Title: Spice and Wolf Original Soundtrack
Score:
Label: Victor Entertainment
Catalog no.: VTCL-60021
Release Date: 12/03/2008
Playing time: 72'41"
Tracks: 31
From: Japan
Price: 3.132¥

"Traditional, medieval, folk, classical and acoustic", these are words that can define the music of this OST. It is filled with varied instruments (odd and recent), such as: djambe, bandoneon (accordion type), bagpipes (Scotland cornemuse), bouzouki (greek stringed instrument), mandolin, lute, tambourine, finger cymbal, crumhorn & shawm (both odd instruments of the woodwind family, really popular during the medieval and Renaissance periods), clarinet, flute, cello, violin and strings.

All music (except tracks n°2, 30 & 31) have been composed by YOSHINO Yuji (.hack//Legend of the Twilight, Brigadoon, Marie & Gali).

Are, of course, included the opening (short & long versions) sung by KIYOURA Natsumi & ending themes (short) sung in english by Rocky Chack.

My favorites are recurrent themes heard in the serie:
- "Shounin to ookami to, tabi no nibasha" (n°1), music played with shawm, Scotland cornemuse and mandolin ; "Kagen no tsuki" (n°7), a relatively calm music sung by female chorus, SAKAI Reisiu, and accompanied with bagpipes, clarinet and guitar ; "Hikaru wadachi" (n°10), folk and dance composition with clarinet, bouzouki, darbuka and violin, there is a nice atmosphere ; "Hajimete no mura" (n°13), a another mediaval music sung, once again, by SAKAI Reisiu (from 1'40") ; "Hamu" (n°15), pleasant track played with crumhorn ; "Kenshi to yopparai" (n°21), one of my favorites, really simple music only played with flute ; and "Mada minu machi e" (n°29), a cover music of the first track, played with cornemuse, flute, shawm, violin and bouzouki.

In short, this good OST is first recommended to lovers of mediaval and folk music, and to fans of Spice and Wolf. Of course, for some people, music will might look the same (in terms of instruments, rhythm, etc.) and so monotonous. Anyway, an album to discover and enjoy.