PIPE ORGANS RANKED + REVIEWED
The professional opinion of a non-professional organist
201 Games
Rating: GOOD
Track: Bloody Tears
The classic theme from Simon's Quest is brought back, juiced up, and developed on gorgeously here. Gorgeous organ tone, excellent writing (as it was on the NES as well - the only reason the original Simon's Quest track is not present in this list is because the genre blending and limited NES sound channels make it difficult to discern what parts are really supposed to be an organ and which are not), just an incredible win for organ lovers. It's only a shame we don't see it much else in this soundtrack, they've obviously got a great hand for it!
Track: Bloody Tears
The classic theme from Simon's Quest is brought back, juiced up, and developed on gorgeously here. Gorgeous organ tone, excellent writing (as it was on the NES as well - the only reason the original Simon's Quest track is not present in this list is because the genre blending and limited NES sound channels make it difficult to discern what parts are really supposed to be an organ and which are not), just an incredible win for organ lovers. It's only a shame we don't see it much else in this soundtrack, they've obviously got a great hand for it!
Rating: GOOD
Track: A Prayer to the Road That Leads
Interact with the pipe organ in the cathedral and Chrono will play these quick little chords. Well, "little" - they're gorgeous. The organ tone is rich and full, the chords are thick and creamy, it's a delight. Obviously would have preferred this to be a full piece rather than a quick little idea (and indeed, an incredible piece could be developed off this single idea alone), but it's still an excellent display of organ playing.
Track: A Prayer to the Road That Leads
Interact with the pipe organ in the cathedral and Chrono will play these quick little chords. Well, "little" - they're gorgeous. The organ tone is rich and full, the chords are thick and creamy, it's a delight. Obviously would have preferred this to be a full piece rather than a quick little idea (and indeed, an incredible piece could be developed off this single idea alone), but it's still an excellent display of organ playing.
Rating: GOOD
Track: Smooch of Divine Protection
Gorgeously honest little gospel-flavored organ playing. Fun harmonic movements, fun little performance flourishes - would easily skyrocket higher up the list if not for how solidly conventional it is. When I hear the name Hirofumi Taniguchi, "conventional" is the last word I think of - would have loved to see him push it a little more here!
Track: Smooch of Divine Protection
Gorgeously honest little gospel-flavored organ playing. Fun harmonic movements, fun little performance flourishes - would easily skyrocket higher up the list if not for how solidly conventional it is. When I hear the name Hirofumi Taniguchi, "conventional" is the last word I think of - would have loved to see him push it a little more here!
Rating: PERFECT
Tracks: Opening Theme, Dancing Mad
This is easily the most famous instance of a pipe organ being used in game music, and for good reason - Nobuo Uematsu has not only created the single most iconic organ riff since Bach's (or at least, it's attributed to him) opening theme in Toccata and Fugue in D minor, but also presents us with a full-course meal of luxuriously decadent chorales that punctuate throughout an otherwise brain-thumping prog rock final boss track which never fails to impress any listener lucky enough to stumble across it, whether in-game or out. The full spectrum of the organ is found here, with its powerful, chilling howls, its gently caressing beauty, and its sacred, enlightened profundity. This is the height of the pipe organ's appearance in the history of the medium, and it's unlikely to ever be topped.
Tracks: Opening Theme, Dancing Mad
This is easily the most famous instance of a pipe organ being used in game music, and for good reason - Nobuo Uematsu has not only created the single most iconic organ riff since Bach's (or at least, it's attributed to him) opening theme in Toccata and Fugue in D minor, but also presents us with a full-course meal of luxuriously decadent chorales that punctuate throughout an otherwise brain-thumping prog rock final boss track which never fails to impress any listener lucky enough to stumble across it, whether in-game or out. The full spectrum of the organ is found here, with its powerful, chilling howls, its gently caressing beauty, and its sacred, enlightened profundity. This is the height of the pipe organ's appearance in the history of the medium, and it's unlikely to ever be topped.
Rating: GREAT
Track: Soul Sanctum
Excellent use of the organ's many sounds and expressions. Intimate, introspective, intense, it's a deeply thoughtful piece that necessitates reflection. At least, this is true when the organ is on its own - the bulking brass hits and stabbing string ostinatos that show up after a while kind of undo a lot of what the organ was building towards. Fantastic organ writing that unfortunately winds up getting talked over right before it's about to say what it wants to say.
