral touch.

Surprisingly, following Comrades are two more medleys of almost equally high caliber. "In a Town" begins true to its name, with a carefree "roaming the town" melody that later transitions to a New Orleans jazz bit much saucier than you would expect of a Dragon Quest score. This alone would make for a complete piece and one of the series' better town themes, but an arrangement of regal trumpets with magnificent, sweeping strings at the climax elevates the piece to a higher level altogether, as much resembling Joe Hisaishi's magical Studio Ghibli works as it does traditional Dragon Quest. Sugiyama's skill with an orchestra is in full effect here - the themes themselves are certainly nice, but it's the expressive orchestrations and timely classical flourishes that make them truly special. The same can be said for "Homeland ~ Wagon Wheel's March". Though the medley's themes themselves are quite memorable even in their original game synth state, Sugiyama's delightfully drastic shifts between calm orchestral ebbs and crashing crescendos take the symphonic suite version to a whole other level.

Dragon Quest scores are known for their classical influences, something that seems to be a source of reluctance for some who don't follow the series. For earlier Dragon Quest scores I can understand the sentiment, but in Dragon Quest IV, not a chance. "Elegy ~ Mysterious Shrine" is both sublimely classical and deeply emotional, two qualities that are sometimes exclusive in other Dragon Quest scores but that come together perfectly here. Dragon Quest string pieces can sometimes be a bit boring, but "Unknown Castle" is so exquisite it's hard not to be impressed, and even the melodically understated "Balloon's Flight" is worth a listen every time, if only to hear Sugiyama expertly manipulate the various parts of the orchestra.

The remaining themes fit quite nicely into roles established by previous entries in the series, even if they sound a bit normal in comparison to the rest of the score. "Frightening Dungeons ~ Cursed Towers" holds more interest than earlier dungeon themes thanks to a more charismatic melody, and though "Ending" is more calm and reflective than Dragon Quest III's rousing "Into the Legend", it provides almost as satisfying a conclusion. Really the only potential weak links are the melodramatic "Sea Breeze" and the lone battle theme "Battle for Glory", which though bold and threatening in its first half is plodding and drawn out in the second.

As with most Dragon Quest scores, multiple symphonic suite recordings of Dragon Quest IV exist, and as with many of them, the version by the London Philharmonic Orchestra comes most highly recommended. (As a disclaimer, I've yet to hear the double-disc live album by the Kanagawa Philharmonic.) Similarly to Dragon Quest III, the brass of the London Philharmonic is impeccable - "Battle for Glory" leads far more energetically than the NHK Symphony's version and finishes with more strength and menace, while at the peak of "Wagon Wheel's March" the orchestra truly bellows. At times the strings can sound a bit distant compared to the NHK's, but for the majority of the album it's hard to find fault in the London Philharmonic's performance (or in the recording itself, which is more pristine than both the older NHK recording and the compressed-sounding Tokyo Metropolitan Orchestra one).

Every Dragon Quest album has at least a few fantastic themes to offer, but taken in its entirety Dragon Quest IV is the most consistently excellent of them all. The slow spells that plague other Dragon Quest scores are virtually nonexistent here, and the town, exploration and character medleys belong at the pinnacle of the series. Every soundtrack fan needs at least a little Dragon Quest, and I highly recommend beginning one's foray into the series with Dragon Quest IV Symphonic Suite.