Ys Piano Collection

If you're familiar with Ys music, and you've heard any of the three Ys Symphony CDs, you probably pretty well know what to expect from Ys Piano Collection. Here we have 10 songs from Ys 1 and 2 ("Redomont" I'm not sure about, somebody set me straight), all of them are nicely played and true to the source. Some of the songs even have some nice string arrangements to add to the classical feel. Yet... I don't know, I guess I was hoping for a bit more drama, more intensity from the arrangements. Yeah, I know it's just piano music, but what is Ys without the heavy drama? Save one track ("Palace", with its ominous strumming backbeat), the tracks on Ys Piano Collection are all pretty lightweight fare - great reading music, if there is such a thing. Of course, if you're half the Ys fanatic I am, you'll still love every second of it. It's pretty and well-composed (and Ys!), but it's nothing to get real excited about.