An essay comparing Valse di Fantastica and Starlit Waltz, and how one portrays the public side of Noctis and Lunaâs relationship, while the other portrays their private relationship.
Written by @aero5ane
Read by @mistress-light
The Final Fantasy franchise and Kingdom Hearts one alike are both known for their in depth lore and intricately structured use of literary devices, as well as their remarkable and iconic features. One of said features is the music; the music is often used in order to convey the tone; however, the music is also a form of storytelling in its own right, used to show many hidden things, and more specifically in terms of this paper, underlying emotion.
The titles of such pieces are often shown to have meaning and build upon the story, such as Final Fantasy XVâs main theme, âSomnus,â which means sleep, and correlates to the symbolism used in the game (âNightâ, âMoon,â âInsomnia,â etc). In two particular compositions featured in the OST and Piano Collections album, âValse di Fantasticaâ and âStarlit Waltz,â the use of names and structure of musical composition are both necessary in developing the message that is to be conveyed. Both pieces are a representation of the relationship between the hero and heroine; however, each piece displays a different representation.
In the beginning of Final Fantasy XV, it starts as a road trip for Prince Noctis to travel to Altissa, where he is to marry Lady Lunafreya. An arranged marriage, also mentioned as a âsymbol of the peaceâ and âmarriage of convenienceâ in the groupâs occasional banter, which served strictly as a term in the treaty to stop the war and to have a physical display to the public of political harmony.
Used to convey this more public side of Luna and Noctisâs relationship is the âStarlit Waltz,â also known as âIn Celestial Circlesâ in the Piano Collections Album. Focusing on the title used in the Piano Collections, celestial is relative to the âvisual heavensâ, and the visual heaven in this case, could refer to the daytime, considering most depictions of heaven are shown through the use of clouds and light. Daytime, symbolically, is used to perceive physical, spotlight, on-the-surface concepts (take the saying âin broad daylightâ into consideration). The famous proverb, âthe sun sees your body, while the moon sees your soul,â can be taken into account here to help exemplify the meaning of daylightâs focus on the surface of things. The title, in that sense, already defines that public side of the charactersâ relationship.
Furthermore, the composition of the music plays an importance in developing the tone as well. Most noticeable about this piece is the strong introduction, using a clearly marcato(separated) style played at a recognizable forte. Setting the tone as being very spaced and defined, coinciding with the defined and straightforward intention that would have been expected of an arranged marriage. Looking into more depth, the piece also features a very static bass line, playing on the downbeat of each measure in the same manner of high and then low, and even during the clarinet solo, other instruments continue with the same simple marked and separated quarter note on the downbeat of each measure. The ensemble does not pass the moving line between sections, and is often in unison when the single moving line does play, except for the clarinet soli during the second half of the piece.
Focusing more on the Piano Collections arrangement, the piece keeps the defined and marcato style, more accented than in the OST arrangement, and highlights the defined moving line, being the only line that is meant to be focused on. Because the Piano Collections arrangement does not have to play in a loop like the OST version, the ending is more defined. The ending does a quick glissandro into the final note, abruptly cutting off the song, causing the ending to sound as if it were intended to be rushed to an end. Both arrangements convey the separate and static feeling that is associated with diplomacy. The piece also forces the listener to focus on a single line, instead of having many dynamic moving lines interacting, coinciding with how media, for example, attempts to convey one focus point on a matter, and also displaying the political means of their relationship.
Noctis and Lunaâs relationship did not begin with the arranged marriage, and they knew each other long before, creating more personal ties between the two of them. This is where âValse di Fantastica,â called âWaltzing amid Moonbeamsâ in the Piano Collections, is brought up. Starting with the unofficial title of the piece, it contrasts with the previous piece explained (âIn Celestial Circlesâ) by using the symbolism of the night, instead of the daytime. The night has heavy meaning and relevance towards the two characters, Noctis meaning night and Luna meaning moon, and makes the piece show a more personal connection towards the characters instead of their political background. Referring back to the proverb stated previously, daytime(sun) focuses on the outside; however, the night(moon) shows the inside, or more specifically, the emotion and soul. Because they are waltzing amid the moonbeams, the emotion and personal feelings between the characters are more exemplified.
The composition of the piece conveys the emotion by adding many swells and changes in style as well creating a more dynamic ensemble that interacts with the moving lines and the melody. The beginning of the OST arrangement starts off at a mezzo forte; whereas, the beginning of the Piano Collections arrangement starts off at a mezzo piano; however, both arrangements start off much quieter volume than âStarlit Waltz/In Celestial Circlesâ. The bass line of this piece also differs from the one previously mentioned in that even though the rhythm of the bassline is one downbeat per measure, this piece varies the set of keys/notes being played with each measure, creating a more expressive feeling, while allowing other sections of the ensemble to highlight the second and third beats of the measure in order to blend in with the bassline. The timpani also has itâs own âmelodyâ, instead of highlighting the bassline, allowing the percussion to add more versatility and interaction between the sounds.
In this piece, there are far more small measures where individual sections are being brought out, such as the one measure of violins playing before the solo. Even during the solo, instead of following the rhythm of the bassline, the woodwinds create a small accompanying line in the background, layering in more sounds to be heard. Also amplified in this piece are the use of dynamics. The piece features many swells in the phrasing, and uses the crescendos, decrescendos, and different articulations to highlight the varying emotions that can be associated with these dynamics (for example, the use of a crescendo into a louder dynamic and more appassionato or con brio style could represent a feeling of passion or devotion; whereas, a decrescendo that switches over to a dolce, amoroso, or cantabile style could represent a feeling of calmness, peace, or tranquility).
The use of varying dynamics also allows for the different harmonies and lines to be heard, showing the focus of interaction in the piece. In the OST arrangement, the oboe solo is soon turned into a duet, and is then followed by a mezzo piano volume, crescendo-ing into a mezzo forte and allowing a fluteâs trill played in forte to be heard among the ensemble, which compliments the prominent bass line, once again, layering in many different moving sounds. The layering of sounds also allows the listener to focus on many things at once, such as how the different sounds both contrast and compliment each other. This is especially evident in the Piano Collections version, where there are often many things going on at the same time. Lastly, the ending of the piece does not abruptly end like âIn Celestial Circles,â instead it uses much repetition, repeating rhythms, and generally creating a powerful, lasting closure that builds into the last note, before letting the last note ring.
With the composition of the music defined, it is easier to see the way this piece shows the more personal side of the characters. The static and fixed âStarlit Waltzâ is used to convey their political status and their relationship in the public eye, âValse di Fantastica,â shows the emotion and feelings represented between the characters by creating a more complex and intricate combination, displaying the layers that are present beneath the surface in their relationship. The symbolism in the names of each song displays the message that was intended to be apparent between the two, as well. Both pieces create a contrast between the public and personal side of Luna and Noctis, while also delving into the already apparent and thought out symbolism used in this game.
Starlit Waltz (OST)Â <https://youtu.be/FryeD9yJ2jw>
Starlit Waltz: In Celestial Circles (Piano Collections)Â <https://youtu.be/x5SPgpGgSt0>
Valse di Fantastica (OST)Â <https://youtu.be/6rcerGuWDvk>
Valse di Fantastica: Waltzing amid Moonbeams (Piano Collections)Â <https://youtu.be/srq7Aqb44TI>
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