Final Fantasy VI - Dancing Mad | Distant Worlds London 2014

Dancing Mad from Final Fantasy VI, played at Distant Worlds London 2014 on the Royal Albert Hall organ.

[@hououinkyouma3864]

I literally cannot believe how no one understands the UNDERTAKING of composing this on SNES. It's insanity. It is BEYOND COMPREHENSION that a man could do a track like this on SNES. I have nothing but ABSOLUTE ADORATION for UEMATSU. He should be named as the modern BACH. Absolute fucking madman

[@BiriBiri925]

I think about 30% of the total space on the cartridge is occupied by this song alone.

[@evolgenius1150]

Right, the ability and skill to be able to take THIS and translate it to a 16bit buncha bleeps and bloops and keep the integrity and dynamics of the music .... on a cart. wow Best 60 dollars of my 5 dollars a week allowance money I saved up and ever spent. I bought a dope soundtrack for 60 dollars and got a free game. I rode my bike 10 miles to the next town over games store, bought the game (Final Fantasy 3 [US]), and rode it back. Played it until I had all the unlocked secret characters, played with every combo of party to get all the endings. Never did something like that again except with Chrono Trigger. Still play games, never annihilate them like that, just don't care too. I'm in my 40's but I spent a good amount of my middle school years playing these games and recording the music into casette tapes, I knew something was magical about Nobuo Umatesu. Turns out we were all right about it.

[@villadavid164]

it was written FOR THE SNES first then transposed to orchestra...not the other way around... and for music composers its not hard to work with small orchestra or small number of instruments. its not that mind blowing....

[@villadavid164]

just to be clear, they had to expand on the original to get this performance, not the other way around.

[@Bristecom]

@@BiriBiri925 What if I told you it took almost no space at all? The SNES can't even really play longer PCM recordings nor does it have a built in synthesizer. Nobuo Uematsu didn't just simply compose this track for SNES but he figured out how to make it as small of a file size as possible by using his own compressed samples and then programming the SNES sound chip to alter the samples as he desired! Not to mention the fact that it perfectly suited the environments and actions within the game. His soundtrack for this game was beyond beautiful and the man really is a genius.

[@adampierce7468]

As much as One Winged Angel sends chills up my arms, Dancing Mad will always be the ultimate boss theme.

[@shubb-niggurath]

Are we just gonna forget “The Extreme” too???

[@creandoCOSASdiy]

Just imagine being there, listening as an audience. Now, just imagine being there, playing as an orchestra. Now, just imagine being there, performing that organ solo. Now, just imagine being there having composed that theme. All those glory themes. Nobuo Uematsu, the creator of a Universe full of goosebumps.

[@jikifreak]

This still gives me goosebumps it’s so beautiful. Dancing Mad is, in my opinion, they greatest musical score of any game.

[@wallcrawler5048]

yup, that sounds about right.

[@hamzilla2801]

100% AGREE!!! first time I heard it I died from having to listen to it! lmao

[@HullsColby]

for me the staple ff music is the best, the calm nostalgic menu and credits music is just great.

[@Mardukas81]

For 26 years I have pointed to this as the best new classical work since the early 20th century.

[@gregwalker121]

This gives one winged angel a run for it's money

[@Esandeech2]

According to my great-uncle (a very gifted organ player) the organ pieces of Dancing Mad are quite the challenge to play at full speed. Props to this man!

[@johnshine4659]

On a scale of 1-10 where your average church organist is about a 4, it's somewhere around 6 maybe 7 if you want to put in some extra work on the feet. Advanced but nowhere near masterclass level.

[@jonnyj.]

@@johnshine4659 Um... for the average organ player, its EXTREMELY challenging to play these parts at full speed. Ive spoken to one who really likes this song, and he also correlates with this view. Why people like you make things seem easier than they actually are when multiple sources tell you otherwise, I have no clue. Its really fucking annoying though.

[@williamkoscielniak7871]

@@jonnyj. He said average is 4 and it's somewhere around a 6 or 7. He admitted it's advanced. But let's not pretend it's Dream Theater or something.

[@autumnleaves3191]

And the most advanced music is attainable by average players if they practice that much. It's not a thing of special people, just people who practice an immense amount to build and retain the advanced skills.

[@Ecsoto1995]

And then there's Bach.

[@joselombana8381]

Almost 30 years later and I still can feel the madness.

