arrangers:
- link: artist/23164
  names:
    en: The Travelers VGM
- link: artist/18551
  names:
    en: Masha Lepire
- link: artist/4148
  names:
    en: Josh Barron
- link: artist/17344
  names:
    en: Yishan Mai
- link: artist/18555
  names:
    en: Ian Martyn
- link: artist/20194
  names:
    en: Andrew Filipski
- link: artist/27169
  names:
    en: Fabian Fabro
barcode: 0811576030014
catalog: MCOL-0089
categories:
- Game
category: Game
classification: Arrangement, Vocal, Original Work
composers:
- link: artist/18555
  names:
    en: Ian Martyn
covers:
- full: https://media.vgm.io/albums/44/75844/75844-1520065401.jpg
  medium: https://media.vgm.io/albums/44/75844/75844-1520065401.jpg
  name: Front
  thumb: https://media.vgm.io/albums/44/75844/75844-1520065401.jpg
discs:
- disc_length: '55:12'
  name: ''
  tracks:
  - names:
      English: Angel's Fear
    track_length: '2:20'
  - names:
      English: A Phantom and a Rose
    track_length: '4:23'
  - names:
      English: Into the Thick of It
    track_length: '4:01'
  - names:
      English: Dancing Animals
    track_length: '2:05'
  - names:
      English: Distant Thunder
    track_length: '3:25'
  - names:
      English: It Happened on a Moonlit Night / The Kesh Jig
    track_length: '2:46'
  - names:
      English: Mystic Invasion / Donncha Lynch’s (Ballydesmond Polka No. 1) / Maurice
        Manley's (Ballydesmond Polka No. 2) / Tom Billy's (Ballydesmond Polka No.
        3)
    track_length: '5:05'
  - names:
      English: Secrets of the Arid Sands
    track_length: '4:19'
  - names:
      English: A Wish
    track_length: '2:29'
  - names:
      English: Spirit of the Night
    track_length: '3:49'
  - names:
      English: Calm Before the Storm
    track_length: '1:51'
  - names:
      English: The Wind Never Ceases
    track_length: '3:04'
  - names:
      English: Flammie and I
    track_length: '3:26'
  - names:
      English: Dawn of the Mana Sword / An Dùn Mìorbhaileach / PM Donald MacLean of
        Lewis
    track_length: '3:58'
  - names:
      English: The Fortress Rises
    track_length: '2:20'
  - names:
      English: Pure Lands
    track_length: '1:40'
  - names:
      English: Peramal Kematian Tiba
    track_length: '1:45'
  - names:
      English: D'oscail Mo Shúile / Dhún Mo Shúile
    track_length: '2:26'
link: album/75844
lyricists: []
media_format: Digital
meta:
  added_date: 2018-03-03T12:22
  edited_date: 2024-11-29T11:10
  fetched_date: 2026-06-05T08:25
  freedb: 1
  ttl: 86400
  visitors: 2712
name: Heart of the Forest
names:
  en: Heart of the Forest
  ja: Heart of the Forest
  ja-latn: Heart of the Forest
notes: '"Since its release on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Secret of Mana
  has been enjoyed by millions.

  The soundtrack has also held a special place in many RPG fans'' hearts. Composed
  by Hiroki Kikuta, the score is full of life, wonder, and timeless melodies.

  To commemorate the game''s re-release on PlayStation 4, The Travelers VGM have arranged
  several of Kikuta''s best compositions.

  You will hear different musical forms such as jigs, polkas, and marches that are
  reminiscent of lands such as Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, as well as Spanish, Filipino,
  Indonesian, and Armenian music.

  So come sit with us by the fire while we tell you a tale of hero and a legendary
  sword!"

  Producers: Josh Barron, Masha Lepire, Ian Martyn

  Mastering: John Montoya

  Artwork: Matteo Marjoram

  [M-01]

  "Angel''s Fear has always been one of my favorite tracks from Secret of Mana because
  it''s such an iconic opening track but it still keeps a warm intimate feeling. I
  added my own melodic variations to the main theme to promote a spontaneous folk
  vibe to my arrangement."

  - Masha Lepire - Arrangement

  - Ian Martyn - Mandolin, Mixing

  - Bethany Wanket - Fiddle

  - Yishan Mai - Flute

  - Andrew Filipski - Acoustic Guitar

  [M-02]

  "I have always felt the melody to this one is so mysterious and alluring. I decided
  to arrange this so that the melody and feel echoed the original but also accentuate
  that feeling of curiosity. The ocarina gives this a nice airy tone as I wanted this
  to sound like the wind blowing the leaves. I found the end result very relaxing."

