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The "Prelude"

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The "Prelude", also known as the "Crystal Theme", is a recurring piece of music that appears in most Final Fantasy games. It is often considered one of the most important themes in the series, as it is often heard on the file select screen, especially in the Finest Fantasy for Advance releases.

Interestingly, Nobuo Uematsu composed the Prelude as a last minute addition to the original Final Fantasy, and took all of 10 minutes to create it.

AppearancesEdit

Final FantasyEdit

The "Prelude" plays in the opening, formation and World Map screens. This original version is also found on the fourth disc of the Final Fantasy Vinyls collector's album set.

Final Fantasy IIEdit

The "Prelude" plays in houses with healing Statues and at the Main Screen.

Final Fantasy IIIEdit

The "Prelude" plays in the New Game screen.

"Prelude" is also part of the "The Evil Power of the Underworld" track on the Final Fantasy III: Eternal Legend of the Wind album.

Final Fantasy IVEdit

The "Prelude" plays in the New Game screen, in the Crystal Rooms and during The End screen. In the DS version, it also plays during the minigame Rosa's Measured Meditations when training the Eidolon Whyt. Edward describes it as "a very difficult piece" in the Music Box section of the DS version.

Final Fantasy VEdit

The "Prelude" plays in the New Game screen (GBA release only) and in the Crystal Rooms.

Final Fantasy VIEdit

The "Prelude" plays in the New Game screen, in the Beginner's House and during the "The End" screen.

Final Fantasy VIIEdit

The "Prelude" plays at the last part of the Game Over tune, in the opening credits, and after the credits in a space background. Also, in the demo version of the game, a remix of the theme can be heard during the menu screen.

Final Fantasy VIIIEdit

The "Prelude" plays during the Game Over screen and also in the last parts of the game's ending theme. A variation very similar to the one from the Final Fantasy VII demo can be heard during the menu screen of the game's demo, although it uses slightly different samples and is a bit higher-pitched.

Final Fantasy IXEdit

The "Prelude" plays during the game over screen and at the end (Blackjack game). An arrangement of it makes the Crystal World theme.

Final Fantasy XEdit

A very upbeat mix of the "Prelude" plays at the very start of the game, when the player is introduced to Tidus in Dream Zanarkand. It also plays when the player first learns about the Sphere Grid.

Final Fantasy XIEdit

The music is present in the Final Fantasy XI Play page of PlayOnline and appears in the end of the opening movie. It also plays during the main theme, "Vana'diel March," and during various mission cutscenes.

Final Fantasy XIIEdit

The Prelude, with vocals, is played during the first part of the opening scene. It is similar to its appearance in Final Fantasy VII. It is titled "Loop Demo" in the original soundtrack.

Final Fantasy XII: Revenant WingsEdit

The Prelude plays on the main title screen, when deciding to select a new game or not.

Final Fantasy XIIIEdit

Although not played on the intro or outro of the game like much of the series does, a portion of short and fast piano variation of the theme can be heard, mixed within the track named "The Sunleth Waterscape". A very different theme called "Prelude to Final Fantasy XIII" plays during the introductory movie.

Final Fantasy XIII-2Edit

"Eclipse" contains an arrangement of the "Prelude".

Final Fantasy XIVEdit

The Prelude returns to the main series with "Prelude - Remembrance" in the Final Fantasy XIV / Field Tracks album.

Final Fantasy Type-0Edit

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"Divine Protection of the Crystal"

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"Divine Protection of the Crystal" is an arrangement of the original "Prelude".

Elements of "Prelude" are heard within the track named "Peaceful Times". It has similar instrumental beats from Dissidia and Dissidia 012 as it was composed by Takeharu Ishimoto.

Final Fantasy TacticsEdit

The "Prelude" appears in two tracks; the intro and outro of the track "P.R. Movie", and at the end of "Battle's End", the victory fanfare.

Final Fantasy Tactics AdvanceEdit

A small version of the "Prelude" is played when St. Ivalice transforms into the world of Ivalice, after a formation of Undeniable Anxiety is played. The music is absent at the Original Soundtrack, though.

Final Fantasy: UnlimitedEdit

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"Top Title"

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A portion of the intro is played in the track "Top Title". The track can be found in Final Fantasy: Unlimited - Music Adventure Verse 1.

Dissidia Final FantasyEdit

The Prelude plays in the new game menu, and at the start and the end of the Opening FMV.

Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of LightEdit

A remix of the theme can be heard in the background of the ocean theme.

