Music and the Fictive Dream: Legend of Zelda

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword


Main Theme

    I remember all the way back in 2011 when this game was released on the Nintendo Wii, I got it for Christmas that year, and since then I have beaten it twice, and labeled it as an all-time fond favorite of mine. The main theme of this game is simply called the Main Theme, it was composed by Mahito Yokota, and Hajime Wakai, and released in 2011 along with the game in Japan. It is only natural that the music for this game turned out so memorable, and perfect, as the main composer, Mahito Yokota, has also made the music for other big Nintendo games like Super Mario Galaxy, Donkey Kong, and Captain Toad. Along with Hajime Wakai, he orchestrated some incredible music for this game.

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    For those of you who may not know much about The Legend of Zelda, it is a game all about a young boy who goes out to find and save, the princess Zelda from the evil king Ganondorf. And for anyone who has played it, you know how enchanting it is, how the storyline can suck you in, how the puzzles can aggravate you to no end, and how the final boss battle leaves you almost sweating and on the edge of your seat. And the music, oh the music, it goes from soft and beautiful to fast and intense just when an enemy appears. This game was the 16th Zelda game ever released, and at the time, I for one thought that it was the best Zelda game yet. Kotaku.com's Kirk Hamilton said that "Even though I'm not a 'Zelda guy', this game is a prime example of a videogame as a concert piece." And on another forum for the game's music, an individual shared that the music was wonderful and that it made them imagine Link and Zelda flying in the sky on their Loftwings. 

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    The song as a whole uses a very lovely homophonic structure, where all of the underlying chords and melodies support one overarching melody that is played again and again by the violins. This overarching structure really is wonderful to listen to because it fills your ears with a really harmonious sound, with all of it working together. 

    Another thing about the Main Theme is that it follows a relatively binary form, in that it always returns to the main melody. This is really cool because the main melody is really catchy and beautiful, and the other melodies that replace it at times throughout the song just add to its beauty. I think it's cool how even though the song may seem to repeat itself, this binary structure still doesn't "get old" and repetitive.

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    Overall, I think that the music in this game makes me feel nostalgic. The game came with a soundtrack CD, and even then I would just lay in my room and listen to the music. The harmonies and melodies, dips and dives in intensities, and the playful magic in the music all contribute to how enchanting the game is as a whole.

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Hamilton, Kirk. "The Best Game Music of 2011: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword". kotaku.com. https://kotaku.com/the-best-game-music-of-2011-the-legend-of-zelda-skywa-5870848.

"Mahito Yokota". nintendo.fandom.com. https://nintendo.fandom.com/wiki/Mahito_Yokota.


"Skyward Sword Music Discussion". neoseeker.com.     https://www.neoseeker.com/forums/44654/t1705200-skyward-sword-music-discussion/.








Comments

  1. Benjamin LuciaNovember 18, 2020 at 12:25 PM

    What an awesome game, man. The zelda series is one of the most iconic nintendo video game franchises of all time, and for good reason. The story, gameplay, and especially the music are all first rate. The soundtrack really immerses you in the story. Every area of the game has it's own unique music that gets you wrapped up in the scene that you're in. After listening to the main theme, I do have to agree with you. Even though the main theme repeats quite often, you almost never get tired of it. It really takes you back to 2012 when times were a lot simpler. Great post!

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