I think I might have posted my Yuri Kasahara Anime Compilation Album a bit too early! Indeed, a new Kasahara song was just released in the Soul Eater OST 2 by amazing composer Taku Iwasaki! It is intitled Kindertotenlied (which means "song on the death of children" in german!).
Listen to the song here:
8/10 The latest Iwasaki/Kasahara collaboration is yet another amazing song. Kindertotenlied feels like a true classical track that could well be a part of some 19th century Opera! It's also full of despair and fits perfectly with the dark Soul Eater atmosphere. It truly amazes me how, both Iwasaki's and Kasahara's combined talents always make for the most wonderful songs.
The name of Yuri Kasahara is probably unknown to most anime and anime music fans, but I'm quite certain her voice isn't. She can be heard in anime series such as Gurren Lagann, Mai Otome, Madlax, Noir, Persona Trinity Soul, Black Cat... So, here's an album I put together with all of her anime related songs.
Yuri Kasahara (or Yuri Shinada) is one of Japan's best known opera singers. She has performed in a multitude of operas, such as in "The Magic Flute" by Mozart (playing The Queen of The Night) or "La Traviata" by Verdi. She has also sung over 100 songs in commercial and has composed music and written lyrics for a number of plays and operas.
For her anime related performances, she has worked with two of the best anime composers out there: Yuki Kajiura and Taku Iwasaki. The songs they have created together are some of my favorite anime songs of all-time. Her incredible voice is one of the best, if not the best I have ever heard in any anime related music. Songs such as Materialise, Places of the Holy, Salva Nos, ACCETTAMI, Der Mond zeigt mir meine eigene Gestalt or Libera me from Hell are simply masterpieces and give me the chills everytime I listen to them. That's why I urge every classical, anime or opera follower to listen to her songs... You won't be disappointed!
Tracklist
1. Materialise! (Mai-Otome) 2. Places of the Holy (Madlax) 3. To Find Your Flower (Madlax) 4. Salva Nos (Noir) 5. Maze (Noir) 6. Secret Game (Noir) 7. Red Rose (Yuki Kajiura Fiction album) 8. Chigiri ~ Reverie Metherlence (Erementar Gerad) 9. Kasukanari Aogi no Sai (Erementar Gerad) 10. In a Beautiful Morning of May (Le Portrait de Petit Cossette) 11. Moonflower (Le Portrait de Petit Cossette) 12. Liminality (.Hack//Liminality) 13. ACCETTAMI (Black Cat) 14. TI UCCIDO MA NON MI SODDISFO (Black Cat) 15. Der Mond zeigt mir meine eigene Gestalt (Persona Trinity Soul) 16. Der Mond zeigt mir meine eigene Gestalt 2nd version (Persona Trinity Soul) 17. Libera me from Hell (Gurren Lagann)
Listen to some of her songs here: Libera Me from Hell
I proclaimed last month as the Yuki Kajiura Month, so it is with great sadness that I officially announce that the Yuki Kajiura month is now over... But fear not, I will be sure to keep you all updated on the latest Yuki Kajiura music... I hope you all enjoyed the Yuki Kajiura DVD Live Vol. 2 videos that I posted every day of last month (here).
As a parting gift, I chose to share with you one of the best non-anime project Yuki last did. Last year she did a collaboration with composer Revo from the Sound Horizon group, called Dream Port. They performed together at a series of live concerts, and a Collaboration Single was also released with the song Sajin no Kanata e which is the Main Theme of Dream Port and its instrumental version. The single also contains a DVD which includes a live performance of Sajin no Kanata e, at a Dream Port 2008 concert.
Tracklist:
1. Sajin no Kanata e 2. Sand Dream (Arranged instrumental version of Sajin no Kanata e)
Vocalists:
Yuki Kajiura, Revo, Yuri Kasahara, Yuriko Kaida, FictionJunction YUUKA / KEIKO / WAKANA / KAORI and all of Sound Horizon.
10/10 This is quite an amazing Yuki Kajiura song! I'm not familiar with any of Revo's work, but even though he did compose Sajin no Kanata e with Yuki, the song definitely sounds kajiuran to me. It reminds me of a lot of older songs she did with FictionJunction and for the Tsubasa Chronicles. I also really love the live version of the song. I've never seen so many amazing singers sharing a stage together. I love it that the song starts off with my uber-favorite Yuri Kasahara (too bad she had a really small part...). I also love the solo part with Yuki Kajiura and Revo singing... It was my first time hearing her voice, and I'm sure I've already heard it in a couple of songs she did. It's so exquisite... My main concern was that Yuuka didn't have any solo parts and the camera didn't really show her that much. Wakana and Kaori got to sing a lot, and they killed it as usual!
This is a must-see for any Kajiuran fans, so check out the live performance with the subs:
Song No. 15 is yet another Noir song, and arguably the most famous one: Salva Nos. If you're a true anime music fan like myself, you have probably already heard it. And if not, you have to check it out this instance... The original version is sung by Yuriko Kaida, but another version featured in the Fiction album was sung by Yuri Kasahara. The latter one is the most impressive version in my opinion! Partly due to the fact that Mrs. Kasahara is a unique opera singer, and you all know I have a thing for operatic voices...
You can find the high quality video file (courtesy of canta-per-me.net) right here with all the other songs...
1 000/10 Salva Nos is the first kajiuran masterpiece I ever heard, and it is also the song that triggered my undying love for Yuki Kajiura. It is my second favorite Yuki song after Mezame... The live version is really amazing, except that I would have liked to hear more Yuriko and less Wakana! Since Yuriko sung the original version, she should have been the main vocalist here... I'm also really happy they choose to sing the Fiction version which is longer than the original version and features a beautiful added verse...
Check out this AMV of Noir with the Fiction version of Salva Nos sung by opera diva Yuri Kasahara:
And the Yuki Kajiura journey continues... It's already day 4 of my special giveaway month! Today I offer you the fourth song of the Yuki Kajiura concert DVD - LIVE 2008.07.31, Liminality from the .hack//Liminality anime. The original song is sung by opera queen Yuri Kasahara (she is brilliant!). You can find the high quality video file, courtesy of canta-per-me.net right here...
Tracklist
01. The World(120MB)Download here 02. Dream Scape(98.2MB)Download here 03. Vanity(80MB)Download here 04. LIMINALITY(91.4MB)Download here 05. In the land of twilight, under the moon(99.2MB) 06. The main theme of Petit Cossette(104MB) 07. Houseki(91.2MB) 08. Fake Wings(51.8MB) 09. Ensei(30MB) 10. Mezame(126MB) 11. You are my love(50.9MB) 12. Godsibb(105MB) 13. A song of storm and fire(93.1MB) 14. Canta Per Me(61.2MB) 15. Salva Nos(134MB) 16. Zodiacal Sign(115MB) 17. Open you Heart(125.8MB) 18. Everlasting Song(148MB) 19. Yume no Tsubasa(127MB) 20. Ring Your Song(153MB)
8.5/10 The first time I heard Liminality, I wasn't into it as some other Yuki songs. But it finally grew on me... The live version in the concert was even better than the original song. It must have been hard for Wakana, Yuriko, Keiko and Kaori to sing a song originally sung by an opera singer! Wakana really shows off her talent in this song, she sings the intro as well as the first verse. Those high notes sound really awesome...
I think I might have posted my Yuri Kasahara Anime Compilation Album a bit too early! Indeed, a new Kasahara song was just released in the Soul Eater OST 2 by amazing composer Taku Iwasaki! It is intitled Kindertotenlied (which means "song on the death of children" in german!).