[@JimmyODwyer]

I just happened upon this, I was part of the section behind the choir and can see myself "playing" the song on my knee. This is surreal. Excellent footage.

[@vanilla8956]

It's fucking hillarious how the crowd keeps thinking the song is over

[@Chuckclc]

Not unlike your first time playing the game lol.

[@aaronhart8924]

They applauded right when it was coming to the climax I mean ffs get it together

[@romdiredom]

What the fuck is your profile picture?

[@k.o.t.o.r.5119]

"Destruction isn't supposed to make sense! Only when it's senseless, it's funny"

[@pantherman8719]

He's not wrong?

[@Lydasaurus]

No end boss in a Final Fantasy game can ever touch the epicness that is Kefka.

[@doggonemess1]

WHO IS KEFKA?! TELL ME! :)

[@rezahydra]

Four years passed and this statement stands truer than ever.

[@TheZero1312]

A villain who succeeds in his goals.

[@blanko_sama8049]

I think One Winged Angel Sephiroth might have something to say about that. But, positively agree that this song does epicly represent Kefka.

[@stonecold5373]

no end boss in a video game ever can ever touch the epicness that is FFVI Dancing Mad

[@user-rv7tx2jg9w]

もし現地に居たら迫力で涙が止まらないだろうな…録画してくれた方に感謝

[@EML-DRIVE]

4:45 第三楽章の美しさよ 本物のパイプオルガンは、やはり全然違う

[@user-es4os2eb1p]

みんなでコーラスして さらにパイプオルガンの演奏が最高！！まさに神々しい曲！

[@williamkoscielniak820]

Videogame composers like Uematsu deserve to mentioned among the best of contemporary composers. Uematsu is right up there with the likes of John Williams and Hanz Zimmer. In fact I probably prefer him to both of them.

[@Fuchsia_tude]

Easily, especially to Zimmer

[@Yoyo-tx3ue]

Hes way better than both of them

[@dustovshio]

naw zimmer is overrated williams and vangelis are good but nobody can touch rachmaninoff. he didn't do a lot of soundtracks but he should still be mentioned since he influenced williams and basically could have easily done star wars or any other movie if he lived in the modern times just look at his 2 and 3 concerti which scope and vision far eclipse pretty much anything

[@BiriBiri925]

Zimmer is incredibly overrated. He is bad as a composer, objectively bad. Flat and uniform. And I won't even mention that Williams stole motifs for his compositions, you can easily find it on the Internet. John Williams stole tons from Romantic era and beyond. Uematsu is infinitely better than both.

[@austaneousc5802]

​@@BiriBiri925Oh man, the irony of this comment. Dancing Mad itself uses many of the motiffs found in Bach's music. No artist is an island, they all steal components of each other's work to create something new. You're already comparing apples to oranges by pitting film composers with video game composers. Just q silly way of looking at things imo

[@CountArtorias]

This game honestly had everything, a great story, characters, villain, post-game content and many superbosses, and on top of all, amazing music.

[@ayrmont]

I'm still waiting for the ultimate remake of this game... I hope it gets done while I'm alive.

[@DaedalosC9]

maybe a bit too many characters but overall it's wonderful, wonder of how great would have been to have had less secondary characters to focus more on the main ones

[@Veladus]

Great story: Bland as fuck, and there was no story after the WoR. Characters: Almost all of them are one dimensional, no one moreso than Kefka. Villain: Discount Joker is garbage. Post-game content: Doesn't exist. Superbosses: Again, they don't exist. There are no superbosses. I want some of whatever drugs Hipster Fantasy 6 fanboys are on.

[@CountArtorias]

@@Veladus Sounds like you're trolling and you haven't played the game. Because as far as I remember, there ARE superbosses and post-game content. Anything else you say is your opinion, but this is a fact.

[@khangle6872]

@@Veladus pro tip: dont skip side quests

[@JanusHoW]

Dancing Mad on the SNES was interpreted by a lot of people, even Uematsu himself, as "using crayons to paint the Sistine Chapel".

[@strahinjagov]

That was Jeremy Jahns who said that

[@user-sc7ct2jc5w]

何十年もの前のゲームなのにこうやって世界に語り継がれて愛されるのってすばらしいよね！ 神ゲーだしね。

[@Kamineko99]

Best Final Fantasy of them all.

[@aryritter5754]

¡¡Es una obra maestra!!

