The Legend of Zelda 25th Anniversary Special Orchestra CD
I cannot claim to be the gamer geek this CD might imply. I have only ever played one game in the Zelda series, Skyward Sword, and it came packaged with this symphonic orchestration. I can count other console games I've enjoyed on one hand. (Mirror's Edge, Portal, Portal 2, and Katamari Damacy, in case you wondered.)
I never actually listened to the thing until I was preparing to start this review. I'm rather surprised and a bit ashamed at how often that has been the case during this project, yet it's nice to be able to discover new things even while focusing on what I already have. There may be a lesson here about consumerism and our addiction to novelty, but I'll save that blog for another day.
For an orchestration adapted entirely from video game background music, I was pleased to find that it's not very soundtracky at all - that is, all of it is interesting to listen to on its own. Although it's easy to imagine a fantasy action-adventure playing out under each movement, it's clear that this particular arrangement is meant to stand alone, and that is very appealing.
It probably helps that the Legend of Zelda series of games has been long enough to generate an abundance of memorable themes and melodies, from the stirring theme of the first game to Skyward Sword's lilting and delicate "Ballad of the Goddess" as played on harp. The games are notoriously broad-ranging and versatile, with story elements touching on as many themes and moods as any well-established high fantasy saga; themes such as the struggle of good against evil, the rekindling of hope after despair, the bustling of vibrant communities, and reverent encounters with the divine. The music that accompanies each level of each game is specially crafted to inspire those feelings, and likewise there’s a lot going on in this CD.
At times during this symphony it almost seems like they went overboard trying to incorporate all these disparate snatches of music into a relatively cohesive whole. It's almost *too* diverse. But I'm inclined to like it anyway. If you’re into grand, fantasy-inspired orchestral music, regardless of your attitude toward gaming or the Zelda series, consider giving this a listen.
Next: Meteora
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