December 2008 - CT DS Video Interview with Yasunori Mitsuda

At http://na.square-enix.com/ctds/, a video interview with Mitsuda was posted with English subtitles.

Transcription:

The game itself has such vast scale, and I wanted the score to be the same. In-game audio only translates about 20% of what I have playing in my mind, so to be able to record it with an orchestra...It finally brings the song I had in mind to life. It's just as I had imagined it would be, so I'm extremely satisfied.

  • Song Selections for the Medley

Selecting the songs for the medley was very tough, especially since everyone's favorite is different. To be honest, I was really not sure what should be included. Basically, I decided I should include a song from each era, and strong characters' theme songs.

  • Yearnings of the Wind

Something hit me when this song was played. Something...As if something rose from the ashes, and I genuinely felt this was amazing. I think this is one of the highlights of the album.

  • Chrono Trigger

It's really humbling since this is from 13 years ago, almost like reading an old diary. There are a lot of aspects in Chrono Trigger that are rough around the edges, mostly due to youth, which make sit all the more humbling for me. But, this is my debut piece after all. Because of that, this composition undoubtedly had a significant influence on my life as a composer.

  • 13 Years

I feel that the way we intereact with music has changed greatly in the last 13 years, even for me. For better or for worse, I think it would be extremely difficult to create something as "powerful" as I did 13 years ago today. But instead, all that I have learned in these 13 years allows me to compose something much more intricate. To be perfectly honest, I find it so hard to believe that songs from 13 years ago are loved this much. Keeping these feelings in mind, I hope to continue composing songs which are powerful, and yet intricate.

  • Sentiments Towards the Songs

The ending theme, "Outskirts of Time", was something I was working on before I was involved with Chrono Trigger. I was writing this song in dedication to a certain person, a certain person with whom I wanted to share a generation. It definitely has a greater sentiment than the other songs.

  • To the Fans

I wanted to preserve the sound that the fans have felt for the past 13 years. Even the in-game music has been replicated so closely that it sounds as if we have not changed it from the original. I hope that the extras like this bonus CD will help expand the world of Chrono Trigger, especially since we did a live recording. I hope there's another opportunity to release an album of this sort one day.

  • On Game Music

I think it's something that should last with the player. It's interesting because it can't just be some random music, but something that can make its way into the player's heart. In that sense, this not only applies to game music, but I feel very strongly about composing songs that will leave a lasting impression.

  • What I Want to Convey

What I must not forget is that it must be entertaining to those who are listening. I don't think there's much else to it, to be honest. I don't do anything too audacious, so as long as the listeners like it, or feel that it's a really great song, then I've done my job.

From: Interviews