[@edifyguy]

I've heard this a bunch of times, but for whatever reason when the organ started playing the finale (after the audience failed to realize there was more LOL) it affected me so deeply. I wasn't even watching. I was in the other room (with the volume loud on good speakers.) The pain and emptiness went straight to my soul like a sword. I'm still choking on it. I don't know this villain well, but Uematsu was saying something here that I felt deeply. What a composer. What a performance. Thanks to everyone who was involved, and to the person who recorded it.

[@annekathrinesonnichsen]

Dancing mad is truely a work of art

[@Kbtoy789]

@1:02-1:55 gets me every time in every version. Possibly my all-time favorite portion of a boss theme. So eerie, powerful, and fitting for such a battle. That game was perfection.

[@mf-h3659]

this is the organ bloke's moment. in life.

[@OP-ni2tp]

これこれ！！！これがききたかったんだよ！！！

[@totallymcmylastname9077]

The sound quality is surprisingly good for a phone/camera recording.

[@phoenix5054]

Totally McMylastname Not in 2020 standards it seems,

[@jean-francoishebert943]

You are not in a stadium listening lady gaga bullshit this is an orchestra room sir made for.one purpose sound quality

[@user-kc4lp1kh8z]

コーラスとパイプオルガンが完全に本場

[@mophmeister1993]

Hearing that organ live was something special. London '14 was my first and certainly won't be last. Thank you.

[@hiznam]

00:00　1st Movement 02:35　2nd Movement 04:50　3rd Movement 08:40　4th Movement

[@Purrrple]

Incorrect. Redo your times. Your timecode for the fourth movement starts it LITERALLY in the slow middle bridge. The fourth movement started at 06:49

[@ReiShaoKhan]

AAA gaming has taken a lot of the wind out of many of the old classics breaking into the more orchestral sphere and such. Despite what many game scores have done since, I haven't heard a single song that has really replaced or outdone Dancing Mad. It still sits a top its gothic organ throne of musical pieces in video games. For Nobuo, this track feels like one of the ones that will be remember well past his time.

[@jesmith65694]

This was so epically done that I cried! I can't believe this is real! Bless your souls!!

[@monkeydluffy4790]

Nobuo Uematsu is a great composer.

[@hououinkyouma3864]

Calling him great is a literal DISSERVICE. This man composed this on SNES. I literally cannot comprehend how it is even possible.

[@amandamedina2533]

I don’t any think FF would have been as epic as it is now if it weren’t for Uematsu’s dedication and talent towards this franchise. The guy could’ve made just an average soundtrack but they guy went Beethoven and Mozart. It also proves that gifted people don’t need modern tech to create a masterpiece. He made this track on a 16 bit console people!!

[@shinultima2140]

I really love the organ parts in this song 🖤

[@user-ec2iz2tt5x]

シャドウを待たずに飛行船に乗ってしまい、その後音信不通になってしまったことや、 仲間に入れても、結局、最後は帰ってこなかったことなど、思い出が多いゲームです。

[@user-ul6dz8ux5u]

FINAL FANTASY 6で１番妖星乱舞が好きです！

[@yoyo838]

妖星乱舞がオーケストレーションされてたの知らんかった 生で聞いてみたいものです

[@user-vs9it4wl1i]

I’m willing to travel quite far to listen to this performance in live!

[@isaachernandez3830]

they thought it was over, true fans stood their ground 8:37

[@adamclark8994]

Such an awesome song.

[@OccupancyZero]

that organist nailed it!

[@Piisuke]

OccupancyZero The part everybody was looking forward to. Sitting there, I can honestly say, it was brilliant.

[@LordMalice6d9]

+Stockroom Rick (Raijun) Give him some credit, it is a very difficult piece to play.

[@castoputa]

And that's not just any organ!!

[@BrianGreeneRAD]

No he didn’t ... Tempo was erratic.

[@robertcajucom3203]

3rd movement could’ve been faster.

[@Kurt634]

So sad I missed this :( I found out about it a few days after it had ended, felt bummed out. Thanks for the upload! Hopefully they perform again sometime in the future so I get the chance to experience it live!

[@JonathanBhagan]

best orchestral adaptation i found on youtube

[@maggiebrinkley4760]

Thanks for uploading this! I was sitting 'in the Gods' to the far right of this screen. It was an awesome night! Now the BBC needs to devote an entire Prom to Uematsu-san!!!

