Chrono Trigger was and is such a legendary video game, particularly with the selection of music made for it. If the original soundtrack failed to impress one, then these orchestral renditions may prove otherwise. Let’s examine this set of orchestral renditions of the original Chrono Trigger track by track, and see how they fare. Note that this is a two part series, this being the first half.

We kick off with Main Theme which is quite a nice and rich sounding orchestral rendition of the main theme song. It sounds a lot like a classical Chrono Trigger trip. Still, the melodies and sounds here are quite infectious. A great listen and something totally different for the listener. Sounds even more heroic than the original.

Next is Peaceful Days which sounds really beautiful and amazing to this day. It is a great orchestral interpretation of the original track, and just sounds really mint and beautiful. This is proof that the original melodies are great, no matter how you interpret them musically. A nice and calm listening experience.

Memories Of Green is a piano led classical piece that sounds really top. It is a great listen, and sounds even more melancholy than the original, given the musical backdrop here. An amazing set of melodies, reinterpreted for this musical setting, this is very very good.

Wind Scene is another great reinterpretation here. It is smooth, melodic and beautiful to one’s ears. Sounding just like a gentle stroll down the park in musical terms, this is a really nice listening experience. It just goes to show how wonderfully good the melodies in this game were here. Brilliant and gorgeous.

Next is Secret Of The Forest which has the wonderful arpeggio of this track set to a classical music treatment here. This is really good, and sounds amazing in this format. The classical music treatment of the original video game music suits this piece perfectly, and it sounds awesome. Great effort. A nice listen. Great example of fine musicianship.

Following is Battle Theme which is a very good interpretation of the battle music in the video game itself. It isn’t as punchy as the original, but is a genuinely good listen regardless.

Guardia Castle is a glorious and moving rendition of the original piece of music that sounds wonderful here. With marching drums and a great rhythmic sensibility, this is awesome. It just sounds really cool, and must be heard by fans of the video game itself. Wonderful. A great listen.

Manoria Cathedral is next, and sounds a lot more sad and moving than the original piece of music did. It is still a decent listen regardless, and is another great track on this album. Melodramatic classical music for your ears. A nice piece.

Next is Silent Light which is a good reinterpretation of the original track with various instrumental melodies coming out to dazzle you. It’s a genuinely good listen, and just goes to show how excellent the Chrono Trigger original melodies were. A great listen. Nice to hear.

Following is Boss Battle which sounds pretty different. It is a frenetic and energetic reinterpretation of the original track, designed for home listening. Great effort by Malcolm Robinson in taking the original and changing it into something different. Excellence in music is here.

Frog’s Theme is a gentle and flute based rendition of the original tune, which sounds pretty cool. This is a wonderful listen, and just goes to show how the original melodies here can be made into something totally amazing. A hero’s track, indeed.

The Trial sounds better and more essential listening for this set of music here. It sounds more Middle Ages and quirky than you’d expect. If Chrono Trigger were made today, this album would be the proper soundtrack to it. A wonderful listen, and seemingly more suspenseful than the original. A fine piece of music, and a great rendition of the original. Nice to hear.

Following is Ruined World which is more melodically sad and haunting than the original track. This is really great listening, even if this track sounds incredibly haunting. A genuinely great listen, and an essential listen for classical music fans and Chrono Trigger games alike. Moving.

Next is Lavos’ Theme which, of course, is the main evil villain’s theme in Chrono Trigger. It sounds super creepy and evil, even in this setting and arrangement here. The piano midsection is really good too, and this is haunting and moving. A great musical moment for both the game and music history alike. A great listening experience. Very moody.

The End Of Time is the last track on volume one of this album series, and is a wonderful classical rendition of that particular part of the game. A nice collection of music here, it is certainly a nice way to finish off a great listen. Brilliant stuff, the harp here is magical.

This is a great little selection of music from the video game and just goes to show that both the original melodies and these renditions are extraordinary in their own way. Volume II follows this, but this is a great starting point for this sort of music here. A truly great listen.

Wonderful.

9/10