The third “in Brass” album for Dragon Quest, and the last one to get reprinted (as DQVI’s Brass album was printed by Sony, and Sony didn’t give permission to reprint), Dragon Quest V in Brass follows the pattern of those before it. Using a Wind Orchestra (full symphony orchestra minus the string section), these arrangements force the winds and brass to compensate for parts that would previously have been covered by the string section.
Generally, I tend to consider these albums obsolete in the face of multiple recordings of the excellent Symphonic Suites. However, there were a few arrangements on DQV that really suited this arrange style. The Overture was really strong, with the brass coming in full force and the winds compensating for the lack of strings. And I have to say that after hearing this version of “Monsters in the Dungeon,” I am convinced that it is the best DQ dungeon theme ever. It comes out well on every arranged album known to man, but on this album it was especially remarkable.
If you can find either print of this album, I think it may be worth having in addition to one of the Symphonic Suite recordings. I would not say the same for I~III or IV in Brass, but this one really does show strong. Do consider adding it to your Dragon Quest collection!