  - Josh Barron - Arranger, Producer

  - Ian Martyn - Mixing Engineer, Bass, Bodhrán

  - David Ramos - Ocarina

  - Trey Hodge - Guitar

  - Andrew Steffen - Violin, Viola

  - John Montoya - Mastering Engineer

  [M-03]

  "I have loved this theme from the original so much that I kept it in the original
  key. I also tried to give this a more open sound by giving the music more space
  and bounce. Once the bass kicks in, I wanted this to basically change the tone and
  color of the piece, giving it more depth and weight. Switching between light and
  full textures really brought out the vibrancy of Kikuta''s composition. I''m hoping
  Mana fans will enjoy this arrangement."

  - Josh Barron - Arranger, Producer

  - Ian Martyn - Mixing Engineer, Bass

  - David Ramos - Ocarina

  - Joanne Moo - Harp

  - Trey Hodge - Guitar

  - String Player Gamer - Guest Violin Solo

  - Andrew Steffen - Violin, Viola

  - Andrew Stern - Cello

  - John Montoya - Mastering Engineer

  [M-04]

  "This arrangement was quite a challenge and experiment as I wanted to try and turn
  a song that isn''t melodic and make it more melody driven. Although this is a departure
  from the source material, I feel this shows the original composition''s charm."

  - Josh Barron - Arranger, Producer

  - Ian Martyn - Mixing Engineer, Bass, Mandolin

  - Yishan Mai - Flute

  - Trey Hodge - Guitar

  - String Player Gamer - Guest Violin Solo

  - Andrew Steffen - Violin

  - John Montoya - Mastering Engineer

  [M-05]

  "I''m not sure what it is about Distant Thunder, but it''s the one track that immediately
  pops into my head whenever anyone mentions Secret of Mana. Obviously that means
  I have to arrange it. So... Voila!"

  - Yishan Mai - Arranger, Producer, Flute, Tambourine

  - Andrew Steffen - Violin, Viola

  - Andrew Stern - Cello

  - Ian Martyn - Smallpipes, Irish Whistle

  - David Erick Ramos - Djembe

  - Joanne Moo - Harp

  [M-06]

  "I''ve always been fond of this playful track and thought it would work out well
  as a jig. I took inspiration from Máire Breatnach''s playing from both her solo
  albums and Final Fantasy IV: Celtic Moon to make this arrangement. I paired it with
  The Kesh Jig because it''s a cheerful, popular tune."

  - Bethany Wanket - Fiddle

  - Yishan Mai - Flute

  - Trey Hodge - Guitar

  - Fabian Fabro - Bass

  - Ian Martyn - Bodhrán, Arranger

  [M-07]

  "Mystic Invasion is one of those pieces from the Secret of Mana soundtrack that
  just makes you want to go out there, beat the bad guys, and win all of the stuff.
  It seemed to work well with polkas, so I paired it with the three Ballydesmond polkas,
  three tunes that almost never seem to be recorded together. I''ve heard Immigrant''s
  Daughter play all three of them together, but they never recorded them together
  on an album. These are three of my favorite polkas, so pairing them with Mystic
  Invasion seemed to be appropriate."

  - Joe Chen - Viola

  - Yishan Mai - Flute

  - Ian Martyn - Concertina, Arranger

  - Trey Hodge - Guitar

  - Fabian Fabro - Bass

  [M-08]

  "This album I did more experimentation than I have ever done previously. I wanted
  to truly make this arrangement different by making it sound like a desert theme.
  I did some research on Armenian music and found some great examples on YouTube.
  Once I heard the duduk playing this Armenian folk song, I knew this would be how
  I would arrange Arid Sands."

  - Josh Barron - Arranger, Producer

  - Ian Martyn - Mixing Engineer

  - John Robert Matz - Duduk

  - Andrew Stern - Cello

  - Andrew Steffen - Bass

  - John Montoya - Mastering Engineer

  [M-09]

  "I wanted to write for a full Filipino Rondalla ensemble, wishing for a wondrous
  whimsical winter."

