Skyrim's music
05 January 2012
It is no secret that I don't like the Elder Scrolls series, especially Oblivion and Skyrim. Morrowind at least had the merit of creating an original, alien world: with their run-of-the-mill settings, the latest two installements have managed to squander any potential for retaining my interest.
However, since others have explained why Skyrim sucks way better than I could (see Skyrim and the quest for meaning), I'll instead talk about what I love: Jeremy Soule's music. While many might have discovered his work through Skyrim, Jeremy Soule has been a major figure of music in video games for a long time. A quick look at his Wikipedia page reveals an impressive list of titles, including Guild Wars, Company of Heroes and Neverwinter Nights.
So far, my favorite work was Icewind Dale. Soule had captured the spirit of these barren, barbaric lands (predating Skyrim's setting by 10 years) better than anyone else could. Just hear the main theme for yourself:
Drums and horns evoking tribal wars; high-pitched strings telling of glacial winds; choirs providing the customary religious grandeur. The recipe is simple, but a simple recipe and effective execution is often what makes the best music. 10 years ago, Jeremy Soule clearly excelled at depicting the frozen tundra and its mysteries. And as much as I dislike Skyrim as a video game, it did give Jeremy Soule ample opportunity to outdo himself at what he does best. The results are breath-taking.
Either Soule had a lot more time and resources, or he just got better at his craft since Icewind Dale, but either way, this is shiver-inducing good. First, let's point out the use of men's choirs as a theme throughout the soundtrack, presented here in conjunction with the double-bass to create an ominous atmosphere. Then around 0:50, violons and women's choir, in stark constrast with the introduction. The two choirs do not sing together until 4:00, albeit only with violons; the piece's climax coincides with the first full-choir, all-strings segment. Very simple, almost obvious, orchestration, yet coupled with Soule's talent for lyrical themes and lush harmonies, the final product is incredibly effective.
After all, music like this doesn't need to be very intricate or even original. Every "epic"-sounding movie and video game music is a more or less bad imitation of Carl Orff's Carmina Burana (1936); with its pseudo-religious grandeur and deceptively simple ostinatos, it's still one of the most fun pieces both to listen to and interpret (and I did sing it, back in high school). Video game music, much like movie music, usually tries to fit a certain theme without getting in the way of the action, often making it entirely forgettable. Knowing this reality, it's always a pleasant surprise to discover the rare gem here and there: Civilization 4 (this game is basically a small musical history course), Matt Uelmen's Diablo 2 (to which Diablo 3's soundtrack won't hold a candle unfortunately), or Keith Zizza's Lords of Magic.
But I digress. The point of this post is to thank Bethesda, not for Skyrim, but for paying Jeremy Soule to compose more descriptive orchestral music, especially in the theme he seems most prolific with, norwegian winter and vikings. By the way, the official soundtrack album is 4 cds of this sweet stuff, and from what I've read, it sounds much better than what you hear in-game: the in-game mastering was done differently and is not really designed for pure listening. So whether you own the game or not, the album is a must-have.
However, since others have explained why Skyrim sucks way better than I could (see Skyrim and the quest for meaning), I'll instead talk about what I love: Jeremy Soule's music. While many might have discovered his work through Skyrim, Jeremy Soule has been a major figure of music in video games for a long time. A quick look at his Wikipedia page reveals an impressive list of titles, including Guild Wars, Company of Heroes and Neverwinter Nights.
So far, my favorite work was Icewind Dale. Soule had captured the spirit of these barren, barbaric lands (predating Skyrim's setting by 10 years) better than anyone else could. Just hear the main theme for yourself:
Drums and horns evoking tribal wars; high-pitched strings telling of glacial winds; choirs providing the customary religious grandeur. The recipe is simple, but a simple recipe and effective execution is often what makes the best music. 10 years ago, Jeremy Soule clearly excelled at depicting the frozen tundra and its mysteries. And as much as I dislike Skyrim as a video game, it did give Jeremy Soule ample opportunity to outdo himself at what he does best. The results are breath-taking.
Either Soule had a lot more time and resources, or he just got better at his craft since Icewind Dale, but either way, this is shiver-inducing good. First, let's point out the use of men's choirs as a theme throughout the soundtrack, presented here in conjunction with the double-bass to create an ominous atmosphere. Then around 0:50, violons and women's choir, in stark constrast with the introduction. The two choirs do not sing together until 4:00, albeit only with violons; the piece's climax coincides with the first full-choir, all-strings segment. Very simple, almost obvious, orchestration, yet coupled with Soule's talent for lyrical themes and lush harmonies, the final product is incredibly effective.
After all, music like this doesn't need to be very intricate or even original. Every "epic"-sounding movie and video game music is a more or less bad imitation of Carl Orff's Carmina Burana (1936); with its pseudo-religious grandeur and deceptively simple ostinatos, it's still one of the most fun pieces both to listen to and interpret (and I did sing it, back in high school). Video game music, much like movie music, usually tries to fit a certain theme without getting in the way of the action, often making it entirely forgettable. Knowing this reality, it's always a pleasant surprise to discover the rare gem here and there: Civilization 4 (this game is basically a small musical history course), Matt Uelmen's Diablo 2 (to which Diablo 3's soundtrack won't hold a candle unfortunately), or Keith Zizza's Lords of Magic.
But I digress. The point of this post is to thank Bethesda, not for Skyrim, but for paying Jeremy Soule to compose more descriptive orchestral music, especially in the theme he seems most prolific with, norwegian winter and vikings. By the way, the official soundtrack album is 4 cds of this sweet stuff, and from what I've read, it sounds much better than what you hear in-game: the in-game mastering was done differently and is not really designed for pure listening. So whether you own the game or not, the album is a must-have.
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