Wind Blowing on Earthfall
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"Wind Blowing on Earthfall"[Japanese title] is the autumn stage theme for Planet Earthfall and Falluna Moon in Kirby Star Allies. It was composed by Yuuta Ogasawara.[1]
Composition[edit]
"Wind Blowing on Earthfall" is a peaceful theme set in 6/8 time in the key of B minor. It has a swaying rhythm and melodic structure, and features lead wind instruments with a gentle string backing and responses. The melody begins with a rising fifth and a descent following, with a tendency to drift near the relative D major. The melody is played four times by different woodwind instruments. The second section introduces a different variant of the melody in A major and F-sharp minor with somewhat slower phrasing. After it reaches its higher point, the piece modulates to C major (A minor) and becomes slightly more lively with the now lead strings while maintaining the previous melody. A simple chromatic note returns the track to the original keys, and a transition based on the intro leads back to the first section, at which point the track loops.
Shinya Kumazaki was amazed when he first heard "Wind Blowing on Earthfall", and said that it gave him a similar feeling to when he first heard "Rainbow Across the Skies" from Kirby and the Rainbow Curse. He mentioned that the song itself had the power to change the entire atmosphere of the stage, saying that it reminded him of "a town with an autumn breeze that I finally reached in the latter half of a grand world of an RPG". Senior composers Jun Ishikawa and Hirokazu Ando were initially somewhat hard on Yuuta Ogasawara as he was composing it, as they believed the sound was a little too strong for what they had established as Kirby music. Listening to an in-progress version, Ando described it as "an Ishikawa-like song," and Ishikawa described it as "an Ando-like song," which Ogasawara described as a moment that gave him confidence and allowed him to experience "a bit of the 'Kirby-ness'". When it was complete, Ogasawara's seniors reflected on its strength, realizing that he was aiming for a sound similar to mainstream, commercial music.[2]
"Wind Blowing on Earthfall" is quite similar in composition (namely its tendency to sway within the melody and from major to minor and back) to the later "Northeast Frost Street" from Kirby and the Forgotten Land, which was also composed by Yuuta Ogasawara. This was an intentional decision by Shinya Kumazaki, who wished for the theme to become a recurring element in Kirby music.[3]
Game appearances[edit]
Kirby Star Allies[edit]
In Kirby Star Allies, "Wind Blowing on Earthfall" can be heard throughout the majority of Planet Earthfall and Falluna Moon. It also plays in The Ultimate Choice's lobbies, if playing on Spring Breeze, Mild Stroll, Zesty Expedition, Spicy Adventure, and Sizzling Threat difficulties (for every lobby except the one before the final battle). Lastly, it's featured in the Jukebox as Track 061.
Kirby's Dream Buffet[edit]
In Kirby's Dream Buffet, the theme appears as "Kirby Star Allies: Bonus Song 2", unlocked if the player has save data from Kirby Star Allies. It can play occasionally in races and Free Rolling afterward.
Other appearances[edit]
In The Sound of Kirby Café 2, "Wind Blowing on Earthfall" is featured in Track 2, 踊る森の実りたち (Fruits of the Dancing Forest). It's the third of three songs featured in the medley, the other two of which are "Forest Stage" and "Woods Wayfarer". It was arranged by Yuuta Ogasawara.
Trivia[edit]
- When the Kirby 30th Anniversary Music Festival staff needed a mood-heightening finale for the "Kirby Through the Years: 2005-2022" medley, they had difficulty deciding between this track and its sister track, "Northeast Frost Street"; the staff ultimately decided on the latter, being the more recent of the two.[4]
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese | フォルアースに吹く風[5] foruāsu ni fukukaze |
Wind Blowing on Earthfall |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Kirby Star Allies Jukebox
- ↑ Kirby Star Allies: The Original Soundtrack Sound Staff Round-Table Discussion
- ↑ Interview with Shinya Kumazaki regarding Kirby and the Forgotten Land
- ↑ 『星のカービィ 30周年記念ミュージックフェス Live Blu-ray & Live CD』の仕事 ゼネラルディレクター編 (Wayback Machine snapshot)
- ↑ Kirby Star Allies: The Original Soundtrack
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