  - Fabian Fabro - Bandurria, Laud, Octavina, Bass, Arrangement

  [M-10]

  "This arrangement was very difficult to do as I couldn''t figure out what I wanted
  to do with it for three months. I tried Tango, Spanish, and eventually landed with
  Celtic. When hearing you would think this would sound like Mumford and Sons in spots.
  I tried to make this arrangement very fun and exciting, but have attitude."

  - Josh Barron - Arranger, Producer

  - Ian Martyn - Mixing Engineer, Bass, Irish Whistle

  - Trey Hodge - Guitar

  - Bethany Wanket - Violin

  - Andrew Steffen - Violin

  - John Montoya - Mastering Engineer

  [M-11]

  "In this arrangement I wanted capture the same energetic feeling as the original
  but in a more folk/acoustic like way. I am really proud of this arrangement and
  thank you to all of the performers who were on it!"

  - Andrew Filipski - Producer, Arranger, Guitar, Bass, Shakers, Claps

  - Trey Hodge - Mixing Engineer

  - Andrew Stern - Voice, Cello

  - Ian Martyn - Voice

  - Matheus Souza - Violins, Violin, Voices

  - Yishan Mai - Flute

  [M-12]

  "With a combination of a chamber group of winds and strings, I wanted depict a calmer
  folk setting of this theme."

  - Ian Martyn - Smallpipes

  - Mai Yishan - Flute

  - Bethany Wanket - Violin

  - Joe Chen - Viola

  - Andrew Stern - Cello

  - Trey Hodge - Guitar

  - Fabian Fabro - Mixing, Arranger

  [M-13]

  "This is another energetic piece. Although the flight mechanics in the game itself
  always frustrated me, I did like the idea of flying on a dragon rather than just
  another in a long line of airships. Not that I have anything against airships, of
  course."

  - Yishan Mai - Flute

  - Joe Chen - Viola

  - Ian Martyn - Irish Whistle, Arranger

  - Trey Hodge - Guitar

  - Fabian Fabro - Bass

  [M-14]

  "The Legend is one of my favorite pieces from the Secret of Mana Soundtrack. I love
  vocal tracks, so I decided to write some lyrics for it and pair it up with two marches.
  The first march, An Dùn Mìorbhaileach, is a tune that I wrote while taking a break
  from the game near the ending. The second is one of my favorite marches that I learned
  from the playing of guitarist Stephen Wake, who in turn learned it from harper Wendy
  Stewart. I recently had the chance to perform it live on concertina with piper Alan
  Wood."

  - Julie Sakalys - Vocals

  - Yishan Mai - Flute

  - Ian Martyn - Harp, Irish Whistle, Arranger, Lyrics, Composer

  - Donald MacLeod - Original Composer of "PM Donald MacLean of Lewis" (heard at the
  end of the track)

  [M-15]

  "This piece brings a sense of urgency close to the end of the game. I love the syncopated
  rhythm from the original that I ended up writing into the bouzouki part. It makes
  you want to go, go, go!"

  - Bethany Wanket - Fiddle

  - Yishan Mai - Flute

  - Trey Hodge - Guitar

  - Ian Martyn - Bouzouki, Arranger

  - Fabian Fabro - Bass

  [M-16]

  "To actually get to hear this piece with real voices makes it sound captivating,
  along with a harp accompaniment giving that pure feeling."

  - Sirenstar - Soprano

  - Joanne Moo - Harp

  - Ian Martyn - Alto, Bass, Tenor

  - Darby Cupit - Bass

  - Fabian Fabro - Mixing, Arranger

  [M-17]

  "Thanks to the awesome playing of Fabian Fabro, I''ve been learning more about different
  Filipino musical traditions. One Filipino instrument, kulintang, bears a strong
  resemblance to (and probably common ancestry with) the Sundanese and Javanese tradition
  of Gong Renteng, a music form that flourishes both in Cirebon, West Java and Santa
  Barbara, California. Having recently played a lot of Gong Renteng music locally
  in Gamelan Sinar Surya, I thought it would be neat to incorporate Fabian''s kulintang
  playing with some Sundanese instruments that I play, the suling and kecrek. I also
  included some guitar parts to add a drone effect under the playing and to give a
  nod to tarling klasik, a guitar tradition in Java. It''s my hope that the instruments
  here will help evoke a similar feeling to that which originally inspired Hiroki
  Kikuta, Balinese gamelan gong kebyar and kecak."

