Top Ten: Zelda Tunes

Time to ignite the flame wars as Katharine counts down her top ten Zelda ditties.

By Katharine Byrne. Posted 09/04/2012 10:00 5 Comments     ShareThis

10. Midna’s Desperate Hour

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

I think we can all agree that Twilight Princess‘ rendition of Hyrule Field is a pretty great track, but stick it in a minor key with a few liberal injections of Midna’s Theme and its power suddenly increases tenfold. Bizarrely, I actually ended up listening to this before I got to the moment where it plays in-game, but I was instantly captivated by its haunting, melancholy tone, and it made me all the more eager to play through the game and hear it in its rightful context– and boy, it certainly didn’t disappoint!

Now I’m a sucker for all things piano, but when Link had to rush a pale, barely-breathing Midna all the way across Hyrule Field to Zelda’s aid, I don’t think there could have been a more apt instrument to express the sorrow and sheer desperation of her situation– especially since we’re so used to hearing the same tune being belted out by an entire brass and string section. It’s easily one of the most fraught moments in the game, and the way each track melds together– one representing the light of Hyrule, the other reflecting the gloom of the Twilight– fully encapsulates the uneasy tension that exists between each world. But even though Midna’s Desperate Hour is a kind of musical re-enactment of the moment when Zant forced Midna from one reality to another, the result is a surprisingly harmonious one, hinting that maybe, just maybe, there’s hope for our impish companion yet.

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5 Responses to “Top Ten: Zelda Tunes”

  • 1558 points
    penduin says...

    Great list! I don’t think I could pick 10, there’s just been so much great music in the Zelda series. Zelda 2’s warbly “instrumentation” (if you can call it that) bugged me when I was young, but I’ve come to appreciate it and it made me smile to see its main palace music on the list.

    I’d love to hear a modern take on the original Zelda’s Level 9 music. Many previous dungeon themes have resurfaced in one way or another but unless I’m forgetting something, I can’t say I’ve heard that particular melody of dread and danger come up again.

    • 7 points
      Katharine Byrne says...

      Thanks! Ah, yes, Level 9. Man, that music’s creepy. It did, in fact, reappear in Four Swords Adventures in the Tower of Flames, but I know what you mean – it would be great to hear it used more often! :)

  • 1244 points
    lukas85 says...

    My 10 favorites in no particular order.

    1. Main Hyrule field theme
    2. Gerudo valley
    3. Temple of time
    4. Fairy fountain
    5. 4 gods from majoras mask
    6. Bolero of fire
    7. Ballad of the goddesses.
    8. Song of healing
    9. Ganondorf thheme from Twilight Princess
    10. Serenade of water.

    • 7 points
      Katharine Byrne says...

      All great tunes, Lukas! I was actually this close to including Queen Rutela’s Theme from Twilight Princess in the honourable mentions (a re-working of the Serenade of Water), but if I decided that if I included any more then I’d have a never-ending list!

      I’m also a very big fan of Ganondorf’s Theme, especially the Twilight Princess version (that final battle music is just epic!), but it’s a close tie between that one and The Last Battle from Ocarina of Time when it comes to my top Ganon music!

  • 1558 points
    penduin says...

    Woah, I completely forgot about the Four Swords Adventures rendition! I think I played through that level exactly once… Thanks for the tip! :^)

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