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Le Mondial SAQ 2004
Montréal International Fireworks Competition Report

Japan Saturday June 26th, 2004 Harmony

Marutamaya co., Ltd. [Gold Jupiter, 1985] Designed by Toshikatsu Ogatsu, Pyrodigital firing; Show Director choreography; ~400 FM modules, 5800 cues

Founded in 1864, the family firm Marutamaya boasts over a century of pyrotechnical expertise and has entered the Montréal International Fireworks Competition seven times, winning a Bronze Jupiter in 1994 and a Gold Jupiter in 1985. Their show this year, "Harmony," is a powerful pyromusical epic that will unfold according to five elemental themes: Earth, Water, Fire, Wind and Air.

After a few warm days, a return to cold air and a threat of rain and thunderstorms. Luckily, these all passed to the south of Montreal and a perfectly clear, but quite cool and breezy, evening was the backdrop for this eagerly anticipated display from the Japanese team. Their consul general in Montreal gave an impassioned speach during the introduction and the press release hinted at the treat that was to be in store for the audience. Designed by the president of Marutamaya, the display promised to be a blend of traditional Japanese design in the context of a pyromusical with a Buddism-inspired theme bringing all the primitive elements together.

Part 1 to the music Summon the Heroes by John Williams. After a short narration explaining the theme of the display, fast sequences of meteor-headed comets roared across the display area from left to right as low-level shells of red blue burst above. Then more fast moving comet sequences in fans with multi-colour shells above, bringing this very short introduction to a close.

Earth

Part 2 to the music After the Sunrise by Yanni. A narration introduced the first of the elements, Earth. Candles of silver go-getter comets rose into the air as shells of silver with crackling pistils burst above. Next, a sequence of silver mines in pairs moving from the centre outwards, then the same but in yellow. This sequenced theme continued and used mines of blue with serpent comets and then fans of comets in trailing glitter. Above these, shells of silver comets and then shells of willow comets ending in clusters of smaller willow shells. A return to very fast sequenced comet runs with low level shells in comets and runs of very low angled go-getter comet shots below. These were followed by shells of comets with colour pistils, then shells of comets with strobing pistils followed be crossed fan comet shots below in one fan, then two and then three with this sequence repeated with the go-getter silver comets. This theme was repeated and augmented with shaped-burst shells of comets forming butterflies in the sky. Then huge shells of pistils and comets turning to strobes, the segment coming to a close with massive shells of willow comets with two pistils changing colour and all the comets turning to crackle at the end, to roars from the audience.

Part 3 to the music from the 6th Symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven. Mines very well synchronized to the music were followed by fast comet chase sequences and then a return to mines. This sequenced theme continued and then was augmented by multi-colour shells above, then shells of blue and then shells of wiggly comets (but different to serpents or sperm shells). These were followed by huge shells of comets and pistils, more shaped-burst shells of butterflies and then, to the delight of the audience, shells forming smiley faces. Barrages of pattern shells, some appeared to be in the form of fish, then more butterfly shells and some huge saturn shells with massive pistils. These were followed by more smiley face shells and then "thousand blooming flower" shell-of-shells of multiple clusters of colours stars. Barrage after barrage of these were fired, repeatedly filling the air with clusters of flowers, either all the same colour or in multiple colours. Then shells of six clusters of stars forming a starfish shape with strobing pistils. More barrages of the thousand blooming flower shells, then enormous shells of multi-colour changing stars and pistils, the segment coming to an end with a gigantic butterfly shell where the comets became pale gold kamuros and trailed to the lake and the strobing pistil filled the sky as well.

Water

Part 4 to the music An Der Schönen Blauen Donau by Johann Strauss II. Run after run of blue and silver mines ran from left to right and right to left, giving the impression of breaking waves. Then sequences of mines with bombettes above followed by shots of whistling serpents and shells of crossette stars above. Then more runs of blue and silver mines as shells of red and blue crossettes burst above. These were followed by crossed meteor-headed comets in orange, with fans of these in the centre and blue bombettes above these. Then shells of silver comets and blue stars above with sequence fans of crossed comets below in dazzling orange. Next, shells of blue stars and silver comets, with blue bombettes at a lower level and fantastic runs of stars-on-notes and then meteor comets below. Then fast runs of serpents followed by fronts of mines to the with shells of colour crossette stars above and then fans of white meteor comets below. These were followed by shells of glitter turning to blue above. Then massive shells of multi colour changing stars and then the same but with comets in as well. These were followed by shells of blue and then shells of multi colours and comets followed by huge shells of willow comets with blue pistils, bringing the segment to a close.

Fire

Part 5 to the music Ride of the Valkyries Richard Wagner. Lines of fireballs introduced the new theme and were followed by shells of falling leaves. Then multiple mines left and right and incredible fast fans of comets that almost made a ripping sound they were sequence so fast - think of Z-cakes on steroids, but all done with one shot comets. These were followed by mines and bombettes in gold broccade, augmented by shells of the same, then more mines, then more shells getting larger and larger as the music swelled. These were followed by mines of silver go-getter comets and shells of blue stars and comets above and then shells of the wiggly go-getter silver comets. Next, runs of comets and stars followed by shells in bright orange fast strobes. Then a repeating sequence of orange mines below and shells of fast orange strobes above. Then more of the fast ripping fans of stars followed by enormous pattern shells above with outer rings of comets and two inner rings side by side. Thousand blooming flower shells of pale gold kamuros were followed by shells of slower gold strobes and gold glitter with mines of green below. Then shells of white strobes folloed by shells of slower gold strobes. Sequences of go-getter comet mines moving from left to right and then fronts of mines with multi-colour shells above. These were followed by low angle glitter comets and then fast comet runs. Huge silver kamuro shells were followed by more mine runs left and right and then mines in charcoal comets with colour tips moving to a sequence of high and low level broccade shells then bursting into thousand blooming flowers of colour clusters. This theme continued with enormous shells of clusters of pale gold kamuro comets, bringing the segment to a close.