Vocal CollectionsEdit

"I (Kiyo Kobayashi) had a hard time deciding how to arrange this song. There have been so many arrangements of this song, and I wanted to create an original one. The result is this. 1st chorus by Miss Ohki, 2nd chorus by Miss Noguchi, and flugelhorn, accordion, and guitar in the middle, while the two sing in harmony in the 3rd and 4th chorus, at last echoing each other in the 5th. I think this went pretty well."

—Liner notes to "Prelude" on Final Fantasy: Love Will Grow album

Vocal arrangements of the Prelude are featured in the music albums Final Fantasy: Pray and Final Fantasy: Love Will Grow.

PrayEdit

The version that appears in Pray is only a multilayered vocalization of Prelude's central melody.

Love Will GrowEdit

LyricsEdit

Dream in your heart

I feel in asleep night

But there is only stars

Like tears of the moon

Like silent moon

And on and on

So the sad will fall and fall

But I think all the dream

Is true any day, for anyone

Love in your eyes

I feel in clear sky

But there is only winds

Like sighs of the earth

Like weeping earth

Still on and on

So the pain will blow and blow

But I wish all the love

Is free any day, for anyone.

Other appearancesEdit

Final Fantasy IV: Celtic MoonEdit

"Prelude" is arranged and performed in the style of Irish Celtic music on this album.

Final Fantasy IV: Minimum AlbumEdit

The album contains a remix of the Prelude, called "The Prelude (Crystal Mix)".

Piano Collections: Final Fantasy IVEdit

This album contains a piano arrangement of the theme performed by Reiko Nomura.

Piano Opera Final Fantasy I/II/IIIEdit

This album contains a piano arrangement of the "Prelude" theme from the original Final Fantasy, titled "Prelude ~ Opening".

Guitar Solo Final Fantasy Official Best CollectionEdit

"Prelude" is the second track on the Guitar Solo Final Fantasy Official Best Collection album, which consists entirely of solo classical guitar arrangements of tracks from the Final Fantasy main series, performed by Yuji Sekiguchi.

Final Fantasy RemixEdit

A remix of the song by DJ duo Ante is included on this album.

20020220 music from Final FantasyEdit

"Prelude" is part of the "FINAL FANTASY" Final Fantasy-Final Fantasy III Medley," performed by the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra.

Distant Worlds II: More Music from Final FantasyEdit

"Prelude" is included in this live recording of an orchestral concert, performed by the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra.

Tour de Japon: Music from Final FantasyEdit

The original "Prelude" from the original Final Fantasy was part of the "Final Fantasy Medley I-III 2004," a piece performed during a concert tour featuring music from the Final Fantasy series that toured Japan from March 12th to April 16th, 2004.

SQ ChipsEdit

The song appears in the SQ Chips VILLAGE/VANGUARD Customer Bonus edition of the 8-bit arrangement album featuring tracks from several Square Enix games. It is the first track in the bonus CD.

Beer SQEdit

The song appears in the pub-theme style arrangement album as its eighth and last track.

Chocobo RacingEdit

Titled "Crystal Legend", composed by Kenji Ito, it is a synthesized child version played before the last race in the Story mode.

Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo TalesEdit

The Prelude that can be heard is supposed to be the from the original Final Fantasy, but has a second melody that started to sound in the Final Fantasy VII's Prelude. It sounds in the mini-games' preludes and endings.

Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's DungeonEdit

Titled "A Memory Returned", arranged by Yuko Takahashi, it is the arrange version from Final Fantasy XI "Prelude".

Ehrgeiz: God Bless the RingEdit

There are two versions, depending on the Soundtrack selected, played at the Reactor arena.

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven StarsEdit

While Yoko Shimomura composed most of the soundtrack, the theme still appears. The track is named Conversation with Culex and plays after Mario defeats Culex, a hidden Easter Egg character.

Kingdom HeartsEdit

A sample of the Prelude can be heard in the track "March Caprice".

Kingdom Hearts: Chain of MemoriesEdit

In the song titled "Naminé", part of the Prelude can be heard in the background, although the final part of the sample has a slightly faster pace than the rest of it.

MerchandiseEdit

A music box that plays the "Prelude" has been released by Square in 2002, known as Final Fantasy XI Music Box. The music boxes were made in limited numbers and only available in Japan. Unlike the music box for Final Fantasy V and the "Aerith's Theme" music box, this one is not made of wood but of clear plastic, with the text "Final Fantasy XI" on the cover.