Musical Musings: Building the Themes of Tarrey Town “From The Ground Up”
Posted on May 20 2019 by Matt Pederberg
Music is a defining feature of The Legend of Zelda series, so much so that it becomes its own character. The soundscape molds Hyrule around Link and his friends, giving character to those he interacts with and helps the player connect with them on an emotional level. The awe-striking music from The Legend of Zelda played a significant role in why I chose to pursue Bachelor’s Degree in music, and it is why I have decided to take an in-depth look at different tracks throughout the scores that inspire me as a musician. I thought a good starting point would be Breath of the Wild, one of the soundtracks that I am least familiar with. Now, seeing as Breath of the Wild has a little over 4 hours worth of music (that’s 211 tracks, wow!), I figured I would start with working my way through the Sound Selection CD included in all limited editions of Breath of the Wild’s original release.
In honour of Side Quest Week, I’m going to be diverging slightly from the Breath of the Wild Sound Selection CD. Instead, I’ll be taking a look at one of the most inspiring side quests from the game. Most side quests in Breath of the Wild are either too easily accomplished, or feel too much like their just a part of the natural progression of the game. There is one, however, that really stands out in my mind.
Introducing the Piece
‘Tarrey Town’ is a compositional marvel from head composer Manaka Kataoka. The piece does not simply build on its own, but with the town itself! As the moving pieces of the side quest slowly come together, so do the various themes and motifs of the overall piece start to meld and become one cohesive piece that brings the entire world of Breath of the Wild together. As such, the piece is split into six movements, listed here for ease of access (with a time stamp):
I. 0:00 – Tarrey Town (Empty)
II. 1:48 – Tarrey Town (Goron)
III. 3:11 – Tarrey Town (Gerudo)
IV. 5:00 – Tarrey Town (Rito)
V. 6:24 – Tarrey Town (Zora)
VI. 8:00 – Tarrey Town (Hylian)
Analysis
The instrumentation of this piece is a huge part of what is interesting about it to analyze, so I’ve decided to mash the entire analysis into one giant section. The piece stays in Db-Major, and 4/4 time throughout. There are quite a few interesting instruments used throughout the various movements that help this piece build toward its completed form. However, the player will have already heard them by the time they’re hearing it, as each new section takes motifs and instruments from the main towns Link visits. Let’s take a look at them, section by section.
I. Empty
The first movement of the piece is the Tarrey Town motif played on the clarinet:
Tarrey Motif
This is heard when the town is in its baby stages. No people, no buildings, just open space and one determined worker. Just like the town, the motif is essentially on its own. It is supported by the piano, the backbone of Breath of the Wild, and accompanied by a set of conga. But there are still plenty of bars of complete silence, just as the town is completely empty.
II. Goron
The second movement draws on the Goron culture which is represented by the trombone. The motif it adds is very reminiscent of the Goron City theme and feel:
Goron Motif
It is also accompanied by the vibraphone, which is like a metal marimba, which is another instrument attributed to the Gorons. This Goron Motif is layered over top of the Tarrey Motif, filling in some of the holes, like the Gorons moving into the town.
III. Gerudo
The third movement occurs after inviting a Gerudo salesperson to the up-and-coming area. With her comes a dulcimer, a type of zither, which is an instrument rooted in China, but has come to be associated with Middle-Eastern music. We also get a direct musical quote from Gerudo Town:
At this point in the music, we still have a rest or two of complete silence, but not many. The theme is slowly filling up, just like the town. The clarinet from the Tarrey Motif also becomes more active in this section, much like the growing activity of the town itself.
IV. Rito
The fourth movement is brought in with the Rito tribe. The Ritos are represented by the higher registers of the clarinet, which brings not just one, but two motifs from Rito Village:
These two motifs now completely fill in those empty spaces as the town continues to grow into a bustling central hub. The conga accompaniment is also more active in this section, continuing to build the theme from beneath. The higher register of the clarinet also help to bring joy into the town, much like the happy denizens interacting with each other.
V. Zora
With the coming of the Zoras comes fullness within Tarrey Town. Similarly, the guitar that is added underneath the current motifs helps to support and fill the theme:
Zora Motif
The style of arpeggiation (playing the notes of a chord successively instead of all at once) also hearkens to the guitar supporting the Zora’s Domain theme. At this point, the theme is now teeming with life and laughter as the joyous instruments all join together, representing the four races. However, there is still one race missing.
VI. Hylian
The Tarrey Town theme receives one final gift from Hyrule itself, just as Tarrey Town is gifted with one final celebration. The final movement is completed with the addition of the bagpipes, the instrument that has now come to be representative of the Hylians of years gone by. They sing out in this final motif:
Hylian Motif
This motif is an extension of the original Tarrey Motif, as well as helping to replace the low clarinet notes to create a fuller, more complete sound. It is here in this final movement that the races have all come together, creating the Hyrule that used to be before the Great Calamity. A Hyrule of all races working, playing, and simply being together in harmony, just as the motifs all layer over each other, mingling and losing themselves to each other in perfect harmony.
Matt’s Musings
This piece, looked at as a whole, is possibly my favorite composition in the entire Zelda series. I love the way that it builds off of such a simple idea, becoming more and more complex. It is so inspiring how the piece grows along with the development of the town, as well as Link’s own development. I feel, as the player, that I am allowed to be a part of constructing the theme alongside constructing the town. It really is a satisfying feeling hearing the themes one after another and experiencing the growth all over again.
What was your first experience with building Tarrey Town like? Did you notice that the theme grew with the town? Or did you do the quests so quickly that you missed it? Let us know in the comments below!
Matt Pederberg is part of the Writing Team at Zelda Dungeon, holds a Bachelor of Music, and has used that knowledge to develop his love of excellent music in excellent video games!