Wind

Part 6 to the music One of These Days by Pink Floyd. The sound of the wind was augmented by very fast fan comet rips (like the Z-cake effects described earlier) and then, as the music stared, massive fast sequences of screaming serpents moving left and right again and again. Above these, shells of stars and shells of whistling serpents. These were followed by shots of crossed charcoal comets and then more and more fast sequences of whistling serpents in all sorts of arrangements, the sound being deafening. These were followed by fast sequences of meteor comets and then a return to the screaming serpent shots. The pace increased as shot after shot of screaming serpents and then shells of wiggly silver comets. More really fast sequences of meteor comets moving left and right and then very bright orange comets in fans, then crossing over, then sequenced mines and a return to wave after wave of sequenced screaming serpents and fast mine runs. This continued and then mines of the silver go-getter comets and more screaming serpents, bringing the segment to a close.

Air

Part 7 to the music Silk Road by Kitaro. A more serene section as shells of comets and stars lit up. Then thousand blooming flower shells and massive shells of clusters of kamuros. Then shells of silver comets and more blooming flower shells followed by enormous shells of comets with glittering and crackling pistils. Then shells of comets with two different coloured pistils all colour changing intermingled with sky mines of strobes and shells of falling clusters of stars (different from the blooming flower shells). More massive shells with multiple pistils and comets, changing colours and shells of crackling comets and blue and gold glitter. Below these, mines in red and gold and more thousand blooming flower shells and yet more enormous shells with multiple pistils all changing colour and ending in glitter. This theme continued with more blooming flowers, shells of crackling comets with pistils and shells of gold glitter with blue pistils, bringing the segment to a close.

Part 8 to the music Jupiter from The Planets by Gustav Holst. Fast sequences of comets moving left and right and in ripping fans and then fronts of silver comets with shells above were followed by shells of glitter turning to strobes and huge shells of colour changing stars and pistils followed by multiple clusters of kamuros. Then barrages of shells of rings and back to enormous shells with kamuro comets and colour pistils and then shells of blue pistils with crackling comets. These were followed by red thousand blooming flower shells and then shells with colour changing pistils and massive shells with two different coloured pistils and even three pistils. Next shells of colour stars in clusters forming starfish in the sky and then the same but with strobing pistils and shells of sky mines. This theme continued and built to a climax with huge shells of wiggly comets, the segment coming to a close with massive kamuros trailing to the lake.

Part 9 to the music Beyond the Century by Adiemus. Fans of comets with gold strobe shells above were followed by followed by shells of fast orange strobes and then slower gold strobes. Then pattern shells in smiley faces, double concentric hearts, shells forming the shape of fish, more smiley faces, the starfish clusters with strobing pistils. After these, fast mine sequences followed by a return to the colour cluster starfish shells, with each "arm" in a different colour. These were followed by barrages of ring shells with the burst charge laced with titanium, bringing the segment to a close.

Part 10 to the music from the 9th Symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven. The finale began with huge shells of colour and comets, then shells of crackle with crossed comet shots below. These were followed by the starfish cluster shells and huge shells with comets and pistils above and then thousand blooming flower shells. A more serene moment with falling leaves shells in strobes was followed by starfish shells with strobing pistils. The pace increased with mines in clusters below, silver comet shells above and shells of multiple pistils. My notes start to become unreadable due to the pace and the fabulous shells but I can read that there were shells of half one colour and half the other with pistils in reverse. As the apotheosis approached, barrages of shells in single colours, representing (I think) each of the elements of Earth, Water, Fire, Wind and Air. Fast mine sequences were also firing after these as the theme moved to massive barrages of pale gold kamuros, getting larger and larger and filling the sky to huge cheers from the audience. All I can read at the end is Awesome in big letters. The audience rose to their feet to give the Marutamaya team a standing ovation.

This was a fantastic display. The quality of the shells used was just incredible with multi pistil shells with two and three colour changing cores. Also the many wonderful pattern shells, really too complex to adequately describe. The many sequences of mines, stars and comets were breathtaking, though, perhaps, a little bit repetitious at times, this being a very minor criticism. Interestingly, I didn't notice any salutes fired, but the display was so intense at times this wasn't even noticed. The theme was well done, especially the crashing wave effects implemented with blue and silver mines during the "water" section. Many people were speculating at what such a fabulous display must cost at retail prices - we witnessed shells that sell in Canada for around $1000 being used almost in the same way a "normal" display would use 3" shells! The luxury of being a manufacturer! A staggering 5800 cues were used, many of them being used for the Z-cake effects and other amazing run and chase sequences. Surprisingly, there were no nautical shells fired. The level of competition already this year is just astounding. In a normal year, this display would surely win Gold. I'm glad I'm not on the Jury!

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Thanks to the public relations people of La Ronde for the official press release material, shown in white.