Memoro de la Ŝtono

"Memoro de la Ŝtono" from the Distant Worlds concert album

"Memoro de la Ŝtono" (lit. "Memory of the Stone") is a vocal section part of the Final Fantasy XI opening theme made famous by its performance during the Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy and VOICES: Music from Final Fantasy concerts. It features a choral arrangement with lyrics sung in Esperanto, an artificial language invented in 1887 by L. L. Zamenhof (1859–1917), a Polish physician and philologist, intended for international use and still used by millions of speakers worldwide.

The tracks "Despair" and "Repression" in the original soundtrack and the track "Third Ode: Memoro de la Ŝtono" in the Chains of Promathia soundtrack share their central melody with "Memoro de la Ŝtono".

Both live performances were conducted by Arnie Roth and were played as a medley along with the song "Distant Worlds".

Lyrics

Esperanto Memoro de la Ŝtono Fluas nun sango senkulpa, sur Vana'diel, vasta ter', Tremas la tuta mond' pro l' plago en desper'. Preventas ĝin nenia sort'. Haltigas ĝin nenia fort'. Sed tra la nokto tempesta brilas jen stelo de glor'! Kontraū brutala kri' fontas jen kant-sonor'! Stelo brilanta, kanto sonanta: revo kaj preĝo por ni! Vana'diel! Vana'diel! Mano kaj man' kunpremitaj trans la eterno sen lim' ne dismetiĝos plu, ne disligiĝos plu!

Japanese translation 石の記憶 いま、罪なき血が流れる ヴァナ・ディールの大地に 全世界が戦慄する 災禍がため、絶望にのまれ 防げはしない、いかなる定めにも とめられはしない、いかなる力にも だが、嵐の夜を貫いて 栄光の星が輝く 獣の叫びに抗いて 歌の響きが湧きいてる 輝く星、鳴りわたる歌 われらが夢と祈りよ ヴァナ・ディール　ヴァナ・ディール 永遠を超えて さしのべられた手と手は もう放されることはない もうほどけることはない

Unofficial English translation

Now flows innocent blood

On Vana'diel, a vast land

The entire world trembles

In despair from the scourge

Prevented

By no fate

Stopped

By no strength

But through the stormy night

Behold: a star of glory shines!

Against a brutal outcry

Behold: a hymn springs forth!

A shining star, a ringing song:

A dream and a prayer for us!

Vana'diel! Vana'diel!

Hand and hand together

Across the limitless eternity

We will no longer be put asunder

We will no longer be separated!

Game appearances

Final Fantasy XI

"Memoro de la Ŝtono" is the third section in the opening theme to Final Fantasy XI, which fittingly plays during the game's opening cinematic. It was composed by Nobuo Uematsu.

"Third Ode: Memoro de la Ŝtono"

The tracks "Despair" and "Repression" in the original soundtrack and the track "Third Ode: Memoro de la Ŝtono" in the Chains of Promathia soundtrack share their central melody with "Memoro de la Ŝtono".

"Despair" and "Repression" play during various cutscenes in Final Fantasy XI. "Third Ode: Memoro de la Ŝtono" plays when the Wyrmking reaffirms the pact he made with the Kuluu during the events of Chains of Promathia.

Theatrhythm Final Fantasy

"Memoro de la Ŝtono" appears as an Event Music Sequence. Even though only the "Memoro de la Ŝtono" section is played, the track is titled "FFXI Opening Theme" in-game.

Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Curtain Call

"Memoro de la Ŝtono" appears once again, but this time as a Battle Music Sequence. It keeps the same title as the one in Theatrhythm Final Fantasy.

Arrangement album appearances

Final Fantasy XI Chips

The chiptune arrangement of "FFXI Opening Theme" features the "Memoro de la Ŝtono" section.