DisneySea Symphony review


timothyhu

New Member
Well, I finished my papers, and had a chance to listen to all three of the new Tokyo DisneySea CD's as well. I'll keep this brief, but here are my initial reactions to the DisneySea Symphony:

The CD booklet has two pages, with the track listing and credits in both English and Japanese. The CD label is a picture of the DisneySea Symphony show in the Med. Harbor with rest of TDS in the background.

Track 1: Buona Sera Serenade 4:33
This is apparently the soundtrack played during the Tokyo Disneyland fireworks, which are visible from TDS. It's a straightforward orchestral medley of the Tokyo DisneySea Theme Song, Part of Your World, Arabian Nights, The Raider's March (from Indiana Jones) and the StormRider Suite.

Track 2: DisneySea Symphony 7:46
Opening with the sounds of a symphony tuning, Mickey says something in Japanese, then the orchestra breaks into Tokyo DisneySea Theme Song which soars into When You Wish Upon a Star. Mickey says something else, and the orchestra breaks into the opening phrase of The Sorcerer's Apprentice, which segues into A Whole New World with swirling woodwinds, then back to Tokyo DisneySea Theme Song.

Suddenly the opening percussion from the swing classic, Sing! Sing! Sing! is played, but it turns into I Wan'na Be Like You played by a saxaphone quartet. This is followed by Topsy Turvy played by a Dixieland band that segues to a frantic, Toontown-style rendition of the end of the song accompanied by a ringing doorbell, hoogah-hoogah auto horn, and policeman's whistle.

With the roll of the timpani and the crash of the cymbals it's back to the now-family TDS Theme Song, which is quickly followed a chorus of Part of Your World with melody on strings and harp glissandos. The sounds of steel drums signal the beginning of Under the Sea. Eight bars into the chorus, the orchestra makes a mistake, splatting a low bass note at the end of the phrase "Darling it's better, down where it's wetter, take it from me." Mickey says something in Japanese and they try it again, making the same mistake. Again, Mickey says something in Japanese and the orchestra plays the phrase very slow and deliberately, after which Mickey says what sounds like "Waw-wee!" and the orchestra finishes the song. Then into the opening strains of Friend Like Me, played primarily on the brass section. During this song Mickey also says a couple of things.

The last movement, if you will, opens with another TDS Theme Song chorus which segues into When You Wish Upon a Star, which builds into a majestic rendition of Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah. Mickey says a few things over the music and it builds to the finale with arpegiatting french horns and strings. A final phrase from Tokyo DisneySea Theme Song, a quick quote of "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah," and a "When You Wish...", the orchestra plays the final notes of the finale with what sounds like the "whoosh" of Illuminations-style fireworks.

Mickey says something else in Japanese, and closes with a "Bye-Bye! Ha-ha!"


While the first track is just okay, the DisneySea Symphony track is worth listening to several times. There's a lot of diversity in the voicing and style, and I always love to hear Mickey chatter away in a Japaneses falsetto!

This turned out longer than I thought, so I'll have to cover the other CDs another time.

Happy listening! Timothy
 

timothyhu

New Member
No, Tokyo Disneyland/DisneySea is the only park I haven't visited (though I guess I have to add Walt Disney Studios in France to the to-do list.) The show sounds great... wish my travels took me to Tokyo!

Timothy
 

Parker

New Member
Tim,

Nice cd report. I have the cd and your report reads just as it sounds. I encourage you to continue posting after listening to your cd's. Thanks and excellent job!!

Parker
 

timothyhu

New Member
Thanks Parker... the other 2 are coming, but I have been swamped at work with research and haven't had time to get my thoughts together.

Hopefully today or tomorrow

Timothy
 

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