The Legend of Zelda is a series with a long history of beautiful and iconic music, from the overworld theme of the very first game to the music in 2023’s Tears of the Kingdom. Much of that music was composed by the legendary Koji Kondo, though other composers have joined him in more recent games. With Echoes of Wisdom set to release in September, let’s take a look back at some of the best songs from across the series.
Rising Island Chain (Tears of the Kingdom)
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The Rising Island Chain is an area leading to Tears of the Kingdom‘s Wind Temple. Link arrives at the Rito Village to find it buried in snow, with a swirling storm looming in the skies above the Hebra Peak. Like much of both Tears of the Kingdom‘s music and Breath of the Wild‘s, it’s split into multiple parts. In the case of the Rising Island Chain theme, the variations are for each of the sections of the approach to the temple: as the player gets closer, the music transitions to another section.
The first section, for the most part, blends in with the game’s regular theme for exploring cold regions. However, as the player climbs higher with the help of Tulin, a melody emerges from the ambient snowy twinkles. Eventually, the cold ambiance is overtaken by the new melody, accompanied by ascending strings, droning brass, and a repeating four-note piano line. When the player climbs high enough to be above the storm, the music fades out entirely to match the sudden clear sky. This is soon replaced by a grand and triumphant theme that starts as soon as Link dives down into the eye of the storm to land on the Wind Temple.
Vah Ruta (Breath of the Wild)
Like the other tracks for going through the Divine Beast dungeons, the theme for Vah Ruta is split into several variations. The music changes with each terminal Link activates, adding more forward momentum as if the trapped spirits of the Champions are cheering Link on. However, the version that plays before any terminals have been activated has a secret. Players discovered that Morse Code could be heard in these themes, spelling out S-O-S and/or S-A-D. What’s more, they also discovered that it plays at different times, tempos, and frequencies in each Divine Beast’s track.
It plays often and almost immediately in Vah Ruta’s theme, but it plays much later in the track for Vah Medoh. This adds to the characterization of the Divine Beasts’ respective Champions and tells a subtle story – a panicked Mipha desperately calling for aid the second Waterblight Ganon attacked and a reluctant Revali calling for aid only when it became clear he was fighting a losing battle.
Midna’s Lament (Twilight Princess)
Midna’s Lament is a phenomenal example of musical storytelling. Throughout the game, two leitmotifs become very familiar to the player. One is Midna’s, often playing when she appears or, in one example, outright being hummed by her. The other could be thought of as Link’s, which is heard most prominently when the player gets an advantage over a boss fight or in the Hyrule Field theme. These two themes are usually kept separate, much like how Midna’s world and Link’s are separate.
This changes when Zant ambushes the pair in Lanayru’s spring and mortally wounds Midna. The song that plays as Link (trapped in his wolf form) rushes to save a dying Midna weaves the two leitmotifs into one piece, telling a story of how much Link and Midna have come to care for and rely on each other. This is echoed in Midna’s actions for the rest of the game – she starts calling Link by name, she starts resting her head on his shoulder or putting her hand on his cheek, and she starts to care about Link outside of how he can help her achieve her goals.
Honorable Mentions
Hyrule Field (Twilight Princess)
The Twilight Princess incarnation of the Hyrule Field theme is widely regarded as one of the best versions of the theme. As mentioned above, it includes Link’s leitmotif, taking it from just being a bombastic and energetic overworld theme to being a theme of Link’s excitement and courage. It’s the perfect music to accompany Link and Epona galloping across Hyrule. In the late game, when all the areas and shortcuts are unlocked, it’s a lot of fun to just ride around with this song playing.
Gerudo Valley (Ocarina of Time)
Like A Link to the Past‘s Hyrule Castle theme, the Gerudo Valley theme is an iconic piece of Zelda music. It borrows heavily from Spanish flamenco music, contrasting beautifully with the themes of Hyrule’s other locales. It’s endlessly loopable, incredibly catchy, and deservedly many Zelda fans’ favorite track.
Hyrule Castle (A Link to the Past)
This is a classic and iconic piece of music in the Legend of Zelda series. Like many aspects of A Link to the Past, the theme for Hyrule Castle gets referenced in later Zelda games. It’s referenced very clearly in Twilight Princess‘ own theme for Hyrule Castle, though it also very much inspired Breath of the Wild’s. Having Hyrule Castle itself as a dungeon also started with A Link to the Past, though in later games, it’s often been a final dungeon. It also gets referenced in Breath of the Wild‘s music referring to the former king, Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule – including the musical flourish when the king’s spirit reveals his true identity.
Zelda’s Lullaby (Ocarina of Time)
What list of Zelda music would be complete without Zelda’s Lullaby? Not only is it iconic, but it’s so much so that Skyward Sword‘s Ballad of the Goddess is also Zelda’s Lullaby being played in reverse. It’s synonymous with the princess herself, often referenced in other tracks that have to do with her. Whether she’s revealing her identity in Twilight Princess or trapped in the castle in Breath of the Wild, her theme is always sure to accompany her. With Echoes of Wisdom featuring her as the protagonist, it won’t be surprising for that game to feature her theme even more prominently.
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