One Winged angel
Nobuo Uematsu
One Winged Angel: Final Fantasy VII (“Distant Worlds: music from Final Fantasy”)
Style/Era: 20th Century
Genre: Symphony/Chant
Without a doubt, “One Winged Angel” is one of Nobuo Uematsu’s most aggressive, dynamic, and intense pieces. The song takes from many musical eras with themes containing Romantic marching band instrumentals, Renaissance Latin chants, and Classical dramatic symphonies. Uematsu’s decision to include voices in this piece made it the first to contain any lyrics inside a Final Fantasy game. In fact, Uematsu is also introduced to his first work, and training with an orchestra with “One Winged Angel.” Uematsu aimed to give this song a fuse between the Russian composer Igor Stravinski, and the rock nature of Jimi Hendrix. This intent gave Uematsu chance to create an orchestra that he could rock with. During the “VOICES: Music from Final Fantasy” concert, Uematsu’s own The Black Mages, and his orchestra collaborated to create the ultimate rendition of “One Winged Angel.” This rendition made Uematsu feel as if his song had finally been done the justice it deserved, as he believes that “One Winged Angel” is essentially a rock piece. The Latin chants had verses taken from the medieval poetry “Carmina Burana” for most of the lyrics. Surely, this glorious composition must have a character to go with it, right? Listeners will notice the last chants near the end of the song, which is the choir’s cry for “Sephiroth” (“One Winged Angel (Theme)”). This is the main antagonist of the series, and one who has haunted the nightmares of many fans who traversed through “Final Fantasy VII’s” colossal storyline. The final battle that will decide the fate of humanity can only be portrayed with a song like “One Winged Angel.”
To explain this grandiose composition, we must once again dig deep into the background of our favorite villain, Sephiroth. As one of the most successful participants of Shin-Ra Electric Power Company’s SOLDIER program, Sephiroth became an admired warrior by the infantry, and public alike due to his inhumane strength. Soon, our villain would become a true celebrity in the eyes of the world giving him the status of war hero, advertising the SOLDIER program to the world. Soon, this ego consumed Sephiroth’s soul as it led him to discover the truth that he was the last survivor of the Ancients. This causes him to rebel against Shin-Ra Electric Power Company and humankind as he believes that they have become corrupted. In “Final Fantasy VII,” Sephiroth plans to take control of the world by acquiring the “Lifestream” which will give an Ancient like him the power to become a god-like being. His appearance bares the description of a tall man, with mane-like silver hair, carrying a seven-foot long katana. The title “One Winged Angel” is the result of Sephiroth’s “Safer” form which depicts a large angelic halo behind him, a single dark right wing, and a floating body due to six angel wings that replace his legs (“Sephiroth (Final Fantasy VII)”).
0:00 – 0:16 Percussion and Strings introduce the song with a loud, marching tempo later lead by a series of fast-paced violin arpeggios.
0:17 – 0:26 French Horns take the lead for this segment, and accompanied by the remaining violin playing aggressive, terror-induced chords.
0:27 – 0:46 A single trumpet leads this next segment, as the strings, more brass instruments and percussion rise again to take the stage.
0:47 – 0:53 For this narrow segment, the piano is introduced with a depressing, and gruesome set of chords as the brasses continue.
0:54 – 1:10 The strings ascends in a 3-step beat progression, while the percussion finishes the accent of each beat.
1:11 – 1:44 A strong percussion introduces the first vocals. The chorus of the chant is heard here twice with strings, and brass accompanying.
CHORUS: (Latin) CHORUS: (English Translation)
“Estuans interius "Burning inside
Ira vehementi With violent anger
Estuans interius Burning inside
Ira vehementi With violent anger
Sephiroth Sephiroth
Sephiroth” Sephiroth"
1:45 – 2:00 The repeat chorus is heard here with a 3-step beat by the trumpets. The lyrics sung here, “Sors Immanis/Et inanis” are borrowed from Carl Orff’s “O Fortuna.”
