Square Enix have announced that the Kingdom Hearts Concert - First Breath - album is now available for pre-order on the Square Enix Japan E-Store for 3,564 yen ($31.97 USD). It will be available on the E-Store for a limited time only. The album will release on July 26, 2017.
The Kingdom Hearts Concert - First Breath - officially began on August 11, 2016 and had a showing in Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka. After, on March 10, 2017, the Kingdom Hearts Orchestra - World Tour - officially began, and it will have sixteen showings in total. Check out the upcoming show dates and locations here!
The Kingdom Hearts Orchestra - World Tour - also has an album that's available. Check it out/order it on the Square Enix Japan E-Store or the Square Enix NA E-Store!
UPDATE 1: There is a message from Kingdom Hearts series composer, Yoko Shimomura, on the Japanese Square Enix website, regarding this Kingdom Hearts Concert - First Breath - album. Read the message, translated by Katie Armstrong, below:
Hello! I'm Yoko Shimomura, composer for the Kingdom Hearts series.
At this time, the orchestral concert 『KINGDOM HEARTS Orchestra -World Tour-』 recording is available for purchase at the concert venue (and for a limited time on the Square Enix e-store). From the beginning of it's 2016 tour, many people have been asking for a CD of the brass concert 『KINGDOM HEARTS Concert -First Breath-』, and it's finally been decided to release it! Yay! We did it!
Certain pieces are better suited to receive brass band or orchestral arrangements; the different timbres, arrangements, and set lists from different concerts are now all content that you can enjoy. I would be so happy for anyone who came to last year's concert, and those who couldn't make it to have a listen, by all means! Please look forward to the launch!
「 KINGDOM HEARTS 」 series composer,
Yoko Shimomura
UPDATE 2: Track samples for all 12 tracks are now available to listen to with a few comments from Yoko Shimomura. Translations will be available soon.
UPDATE 3: The comments from Yoko Shimomura have been translated by dengojin. You can read them below:
Dearly Beloved
Originally it was a beautiful song with piano and string instruments, the truth is I was worried when it was decided to use wind instruments. However it was a surprise, it didn't seem out of place at all wasn't it ? Then just like the original, just when you can hear the melody of the oboe, I really felt at home. That's probably because I'm the one that composed it right ? ( Laugh ) This arrangement is a medley of three versions. In the middle of the waltz, the wind instruments really stand out brilliantly, I am personally pleased by this arrangement.
Traverse Town
I think this song sounds really good with wind instruments. It gives the image of the excitement and thrill you can feel as example during a music festival at school. You said it yourself but hearing this song gives you energy or determination isn't it ? What do you think everyone ?
The Unknown
This is a medley of Unknown so first, the initial song “Disappeared“ was made using wind instruments, it was quite a difficult song ( especially, the ostinato part that was using low string instruments in the original ). But Kaoru Wada managed to perform it using wind instruments without harming the image of the original song in a wonderful arrangement. The second song, “Rage Awakened“ was performed in high spirits both during the concert and the recording. This time again it was an intense performance. And the last song “Dark Impetus“ was such a great way to end it. “These wind instruments was a cool ending !“ was what I was feeling.
UPDATE 4: Following the album's release, Famitsu and Dengeki Online published a full track list along with more information about the performance recordings. You can find this information below.
The press releases state that the album can be streamed on Mora and other streaming sites, with a high quality with which you can enjoy the sound as if you are inside the recording hall!
Furthermore, to commemorate the album's release, Tower Records (Shinjuku Store) will exhibit Kingdom Hearts art previously shown during the Memorial Music Box campaign. This art will be on exhibit until July 31st.
Track listing (Conductor: Hirofumi Kurita / Performance: Osaka Shion Wind Orchestra) 1: Destati (Composition: Yoko Shimomura / Arrangement: Kaoru Wada) 2: Dearly Beloved (Composition: Yoko Shimomura / Arrangement: Kaoru Wada) 3: Traverse Town (Composition: Yoko Shimomura / Arrangement: Souhei Kano) 4: Hand in Hand (Composition: Yoko Shimomura / Arrangement: Kaoru Wada) 5: Journey of KINGDOM HEARTS (Composition: Yoko Shimomura, Richard M. Sherman, Robert B, Sherman, Alan Menken, Howard Ashman, Danny Elfman / Arrangement: Kaoru Wada) 6: Lazy Afternoons (Composition: Yoko Shimomura / Arrangement: Souhei Kano) 7: The Other Promise (Composition: Yoko Shimomura / Arrangement: Souhei Kano) / Arrangement: Natsumi Kameoka 8: Another Side (Composition: Yoko Shimomura / Arrangement: Kaoru Wada) 9: Gearing Up ~ Shipmeisters' Shanty ~ Blast Off! (Composition: Yoko Shimomura / Arrangement: Souhei Kano) 10: Destiny's Union (Composition: Yoko Shimomura / Arrangement: Kaoru Wada) 11: The Unknown (Composition: Yoko Shimomura / Arrangement: Kaoru Wada) 12: Musique pour la Tristesse de Xion (Composition: Yoko Shimomura / Arrangement: Kaoru Wada) 13: The Power of Darkness (Composition: Yoko Shimomura / Arrangement: Kaoru Wada) 14: March Caprice For Piano & Orchestra (Composition: Yoko Shimomura / Arrangement: Kaoru Wada)
■ "KINGDOM HEARTS Concert - First Breath - Album" Product Description
【Part Number】 SQEX - 10598
【Release Date】 July 26
【Price】 3,300 yen + Tax
【Composition / Production】 Shimomura Yoko
【Arrangement · Direction】 Kaoru Wada
【Arrangement】 Souhei Kano
[Conductor] Hirofumi Kurita
【Performance】 Osaka Shion Wind Orchestra
【Specification】 12cm Disc 1 piece
【Seller】 Square Enix
UPDATE 5: Tower Records Shinjuku have begun selling Kingdom Hearts Concert - First Breath - albums. Along with this, a special exhibition displaying different pictures is also on display.
UPDATE 6: The Kingdom Hearts Concert - First Breath - album is now available for pre-order in the Square Enix North America and Europe stores. The album will cost $39.99 USD and will be release on October 31st in North America while the European store has the album at €29.99 and will be available sometime in October.
Thanks to KHInsider for the tip!
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