© 2008 Lawrence Tuczynski

Title	Symphonic Fantasia
CD Label:	Toho Music Corporation
CD Number:	GX-6
Composed and Arranged by:	Akira Ifukube
Number of tracks	4
Running time	56:17
Number of discs	1
Year of release/manufacture	January 31, 2008

REVIEW

March 03, 2008 This bonus disc is basically a reissue of the Symphonic Fantasia found on other discs elsewhere on this site. Review by John M Emmons Akira Ifukube's Symphonic Fantasia has been released on numerous albums ever since it was first written in 1983. The latest being one of the bonus discs in the Godzilla Soundtrack Perfect Collection Set 5. I first heard Symphonic Fantasia No.1 performed by the Russia Philharmonic Orchestra on NAXOS' "Sinfonia Tapkaara" album, and I'm glad to be able to hear the complete Symphonic Fantasia for the first time. And what's not to like? Ifukube wrote three lengthy suites interweaving themes and motifs he had composed for Toho's monster movies, including "King Kong VS Godzilla," "Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster," "King Kong Escapes," and "War of the Gargantuas," just to name a few. Symphonic Fantasia No. 1 starts off with Ifukube's most famous theme of all: Godzilla. I believe this suite was the first time Ifukube juxtaposed the "Appearance of Godzilla" motif with the main titles from the original "Godzilla" film. This arrangement of the Godzilla theme would be used throughout all of his later Heisei scores. If you are at all disappointed that the "Monster Zero" march was left out of the Symphonic Fantasia, then you'll be happy that "Rondo in Burlesque" is included with this album. "Rondo" is basically a ten-minute celebration of this famous march. Unlike previous releases, the music is arranged into three long tracks, instead of dividing each suite into various tracks, each marking the beginning of a new theme. In the front of the booklet, there is a breakdown of all of the themes used in the suites, but, sadly, this is written in Japanese like the rest of the booklet. Overall, I'm glad this was included with the Perfect Collection Set. It's not really essential like the Ostinato album, which features music used in a couple Godzilla films, but it's a nice showcase of themes Akira Ifukube wrote not only for the Godzilla series but for the other Toho monster films as well.

SF SYMPHONIC FANTASIA Composer: Akira Ifukube Symphonic Fantasia No.1 Symphonic Fantasia No.2 Symphonic Fantasia No.3 Orchestration: Rondo In Burlesque (March Gathering)