REPEAT CHORUS: (Latin) REPEAT CHORUS: (English Translation)
Sors immanis Fate - monstrous
Et inanis And empty
Sors immanis Fate - monstrous
Et inanis And empty
2:01 – 2:16 Brass and percussion are mainly heard here accompanying the main chorus appearing once again, while the strings can be head slightly in the background, and soon appear with more prevalence.
2:17 – 2:24 Here is where the “Angel” title makes sense, as the hums that begin this segment show a cathedral, or church choir angelic style. Soon you see the villain in Sephiroth’s character, which shoves away the angelic voices with an aggressive violin in replacement.
2:25 – 2:50 What we hear here with the strings and accompanying clarinet reminds me of Italian music later accompanied by a strong percussion, and brass instruments.
2:51 – 3:14 The entire orchestra joins in on this part, with a progressive tune leading to a high climax point.
3:14 – 3:35 Blending in with the last segment, a single clap by clapping sticks completely changes the song’s melody, and theme by a playful, and fairy-tale like mood played by a xylophone, trumpets, clarinets, and bassoon. Strings appear in 3:22 mimicking the last segment, as the same melody plays, ending this segment with another clap.
3:36 – 4:14 A new repeat chorus appears in this long vocal segment by the male singers with a supporting background singing by the female singers singing “Gloriosa/ Generosa.” This is accompanied by a trumpet playing homophonous to the vocals, and an ascending set of strings, with percussion, xylophone, and more brass instruments accompanying.
REPEAT CHORUS (Latin) REPEAT CHORUS (English translation)
[ Veni, veni, venias, [ Come, come, O come,
Ne me mori facias ] 4x Do not let me die ] 4x
[ Veni, veni, venias, Gloriosa [ Come, come, O come, Glorious
Ne me mori facias Generosa ] 4x Do not let me die Noble ] 4x
[ Sephiroth ] 3x [ Sephiroth ] 3x
4:15 – 4:25 “One Winged Angel” sees its conclusion in this final segment, with the dramatic ending and the final word chanting the rise of our main antagonist “Sephiroth!” with a strong finish by brass, percussion, and strings. (Uematsu; Wright)
One Winged Angel: Final Fantasy VII (“Distant Worlds: music from Final Fantasy”)
Style/Era: 20th Century
Genre: Symphony/Chant
Without a doubt, “One Winged Angel” is one of Nobuo Uematsu’s most aggressive, dynamic, and intense pieces. The song takes from many musical eras with themes containing Romantic marching band instrumentals, Renaissance Latin chants, and Classical dramatic symphonies. Uematsu’s decision to include voices in this piece made it the first to contain any lyrics inside a Final Fantasy game. In fact, Uematsu is also introduced to his first work, and training with an orchestra with “One Winged Angel.” Uematsu aimed to give this song a fuse between the Russian composer Igor Stravinski, and the rock nature of Jimi Hendrix. This intent gave Uematsu chance to create an orchestra that he could rock with. During the “VOICES: Music from Final Fantasy” concert, Uematsu’s own The Black Mages, and his orchestra collaborated to create the ultimate rendition of “One Winged Angel.” This rendition made Uematsu feel as if his song had finally been done the justice it deserved, as he believes that “One Winged Angel” is essentially a rock piece. The Latin chants had verses taken from the medieval poetry “Carmina Burana” for most of the lyrics. Surely, this glorious composition must have a character to go with it, right? Listeners will notice the last chants near the end of the song, which is the choir’s cry for “Sephiroth” (“One Winged Angel (Theme)”). This is the main antagonist of the series, and one who has haunted the nightmares of many fans who traversed through “Final Fantasy VII’s” colossal storyline. The final battle that will decide the fate of humanity can only be portrayed with a song like “One Winged Angel.”