Track: Soul Sanctum
Excellent use of the organ's many sounds and expressions. Intimate, introspective, intense, it's a deeply thoughtful piece that necessitates reflection. At least, this is true when the organ is on its own - the bulking brass hits and stabbing string ostinatos that show up after a while kind of undo a lot of what the organ was building towards. Fantastic organ writing that unfortunately winds up getting talked over right before it's about to say what it wants to say.
Rating: BAD
Track: Fugue #7777
They slam on the keyboard for two chords and then leave it alone. They're good chords! But it ain't much. The following fugue itself is incredibly well-written and would adapt to an organ perfectly, but unfortunately that's not what it was written for.
Track: Fugue #7777
They slam on the keyboard for two chords and then leave it alone. They're good chords! But it ain't much. The following fugue itself is incredibly well-written and would adapt to an organ perfectly, but unfortunately that's not what it was written for.
Rating: GREAT
Tracks: Stand Up Strong, A Tiny Enormous Miracle
In the massive expanse of MOTHER 3's soundtrack, there are only two pieces that utilize the pipe organ (and one of them doesn't really, but it's written and structured exactly like one so for my purposes it counts). Actually, I just ran the numbers: these two organ tracks account for exactly 1.29% of the total soundtrack. The incredible thing is that MOTHER 3's soundtrack contains some of the most intimately human and evocatively emotional music in the history of the medium - which is to say, even just 1.29% of it is still gonna be some of the best stuff around, and indeed it is. This isn't anything that will impress the way Final Fantasy VI does, or take advantage of the unique characteristics of the organ the way Breath of the Wild does, but what's here is extremely efficient, accurate, poignant, beautiful writing that more than pulls its weight in helping to shape one of the most transcendental soundtracks of all time.
Tracks: Stand Up Strong, A Tiny Enormous Miracle
In the massive expanse of MOTHER 3's soundtrack, there are only two pieces that utilize the pipe organ (and one of them doesn't really, but it's written and structured exactly like one so for my purposes it counts). Actually, I just ran the numbers: these two organ tracks account for exactly 1.29% of the total soundtrack. The incredible thing is that MOTHER 3's soundtrack contains some of the most intimately human and evocatively emotional music in the history of the medium - which is to say, even just 1.29% of it is still gonna be some of the best stuff around, and indeed it is. This isn't anything that will impress the way Final Fantasy VI does, or take advantage of the unique characteristics of the organ the way Breath of the Wild does, but what's here is extremely efficient, accurate, poignant, beautiful writing that more than pulls its weight in helping to shape one of the most transcendental soundtracks of all time.
Rating: GOOD
Tracks: Black Feet, Empire, Boxship
Many instruments in the Panzer Dragoon Saga soundtrack are more like an approximation of actual instruments than always being perfectly identifiable. Most of what's included here is, like some other entries on this list, close enough to a pipe organ both in tone and in writing to be considered as such.
Try as I might, there's very little I can muster up to actually say about the organ in this. I feel the same way about the music as I feel about the game itself; it's a feeling, it's an understanding, it's one of the most honest expressions I've ever seen of anything. Maybe to someone else the organ here will not seem much different from the "boring, lifeless" organs I place further down the list, but here I can feel such a strong and deliberate intentionality. The slowness is the point. The heaviness is the point. It is exactly what it wants to be. It is exactly what it needs to be.
Tracks: Black Feet, Empire, Boxship
Many instruments in the Panzer Dragoon Saga soundtrack are more like an approximation of actual instruments than always being perfectly identifiable. Most of what's included here is, like some other entries on this list, close enough to a pipe organ both in tone and in writing to be considered as such.
Try as I might, there's very little I can muster up to actually say about the organ in this. I feel the same way about the music as I feel about the game itself; it's a feeling, it's an understanding, it's one of the most honest expressions I've ever seen of anything. Maybe to someone else the organ here will not seem much different from the "boring, lifeless" organs I place further down the list, but here I can feel such a strong and deliberate intentionality. The slowness is the point. The heaviness is the point. It is exactly what it wants to be. It is exactly what it needs to be.
Rating: GREAT
Track: Water Prison, Movement of Wicked Energy, The Last Moment of the Dark
It's Ys Origin, dude. We all know. I don't gotta say nothing we all know this shit goes crazy. Moving on.
Track: Water Prison, Movement of Wicked Energy, The Last Moment of the Dark
It's Ys Origin, dude. We all know. I don't gotta say nothing we all know this shit goes crazy. Moving on.
