This Cover Album Gives Zelda Music the Classical Guitar Treatment
Posted on June 06 2024 by John Lortie
It’s easy to hear the beauty in Zelda music. No matter how simple or complex, the pieces that comprise the series’ soundtracks draw players into the worlds of the games, evoking genuine emotional responses. They also affect Zelda fans outside the confines of the games, inspiring creativity that often results in homages and tributes to the series’ music.
What if these compositions were taken from their original instrumentations and arranged for a single instrument? How would they retain their beauty? Musician and classical guitarist mauricemori recently released an album that might answer these questions.
That album, Zelda’s Lullaby: The Legend of Zelda Guitar Collection, draws from titles across the series, including Link’s Awakening, Skyward Sword, Breath of the Wild, and Tears of the Kingdom. Armed only with his guitar, mauricemori presents this familiar music simply and skillfully. His arrangements preserve the emotional core of each piece as it was originally heard in its associated game.
Zelda’s Lullaby’s tracklist is as follows:
- “Main Theme”
- “First Search”
- “Overworld”
- “Mabe Village”
- “Zelda’s Lullaby (Bossa Nova)”
- “A Moment with Zelda”
- “The Lumpy Pumpkin”
- “The Sky”
- “Hateno Village”
- “Link’s House”
- “Tarrey Town”
- “Stables”
- “Stable Trotters’ Serenade”
- “Gerudo Town”
- “Lurelin Village”
- “Zelda’s Lullaby”
Having been a fan of mauricemori and his work for a good few years, I was excited to hear a full Zelda arrangement album from him. Zelda’s Lullaby lives up to my lofty expectations. “Main Theme,” an arrangement of Tears of the Kingdom’s main theme, is the perfect introduction to the album. It features an artist showing both his skill with his instrument and his familiarity and love of the source material.
If you enjoy what you’re hearing here, be sure to keep up with mauricemori over on YouTube, Instagram, and X. Zelda’s Lullaby is streaming on Spotify, YouTube Music, Apple Music, Pandora, Amazon Music, Tidal, Deezer, Napster, and Boomplay. Those looking to purchase a download of the album can find it on Amazon Music, iTunes, and Bandcamp.
What do you think of these classical guitar arrangements of some of Zelda’s iconic pieces? Do you think the music and the emotion behind the music translates well to guitar? What’s your favorite piece from the album? Let us know down in the comments!
Source: mauricemori
John’s been a Zelda fan since he was seven years old (which was a good few decades ago). He loves the last three months of the year, analog media, his family, and Tolkien. His favorite Zelda game is Breath of the Wild and his favorite game is Night in the Woods.