To explain this grandiose composition, we must once again dig deep into the background of our favorite villain, Sephiroth. As one of the most successful participants of Shin-Ra Electric Power Company’s SOLDIER program, Sephiroth became an admired warrior by the infantry, and public alike due to his inhumane strength. Soon, our villain would become a true celebrity in the eyes of the world giving him the status of war hero, advertising the SOLDIER program to the world. Soon, this ego consumed Sephiroth’s soul as it led him to discover the truth that he was the last survivor of the Ancients. This causes him to rebel against Shin-Ra Electric Power Company and humankind as he believes that they have become corrupted. In “Final Fantasy VII,” Sephiroth plans to take control of the world by acquiring the “Lifestream” which will give an Ancient like him the power to become a god-like being. His appearance bares the description of a tall man, with mane-like silver hair, carrying a seven-foot long katana. The title “One Winged Angel” is the result of Sephiroth’s “Safer” form which depicts a large angelic halo behind him, a single dark right wing, and a floating body due to six angel wings that replace his legs (“Sephiroth (Final Fantasy VII)”).
0:00 – 0:16 Percussion and Strings introduce the song with a loud, marching tempo later lead by a series of fast-paced violin arpeggios.
0:17 – 0:26 French Horns take the lead for this segment, and accompanied by the remaining violin playing aggressive, terror-induced chords.
0:27 – 0:46 A single trumpet leads this next segment, as the strings, more brass instruments and percussion rise again to take the stage.
0:47 – 0:53 For this narrow segment, the piano is introduced with a depressing, and gruesome set of chords as the brasses continue.
0:54 – 1:10 The strings ascends in a 3-step beat progression, while the percussion finishes the accent of each beat.
1:11 – 1:44 A strong percussion introduces the first vocals. The chorus of the chant is heard here twice with strings, and brass accompanying.
CHORUS: (Latin) CHORUS: (English Translation)
“Estuans interius "Burning inside
Ira vehementi With violent anger
Estuans interius Burning inside
Ira vehementi With violent anger
Sephiroth Sephiroth
Sephiroth” Sephiroth"
1:45 – 2:00 The repeat chorus is heard here with a 3-step beat by the trumpets. The lyrics sung here, “Sors Immanis/Et inanis” are borrowed from Carl Orff’s “O Fortuna.”
REPEAT CHORUS: (Latin) REPEAT CHORUS: (English Translation)
Sors immanis Fate - monstrous
Et inanis And empty
Sors immanis Fate - monstrous
Et inanis And empty
2:01 – 2:16 Brass and percussion are mainly heard here accompanying the main chorus appearing once again, while the strings can be head slightly in the background, and soon appear with more prevalence.
2:17 – 2:24 Here is where the “Angel” title makes sense, as the hums that begin this segment show a cathedral, or church choir angelic style. Soon you see the villain in Sephiroth’s character, which shoves away the angelic voices with an aggressive violin in replacement.
2:25 – 2:50 What we hear here with the strings and accompanying clarinet reminds me of Italian music later accompanied by a strong percussion, and brass instruments.
2:51 – 3:14 The entire orchestra joins in on this part, with a progressive tune leading to a high climax point.
3:14 – 3:35 Blending in with the last segment, a single clap by clapping sticks completely changes the song’s melody, and theme by a playful, and fairy-tale like mood played by a xylophone, trumpets, clarinets, and bassoon. Strings appear in 3:22 mimicking the last segment, as the same melody plays, ending this segment with another clap.
3:36 – 4:14 A new repeat chorus appears in this long vocal segment by the male singers with a supporting background singing by the female singers singing “Gloriosa/ Generosa.” This is accompanied by a trumpet playing homophonous to the vocals, and an ascending set of strings, with percussion, xylophone, and more brass instruments accompanying.
REPEAT CHORUS (Latin) REPEAT CHORUS (English translation)
[ Veni, veni, venias, [ Come, come, O come,
Ne me mori facias ] 4x Do not let me die ] 4x
[ Veni, veni, venias, Gloriosa [ Come, come, O come, Glorious
Ne me mori facias Generosa ] 4x Do not let me die Noble ] 4x
[ Sephiroth ] 3x [ Sephiroth ] 3x
4:15 – 4:25 “One Winged Angel” sees its conclusion in this final segment, with the dramatic ending and the final word chanting the rise of our main antagonist “Sephiroth!” with a strong finish by brass, percussion, and strings. (Uematsu; Wright)