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The Legend Of Zelda - 25th Anniversary Symphony / Symphony Of The Goddesses /  Second Quest / Master Quest / 30th Anniversary Symphony


BloodBoal

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Over the years I've listened to, including the video in this thread, about five orchestral renditions of the video game Zelda theme, and they've all left me cold.

They are no zaz, no light, basic and un-colorful and continous orchestration, almost regid performance with no joy in it. Can anybody recommend me good versions?

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Thanks, BloodBoal -- certainly better than any I'd heard before, but still not clicking with me completely, personally.

I may be completely wrong here (I am not a composer nor arranger), but alot of themes are just not malleable enough to deviate much from the original arrangement.

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Yeah, Fal already posted a similar video. It's a brilliant idea.

I'd be surprised if someone hadn't, actually. But I didn't remember seeing it yet.

It's shocking how well it works. I didn't really click with the main theme until last Sat. when I did some YouTubing.

Super pumped for the game and soundtrack now.

And by the way, Jacob, you should check the spelling of Conti's name in your signature ;)

Don't know how I botched that... :mellow:

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  • 1 month later...

So, I suppose this will include the first two movements from the 25 Anniversary Symphony, (the Wind Waker one and the Twilight Princess one), plus two new ones. In any case, it means more orchestral Zelda music for us to enjoy!

Um, I don't think the WW and TP medley's are what they are referring to as "movements"

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look at it again, it says PART I and PART II.

those are the movements they are referring to, when the full symphony is played, there will be PART III and IV

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To answer Faleel's question, yes the LOTR symphony is a little over an hour. But being a Canadian, I've never really had the opportunity to see it... :(

I'd also like to randomly say that I've never really thought much of the Zelda music, although I confess I haven't heard much. Some of this enthusiasm for the score though surprises me, thats all. I guess I'm the odd one :)

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The SKyward Sword score is Orchestral, (well most of it, some stuff is synth, but the more important stuff is orchestral) so is the end credits, the hyrule field from OOT, is an orchestral arrangment, that was performed for the 3DS remake of OOT.

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Are you saying the entire Skyward Sword score (well, like you said, most of it) from the game is orchestral? That would be totally awesome!

It is at the same time sad and amazing that out of the above pieces, I get more satisfaction than from most film scores nowadays.

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Have listened to some of it now.

I agree that it isn't as good as some previous Zelda games; but considering Skyward Sword a letdown would be somewhat crazy.

It's like criticising Williams for not delivering a Star Wars quality score for every movie he does.

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Um, hyrule field (the countermelody) is in one of the cues, soe are some other Zelda themes, I would recommend listening to it more than once (And listen to it In-game, its much more memorable when you have it looping over and over ;) )

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You don't say! ;)

I played only the first third or so of Twilight Princess and I still love its music. I can appreciate Skyward Sword as it is, believe me. I wouldn't call it a letdown, by god.

Even if I'd like to play it, I just dón't have the time.

By the way, off topic, but still a video game: where would I be able to get my hands on a copy of Castlevania Lords Of Shadow? There is some buzz around this score and I'd like to know why.

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  • “Legend of Zelda 25th Anniversary Medley” (this was played at E3 2011; not the same as the medley on the CD)
  • “The Creation of Hyrule” (as seen in Ocarina of Time)
  • Movement 1: Ocarina of Time
  • Movement 2: The Wind Waker
  • “Fairy Fountain”
  • Movement 3: Twilight Princess
  • Movement 4: A Link to the Past
  • “Gerudo Valley”
  • “The Ballad of the Wind Fish” (from Link’s Awakening)

2 hours long.

http://www.zeldauniverse.net/articles/impressions-from-the-symphony-of-the-goddesses/#more-35074

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I'd also like to randomly say that I've never really thought much of the Zelda music, although I confess I haven't heard much. Some of this enthusiasm for the score though surprises me, thats all. I guess I'm the odd one :)

And I was starting to like you... I guess you're saying that based on music from the old Snes games, with midi sound. I can forgive you that. It's never too late to learn, Merciful One! So, let me introduce you to some orchestral Zelda music, and, hopefully, you'll change your mind. And if you doesn't, well, we might have to ban you.