  - Ian Martyn - Guitar, Suling, Kecrek, Arranger

  - Fabian Fabro - Kulintang

  [M-18]

  "It''s often hard to do a suitable arrangement of sleepytime music because it''s
  often so short. I mean, really, who wants to sit through a sleeping scene that lasts
  more than a couple of seconds? Certainly not I! The first part consists of a slow
  air style improvisation that I wrote."

  - Ian Martyn - Low Whistle, Arranger, Composer

  -'
organizations:
- &id001
  link: org/1517
  names:
    en: Materia Collective
    ja: Materia Collective
    ja-latn: Materia Collective
  role: label
- link: org/2280
  names:
    en: Materia Collective LLC
    ja: Materia Collective LLC
    ja-latn: Materia Collective LLC
  role: publisher
performers: []
picture_full: https://media.vgm.io/albums/44/75844/75844-1520065401.jpg
picture_small: https://medium-media.vgm.io/albums/44/75844/75844-1520065401.jpg
picture_thumb: https://thumb-media.vgm.io/albums/44/75844/75844-1520065401.jpg
platforms:
- SNES (Super Famicom)
products:
- link: product/196
  names:
    en: Secret of Mana
    ja: 聖剣伝説2
    ja-latn: Seiken Densetsu 2
publish_format: Commercial
publisher: *id001
related:
- catalog: N25D-019
  link: album/721
  names:
    en: Seiken Densetsu 2 Original Sound Version
    ja: 聖剣伝説2 オリジナル・サウンド・ヴァージョン
    ja-latn: Seiken Densetsu 2 Original Sound Version
  type: game
- catalog: N30D-021
  link: album/722
  names:
    en: secret of mana +
    ja: 聖剣伝説2 シークレット オブ マナ
    ja-latn: secret of mana +
  type: game
- catalog: DSCD-0001
  link: album/39944
  names:
    en: flourish -SeikenDensetsu2 only arrange album-
    ja: 聖剣伝説２オンリーアレンジアルバム【flourish】
    ja-latn: flourish -SeikenDensetsu2 only arrange album-
  type: doujin
- catalog: SQEX-10321
  link: album/33308
  names:
    en: 'Secret of Mana Genesis: Seiken Densetsu 2 Arran...'
    ja: シークレット オブ マナ ジェネシス 聖剣伝説2 ア...
    ja-latn: 'Secret of Mana Genesis: Seiken Densetsu 2 Arran...'
  type: game
- catalog: N/A
  link: album/58126
  names:
    en: 'Secret of Mana: Distant Thunder'
    ja: 'Secret of Mana: Distant Thunder (Gaia''s Navel)'
    ja-latn: 'Secret of Mana: Distant Thunder'
  type: game
- catalog: N/A
  link: album/41159
  names:
    en: Spectrum of Mana
    ja: 'Spectrum of Mana: A Tribute to Secret of Mana'
    ja-latn: Spectrum of Mana
  type: doujin
- catalog: TKM-0004
  link: album/42480
  names:
    en: Pieces of Mana 2
    ja: Pieces of Mana 2
    ja-latn: Pieces of Mana 2
  type: doujin
- catalog: CLPJ-0014
  link: album/56017
  names:
    en: memoria
    ja: memoria
    ja-latn: memoria
  type: doujin
- catalog: N/A
  link: album/67327
  names:
    en: Mana Series Arrangements
    ja: Mana Series Arrangements
    ja-latn: Mana Series Arrangements
  type: doujin
- catalog: ELCD-0005
  link: album/89519
  names:
    en: Hear, Here.
    ja: Hear, Here.
    ja-latn: Hear, Here.
  type: doujin
release_date: '2018-03-16'
release_events: []
release_price:
  currency: USD
  price: 8.99
reprints: []
stores:
- link: http://amazon.com/dp/B07B26B7ZN/
  name: Amazon
- link: http://travelersvgm.bandcamp.com/album/heart-of-the-forest-music-from-secret-of-mana
  name: Bandcamp
vgmdb_link: https://vgmdb.net/album/75844?perpage=99999
vocals:
- link: artist/27272
  names:
    en: Julie Sakalys
votes: 0
websites:
  Official:
  - link: https://www.materiacollective.com/music/heart-of-the-forest-secret-of-mana
    name: Materia Collective Release
  Review:
  - link: https://higherplainmusic.com/2018/06/08/the-travelers-vgm-heart-of-the-forest-music-from-secret-of-mana-review/
    name: Higher Plain Music Review
  - link: https://www.rpgfan.com/music-review/heart-of-the-forest/
    name: RPGFan's Review
