Overview
Key: E minor
Time: 4/4, tempo varies by section
Length: 59 measures (approx. 2m24s)
[Transcription] (Rough draft, to be updated)
General Description:
What does a tempest sound like? I don’t know, but I’d imagine this piece comes pretty close. First heard in accompaniment to Chrono Cross’ phenomenal intro cutscene, Time’s Scar is a piece of through-composed music (without repeated sections; think Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody) written by Yasunori Mitsuda (Chrono Trigger/Cross, Xenogears/blade). The piece starts off as a soothing folk tune, but quickly sweeps into a pulsing storm of symphonic strings and oriental woodwinds. Beyond its’ merit as a masterfully executed composition, Time’s Scar provides for a wonderful case study in Mitsuda-sensei’s habits in the use of harmonic extensions, modality, and modulation (among other techniques) which will be covered in the posts to follow.
Section A
Length: 5 measures (0:00-0:15)
General Description:
This section features a lone guitar played over an ethereal soundscape of swelling synth pads. A double bass, a bell, and chimes were used in occasional punctuations to give the section an ancient, meditative quality. This suitably accompanies the opening of the cutscene, which showcases a journal flipping open to reveal an entry reminiscing bygone times.
Analysis:
There is much to learn from in this section, but the following analysis will solely focus on how Mitsuda-sensei balanced tension and release in the music; a fundamental aspect of developing musical motion (and E-motion…hahaha…terrible joke from an old teacher).
The harmony in Section A is limited to a single chord (Emi9). Though chord movement typically play an important role in maintaining motion in music, there is an undeniable forward momentum in this section. How did Mitsuda-sensei achieve this?
The Ascending Arpeggio
The figure is played on the guitar in 8th notes and spans a full measure. Starting from the root (E), it ascends through the chord tones of an open Emi9 (E F# G B D) arpeggio, peaking at the b7 (D). The line then dips to the 9 (F#) before ascending to the b7 again to conclude the pattern.
With its’ emphasis on the b7 (unstable), the figure yearns for resolution at the high E, which sits just out of reach for most of Section A. Though stability is periodically provided by the low E on every downbeat, it is brief, and unfulfilling; the form’s tendency to ascend cannot be properly resolved with a drop – The 7 must rise! And so, the pattern repeats until this is achieved, flowing (and ebbing) like waves on a beach to build an insistent forward momentum in the music.
Building a Foundation
The guitar plays the root note (stable tone) on the downbeat of each measure, but otherwise emphasizes the 9 and b7 (both very unstable tones) in its’ arpeggio. The synth similarly drones over the root and the b7. However, since the root plays at a lower volume and is in a lower register, it is significantly less perceivable than the latter. Meanwhile, Mitsuda-sensei uses the bell and the double bass to highlight colour tones (b7, 9, 11). The general absence of these instruments makes them very impactful when played. As an overall result, this section subtly, but persistently grounds the tonality in E, which allow the extensions to be heavily featured without muddling the harmony. These extensions, in turn, provide nodes of tension that gives the section motion.
Room for More
As the journal pages settle in the cutscene, Section A concludes with a E7sus9 chord. Though the guitar finally arrives on the high E, it is balanced by the lingering 9 and b7, which prevents a full resolution. It provides a moment of respite but maintains enough tension for the piece continue. This is only the beginning, after all.
Thank you for checking out my analysis on Section A of Time’s Scar. I hope it was informative and enjoyable!
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Please tune in next week for the analysis of sections B and C. They features one of my favorite instruments: the Shakuhachi, which Mahatma Ghandi (purportedly) claimed to be reminiscent of the voice of the dead.