Yukie Nishimura (西村 由紀江) - 101st marriage Proposal (101回目のプロポーズ)

Yesterday I ended watching "101st Marriage Proposal", another Japanese Drama Series I did mention you earlier. The series itself, maybe is not very ambitious and don't lead you to serious thoughts, but is enjoyable as hell. I didn't realize while watching that the music needs to be considered separately.
I could say there are 2 "main themes". "SAY YES", song by Chage & Aska and Chopin's Etude e major (op. 10, no. 3). Several times, both compositions appears in important moments of each episode. Although I'm dissapointed, because we have not been informed (or all in Japan know that, so there is no need to say such an obvious thing..?) that this Etude is Chopin's, our Polish (ahhh, I had to say that) composer, work. Here it mainly is played in arrangement version for orchestra and piano. Fortunately, this arrangement is really great and enjoyable. As well as all 13 tracks on the Original Soundtrack, this one is arranged by Yukie Nishimura. She is a 43 years old pianist, quite popular in Japan. It seems that she also is able to create scores. She really inspired me in "101st Marriage Proposal". It is a bit differential soundtrack, but still, the biggest role plays the piano (probably she performs in all those tracks). I could call it "jazzy-classical" but I'm sure not only that you can hear.
The tracklist contains 13 tracks:

01 - 昼下がりのキャンパス
02 - SAY YES (Instrumental Version)
03 - TATSURO
04 - 昏 昏
05 - 夢を追いかけて～薫のテーマ～(Piano Version)
06 - 風の贈りもの
07 - マリオ・ストーリー
08 - Deja-Vu (New Version)
09 - 更紗のベール(Piano Version)
10 - 「別れの曲」Etude, Op.10,No.3
11 - FLYING BIRD～飛鳥～
12 - 夢を追いかけて～薫のテーマ～
13 - 7月1日のニュース

I must admit, I didn't realize this work to be so good, even yesterday, before I started to listen to it. Probably when I was watching, I was too much concentrate on the story itself and too less in music. I don't think using so many times this beautifully Chopin's "Farewell" etude is a right thing to do, though. I don't want to say someday "I'm fed up with this track". However.. Even though it was used so many times, I did not get bored of it, what means (I think so) it will be special for me forever.
Unfortunately, on this OST there is no vocal (=original) version of "SAY YES" singed by "Chage & Aska" jpop singers. Even though I'm classical music lover, I like it. jpop always remains in my heart as the best pop on the world. As most of songs of this genre, this one is very rhythmical. Words fit to drama and excellently replenish it when it is needed. But let me return to discuss the album.

It begins with jazzy "昼下がりのキャンパス", very climatic, unfortunately it is rather not my style. The Piano and guitar are in the foreground, percussion instruments or bells also appear. Lather is "SAY YES" instrumental version for orchestra. No much need to say, it is nice.
"TATSURO" offer us a sudden change of the climate comparing with previous track, and returns to the style started in the 1st. To be honest with you, I can hardly remember it.
"昏 昏" is replenished with saxophone (I really like saxophone, especially solos) in drums and organs in background.
"夢を追いかけて～薫のテーマ～(Piano Version)" is another, emotional tracks, very slow and polite.
Then again, we returns to jazzy style. Listening "西村由紀江" I feel like I'm o the beach, seriously. "西村由紀江", the next one, reminds me of festival. But don't get me wrong - both of them are fun and it is pleased to listen to them. Then it comes... "Deja-Vu (New Version)". There is a need to say more about this. I couldn't earlier imagine I may find something that epic in a drama OST like that. However, I really mean that. It is epic and its epicness reminds me about RPG titles, especially for SNES. In the second part of it, I even feel like I'm listening to Chrono Cross Original Soundtrack (Yasunori Mitsuda), so if you love him like me, please, try it out. I hope you agree. For me, 08 is definitely the best.
"更紗のベール(Piano Version)" - this time we return to emotional piano.
"「別れの曲」Etude, Op.10,No.3" I gave you my impressions about it already. And I will say it again - very  valuable arrangement. If you like Chopin, try it out.
 I cannot not remember "FLYING BIRD～飛鳥～". It appears only one time in the Drama and the scene when it is played is a one of the most funny. It is like in "Rocky". It shows Tatsuro doing his best to be the winner. It also contains other cocaines behaviors. While that all, this song is played - very dynamical, strong drums and piano, with electric guitar.
"夢を追いかけて～薫のテーマ～" Can you believe there is also... something like choir? Because it is only humming, I don't know if I really can call it a choir, but anyway, it is amazing! Harmonica take a big part i this track too, as well as, of course, piano. Later comes guitar and in the critical moment of this composition, everything is calmly combined. Humming ends the 5 minutes beautifulness. Awesome!
So, sadly, we came to the end in order to hear an  outstanding but shortly piano performance, "7月1日のニュース", a perfect ending for this album.

Maybe this album is not a masterpiece, but I wanted to show you that... We can still find much great music nowadays. Even if music scene is getting worse, it doesn't trouble me, since I'm not into commercial and I'm doing my own discoveries.