[@kaztro9655]

Damn, this score is magnificent!!!

[@Larwood.]

The best recording of the best performance of the best arrangement of the best musical piece from the best game in the best series in the world.

[@NikiWonoto26]

this is truly once in a lifetime concert

[@BenjaminFabre]

Gosh this last movement !!!!!!! What an interpretation !

[@cronoesify]

they absolutely made up for the lack of the iconic double bass drums. it felt just as grand.

[@8781nori]

以前プレススタートで聴けた時は感動だったな。 またあのコンサートやらんだろうか…

[@BowsettesFury]

gorgeous!

[@lizzieboyd9968]

Excellent footage! This was my stand out memory from last night !

[@Schudulaba]

Me too, was awesome.

[@joelamden5177]

That and the FF14 Answers performance, Wow, just wow at her voice

[@armand4116]

Beautiful.

[@kamio0614]

急に聴きたくなって来た

[@Piisuke]

I sat right below you :D Such an awesome experience and this time the organist didn't cock it up like what happened to the one two years prior to this.

[@EpicWingmanXIII]

Piisuke RIGHT? I was at both of them and I was so ready for him to fail again but he clearly levelled up since then.

[@zerstorenser]

@@EpicWingmanXIII what happened the 1st time

[@user-fw8ye1gn2x]

な、なんだこれ！！！？ 誰がここまでやれと言った！！！

[@michaelrussell3890]

awesome night! This, One Winged Angel, and the Battle Medley were my highlights (along with mingling with the other cosplayers. I was Zell)

[@EpicWingmanXIII]

Michael Russell I was in the Grand Tier with my fellow Turks. I was Reno. We met Shiva and Amarant too

[@fveraeaglesfanable]

Amazing

[@aic8326]

What's with the complaints? Can we not just be greatful that they turned this masterpiece into real life art. Thanks for the upload 👍

[@user-tr3ks3im6m]

これ、ゲームの音楽なんだぜ…。 植松さんってすげーな…。

[@mo-ks3ef]

俺達は当時ものすごく贅沢な体験をしていたということだな。

[@user-tr3ks3im6m]

@@mo-ks3ef 当時、FF6やってて初めてこの曲を聴いた時は、衝撃だったなぁ…。まさか、オーケストラで演奏されるとまでは思ってなかった。確かにあの頃は、色々贅沢だった…。

[@holasoyaldar]

Historians will speak one day about Nobuo Uematsu

[@richardwalker2881]

90'sDC comics: " hey I got a crazy idea, why not have the joker steal 100% of a magical troll and let him destroy and torture the world with emperor joker"Square Enix: " let's make the jester villian into an expy of emperor maeteus, but more crazy and having him become a magical god with deadliness of da FRIKKING death star"

[@PhotoGimmick]

大の大人が作って、子供が遊んで、大の大人が協奏するってすげぇな

[@AK-cg2qg]

当時はFF6やってるの子供が多かったと思うけど、音楽、システム、ストーリー、グラフィックのどれも子供向けのクオリティーではなかったのか嬉しかった。

[@mo-ks3ef]

90年代は戦後の日本のあらゆる新しい文化がピークを迎えた時代だった。

[@taikimur1477]

よく分からないけど、名作は心を動かす事がわかります。

[@nethermir2169]

An epic theme for an epic final boss.

[@user-cn4lu7wb1z]

鳥肌立ちました。素晴らしい👍

[@alinaitzal1173]

Final Fantasy 6 was the ULTIMATE JRPG. You can argue if you want. But it had it all. It gave you so much freedom, so much great music. My God the score from this and Chronno Trigger are still my favs of all time. FF6 Will never be able to be duplicated, but I hope people try. Its the Great one.

[@BookofPlagues]

I can't have imagined it!??! I have been listening to every Dancing Mad recording I can find to find the one that has the sick ass laugh in it but I can't find it anywhere! And all the songs I listen to DONT have a laugh! I'm starting to think I lied to myself so hard that I think it happened!!

[@SammyDukeMusic]

The laugh happens after the final movement loops to the beginning of the prog rock section again. :)

[@patchouliknowledge1919]

NICE! ! ナイスッ！！

[@imreplyingtothiscomment2378]

Brilliant

[@BallydowseRambler]

When that opera acapella breaks in after the loud epic intro... Your just terrified.. you know this is it and you are facing the most evil creation in all of existence... Now make your stand.

