Eternal Melody

Eternal Melody
Studio album by Yoshiki
Released April 21, 1993
December 27, 2001
Recorded February 1993
Air Studio, London
Genre Classical
Length 75:38
Label Toshiba-EMI, Polydor
Producer George Martin
Yoshiki chronology
Yoshiki Selection
(1991)		 Eternal Melody
(1993)		 Yoshiki Selection II
(1996)
Singles from Blue Blood
  1. "Amethyst"
    Released: November 3, 1993
Alternative cover
2001 re-release cover

Eternal Melody is the first classical studio album by Japanese musician Yoshiki. It was released on April 21, 1993.

Overview

In 1991, was released his first album, classical compilation Yoshiki Selection, which included various classical works, and Yoshiki decided to put his band's, X Japan, pre-existing songs into an orchestral context. In 1992, was additionally inspired by Keith Jarrett's album The Köln Concert, and began learning about the Jazz improvisation, as well orchestration.[1]

The album was recorded in February, 1993, at the Air Lyndhurst Hall recording studio in London, owned by English record producer Sir George Martin, and mastered at the Abbey Road Studios. The music was written by Yoshiki, produced by George Martin and co-arranged with Gavin Greenaway and Graham Preskett, while performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra.[2]

Besides including orchestral arrangements of X Japan songs, it contains two new songs, "Overture" and "Amethyst", as well.

It was followed by Eternal Melody II in 2005.

Release

It was released on 21 April 1993, by Toshiba-EMI. In the initial counting week of May, it reached number six on the Oricon charts,[3] with sales of 83,740 copies.[4] In the second week reached number nine, with sales of 31,940 copies,[5] in the third week reached number fourteen, with sales of 15,050 copies,[6] and in the fourth week reached number twenty-five, with sales of 9,030 copies,[7] and charted overall for six weeks.[3] It was again released on December 27, 2001, by Polydor.

Single release

On November 3, were released two singles written and co-produced by Yoshiki, "Amethyst" and "Ima wo Dakishimete", with the second being a karaoke adaptation of the second orchestral song from the first single, which wasn't included in the album.

The first single was released by Toshiba-EMI, as the single of London Philharmonic Orchestra, and co-produced by George Martin, while the second single was released by BMG Japan, and name credit went to TBS, as was the theme song for their drama Tetteiteki ni Ai wa..., and co-produced with drama director Endo Tamaki (from TBS).

In the third counting week of November, they reached number five and three on the charts, with sales of 74,740 and 85,610 copies,[8] and charted for five and eighteen weeks.[9][10] In 1994, "Ima wo Dakishimete" was the 35th annual best-selling single, with sales of 581,610 copies, and won the "Excellence award" at the 36th Japan Record Awards.[11]

The song "Amethyst" was included in his second classical compilation, Yoshiki Selection II, and with "Ima wo Dakishimete" in his second classical studio album, Eternal Melody II.

Track listing

All music composed by Yoshiki, and arrangers noted.

Disc one
No. Title Length
1. "Overture"   9:13
2. "Vanishing Love" (Graham Preskett) 4:54
3. "Amethyst" (Graham Preskett) 6:18
4. "Kurenai" (Graham Preskett) 4:43
5. "Endless Rain" (George Martin) 6:17
6. "Unfinished" (Gavin Greenaway) 6:30
Disc two
No. Title Length
7. "Say Anything" (Gavin Greenaway) 10:07
8. "Silent Jealousy" (Graham Preskett) 4:59
9. "A Piano String in Es Dur" (Gavin Greenaway) 3:36
10. "Week End" (Graham Preskett) 5:55
11. "Rose of Pain" (Gavin Greenaway) 7:34
12. "Tears" (George Martin) 4:24

Recording personnel

References

  1. ↑ "表紙／巻頭インタビュー YOSHIKI ピアノ、クラシック音楽、これからの活動について大いに語る！". Keyboard Magazine Japan (in Japanese) (Japan: Rittor Music Company) 1. January 2003.
  2. ↑ Strauss, Neil (June 18, 1998). "THE POP LIFE; End of a Life, End of an Era". nytimes.com (The New York Times Company).
  3. 1 2 "Yoshiki Presents~Eternal Melody". oricon.co.jp (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved January 2, 2012.
  4. ↑ "Oricon weekly album chart for the first week of May 1993". oricon.co.jp (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved January 10, 2012.
  5. ↑ "Oricon weekly album chart for the second week of May 1993". oricon.co.jp (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
  6. ↑ "Oricon weekly album chart for the third week of May 1993". oricon.co.jp (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
  7. ↑ "Oricon weekly album chart for the fourth week of May 1993". oricon.co.jp (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
  8. ↑ "Oricon weekly single chart for the third week of November 1993". oricon.co.jp (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
  9. ↑ ＡＭＥＴＨＹＳＴ/ロンドン・フィルハーモニック・オーケストラ. oricon.co.jp (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
  10. ↑ 今を抱きしめて/ＮＯＡ. oricon.co.jp (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
  11. ↑ 第36回日本レコード大賞. jacompa.or.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved October 20, 2012.
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