Lol! Well, you got me, I've always judged the Zelda music by the midi stuff in the old games (shudders). But hearing the orchestral epicness that you've sampled, I think its successfully made quite an impression on me. I am ready to redeem myself.

Let's start with the 25th Anniversary Medley. Check particularly 1:39, 3:59, 5:08 and 6:32 (Oh, god, I bloody love that part!):

And let's continue with Ballad Of The Goddess:

Then, I give you Skyward Sword End Credits:

And to conclude, here is my personal favourite (which I have posted at least five times on this forum), Ocarina Of Time 3D End Credits. 1:27 for the win!:

That is some epic stuff! Alright, I'll admit I was wrong, there is obviously material for me to enjoy, analyze and obsess over here :D

I'm really starting to like the themes in these scores (Ballad of the Goddess, the main theme, and some other stuff). When the orchestra grows in volume, the music can be quite stunning. I also love all the lovely woodwind accents and ornamentation.

Here is my only issue though. There are moments when the music sounds underwhelming. There are great themes, great instrumentation...but at moments I felt the need for soaring, it never occured. Don't get me wrong, there are tons of moments where the orchestra blasts in full symphonic force with impressive power and I love that. But it must be something to do with the arrangement from all the midi stuff.. (I think). Especially at moments where the snare is at the forefront, or if there is a pulsating rhythm on the low brass, I just felt the ensemble was lacking in power when the writing seemed to demand it. Maybe its just me. Let me point out some examples, a small one was at the 2:00 min mark in the medley where the snare really diminishes the impact of the music. Or take for instance 5:55 in the Skyward Sword end credits, the snare rhythm at the forefront kind of takes a little bit of that big epic sound away. Also, I don't like how the choir is used (along with that string passage that makes this sound like some charming anime reel). Its not a big deal, I think I'm just being unnecessarily picky :P Its just that sometimes the writing seems to lack power (whereas other moments, it shines with brilliance) which then runs dangerously along lower class anime stuff (stuff that I don't listen to but judging from what I've heard from the genre, I don't appreciate that sound very much). I think its your turn to be merciful now BloodBoal, -Eek! Please don't hurt me.... :( -

What ultimately sold me to the music was the End Credits piece and that last clip of yours. Thats some awesome music! Alright, now that you've got my interest into these scores, now what do I do? What do I try first?... :P

- KK

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OK, KK, I am going to join Bloodboal for a bit, here are some other pieces:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdXIs-knzvo

https://www.youtube....feature=related

and here is some other stuff I like (this is synth though unfortunately)

https://www.youtube....h?v=OycC10pPZ8M

https://www.youtube....feature=related

and apparently Majora's Mask was supposed to be an encore for the symphony, but was cut from the program because of rehearsal constraints.

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OK, KK, I am going to join Bloodboal for a bit, here are some other pieces:

o___o

You both do realize that all you needed to show me was this clip to have me hooked onto this music, right?!?

THIS is fantastic!!!! Along with great statements of some of the heroic themes you showed me, it has some epic dark material which I was looking for!!! A refreshing change from the tone that was dangerously treading close to the "happy go lucky" territory. And the choral work is epic (unlike the other choral moment Bloodboal showed me)! My only problem would be that the brass sometimes lacks the 'oomph' factor.

NOW you've officially gotten me addicted. BloodBoal, you didn't need to chide me if you showed me this one awesome.

I am now looking through the PM in hope to be enlightened even further... ;)

- KK

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Oh wow! yeah, the Twilight Princess soundtrack was really good, the midi samples didnt really show it that much (though it still shined well in the theme repitition department)

also Twilight Princess was the first dark 2000's console game (besides majora's mask)

the theme here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wwLkzFq-OY

got a good orchestral rendition here:

Omigosh, I forgot to link to this (the recording quality is not that good but)

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 4 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

Wow. Sounds pretty damn good. Not much hiss, and no fanboys screaming. Obviously, it could be better, but for a fan recording, it holds up pretty damn well.

As far as the music is concerned, it's nice, but I never understood what the fuss was all about regarding Majora's Mask score. It's good, but there are no cues from this score that I would consider among my favourites of the series.

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