[@armegedinox]

This is very badass

[@lordchalita8493]

awesome

[@Canvis1984]

They came to KC last night (Jan 18, 2018) and they didn't play this. I was sorely disappointed since it was my favorite.

[@blue_sky1016]

すばらしい。この世の終わりに相応しい曲だ。

[@avery-san8692]

wish I could have been there. I would loved to have seen this in person.

[@mo-ks3ef]

同意します。全世界ツアーやってほしいです。

[@cshapco]

This theme will always have the high ground.

[@replacesoundboard]

_This is it. No matter the outcome, it will all be over soon._

[@kyerinbennett8391]

Sublime

[@Purplelightningtiger]

fricken Awesome

[@user-oc1jc7fw1v]

5:22 ここで入るケフカのテーマが最高に良い

[@khenaringo265]

Im having goosebumps

[@smash461986]

I sat in this seat last year. You only get half the audio though so this year I'm in the centre.

[@TheUKNutter]

Before anybody questions, I have a degree in music so I know what I am talking about. I’m also not as picky as most musicians are either. The 4th movement was definitely my favourite. The bII chord and the 2 diminished 7th chords that were played at around the 9:00 mark worked really well throughout the C# minor section. The altered harmonies and extended chords definitely fulfil the atmosphere that the arrangement was trying to create. I think the harmonies at the beginning were slightly too muddy - especially for a bII chord. I think that if the tubas and cellos held long C notes whilst the harmonies played the C minor melody and then the Db major 2nd inversion, there would be a much stronger effect. If needed I can provide a visual example. The rhythmic 2nd movement and solo organ for the 3rd movement was a great idea; it drastically exposed the dynamics and created a much stronger layer of effect. This modern adaptation of the classical style is definitely something I approve of, because in my opinion I really dislike hearing the same 1600’s classical songs over and over. The songs are tacky, riddled with nostalgia and are not as musically exciting as the newer orchestras are. This piece is really well done and this video shows it. Thanks for the upload!

[@AjitB07]

Went last night to 30th anniversary, was really hoping to hear this again. 2014 was definitely better imo

[@Kurt634]

AjitB07 me too! I got really excited towards the end when Arnie said the next song would be FF6, was waiting for him to say dancing mad but they did the opera thing instead. Sad times :'(

[@AjitB07]

I think it should always be played with the organ especially at royal Albert hall. It was so epic when I first heard it.... Goosebumps and all

[@ravioles31]

dios mio, que locura esto que pedazo de obra!

[@Good_Stone]

妖星乱舞はこれが一番好き。ギターとかでガシャガシャやらない方が趣がある。 I like this Ver's Dancing Mad the most. This song is more beautiful if don't use a stringed instrument such as a guitar.

[@crownstupid]

OMG 9:14...The end comes...beyond chaos.....tears....

[@Mystearical]

The singing in the last bit is so beautiful! I get total chills just listening to it... was that in the original song? Was this added... I want more!

[@ekon2459]

すごい完成度。。

[@frankbivona5924]

yes, dude!

[@---hm6jy]

あ、俺知ってる。この劇場から崩壊前の世界に戻れるんだよね。

[@JeremyGalloway]

Amazing how even the choir sounds British!

[@TheCutflood]

I lost my breath when they started singing...

[@PopADoseYo]

Best version out there with the singers. They nailed it.

[@coorhagon7236]

Noke0 i agree. to bad there isnt a professionally recorded version with recording mics for every section and what not

[@the_kingslayer]

Hella badass

[@otaviogoncalves147]

Muito foda

[@zeebooboo9663]

I want to see this performed live in person before I die man

[@earthian3658]

I can hear Kefka's laugh...

[@orlyg.5508]

Ff6 is great. Give power to the elite music

[@the_justified]

kinda makes me wonder if Uematsu had seen the art forms for the bosses and got inspiration from that to compose the different movements of this piece.

[@boze2461]

最終楽章、さすがにケフカの笑い声までは再現しないかｗ

[@recklesflam1ngo968]

Shame this wasn't played at Distant Worlds Melbourne, though we got to sing along to One Winged Angel :D

[@ptasce]

FFⅥやっぱ最高です、さぶいぼでる👍

[@miaomiaochan]

"But there are some who would enslave the world by reviving the dread destructive force known as 'magic'. Can it be that those in power are on the verge of repeating a senseless and deadly mistake?" Yes. Yes, they are.