Rating: GOOD
Tracks: Catacomb of the Sage Ra'a, The Mad Priest Roein, Spirit Parasite Melzas
The highlight here is of course Spirit Parasite Melzas. The organ isn't around for terribly long, but it is an exceptionally inspired passage that leaves an indelible impression. The Mad Priest Roein similarly throws around some chillingly profound chords like it's no big deal. Could we expect anything less from Kohei Tanaka? One of the best in the business. It's just a shame the pipe organ isn't used more frequently; the themes in this game definitely could have benefited from it.
Tracks: Catacomb of the Sage Ra'a, The Mad Priest Roein, Spirit Parasite Melzas
The highlight here is of course Spirit Parasite Melzas. The organ isn't around for terribly long, but it is an exceptionally inspired passage that leaves an indelible impression. The Mad Priest Roein similarly throws around some chillingly profound chords like it's no big deal. Could we expect anything less from Kohei Tanaka? One of the best in the business. It's just a shame the pipe organ isn't used more frequently; the themes in this game definitely could have benefited from it.
Rating: GOOD
Track: Battle! Dr. Tomouki
Surprisingly intricate contrapuntal writing flying over top an uncharacteristically straight (for Soichi Terada) hip hop beat. There's a lot of confidence on display here, as well as a lot of technical accomplishment; the harmonic places the two organ lines wrap around to are incredibly inspired, and the two distinct tones being used for the two lines compliment each other charmingly. There's a lightness both in both flavor and performance that allows this piece to float around to wherever it wants - organs rarely feel so playful!
Track: Battle! Dr. Tomouki
Surprisingly intricate contrapuntal writing flying over top an uncharacteristically straight (for Soichi Terada) hip hop beat. There's a lot of confidence on display here, as well as a lot of technical accomplishment; the harmonic places the two organ lines wrap around to are incredibly inspired, and the two distinct tones being used for the two lines compliment each other charmingly. There's a lightness both in both flavor and performance that allows this piece to float around to wherever it wants - organs rarely feel so playful!
Rating: GREAT
Tracks: The Prayer of a Tragic Queen, Pressure, Theme of Simon
I'll admit that these organs are not quite so clearly defined as Crusader of Centy's - they sound as if they could just as well be replaced with strings or a harpsichord or whatever else. With Crusader of Centy as a comparison, we can know this falls not on the Genesis' sound chip, but with the way these pieces were written. The music is great, but for this to have ranked higher they would need to be written and structured in a way more authentic and unique to an organ as opposed to anything else.
Tracks: The Prayer of a Tragic Queen, Pressure, Theme of Simon
I'll admit that these organs are not quite so clearly defined as Crusader of Centy's - they sound as if they could just as well be replaced with strings or a harpsichord or whatever else. With Crusader of Centy as a comparison, we can know this falls not on the Genesis' sound chip, but with the way these pieces were written. The music is great, but for this to have ranked higher they would need to be written and structured in a way more authentic and unique to an organ as opposed to anything else.
Rating: BAD
Tracks: Confession, Healing
DRAGON'S QUEST!!!!!
Tracks: Confession, Healing
DRAGON'S QUEST!!!!!
Rating: BORING
Track: Golbez, Clad in Darkness
This most generic iteration of "A Bad Guy Theme That Sounds Menacing With a Pipe Organ." It does what it needs to do, but what it needs to do is nothing worth paying attention to.
Track: Golbez, Clad in Darkness
This most generic iteration of "A Bad Guy Theme That Sounds Menacing With a Pipe Organ." It does what it needs to do, but what it needs to do is nothing worth paying attention to.
Rating: NEUTRAL
Tracks: Kingdom of Burmecia, Immortal Melody, Cleyra's Settlement, Master of Time, Pandemonium, The Darkness of Eternity
Knowing what Uematsu is capable of with the organ, the tracks here in Final Fantasy IX feel strangely empty... They're serviceable, I wouldn't call any of this writing bad at all, but there's a distinct lack of any significant character behind them. There's no guts. The Darkness of Eternity in particular seems to try and hearken back to the pipe organ/prog rock combination of Final Fantasy VI's Dancing Mad, but it just doesn't quite cut it for me. The only one I can see myself actively wanting to listen to again is Master of Time, and even then that piece only really has a few select glimmers of intrigue. There's just really nothing too special here - though Cleyra's Settlement is a cute application of an organ's flute stops.
Tracks: Kingdom of Burmecia, Immortal Melody, Cleyra's Settlement, Master of Time, Pandemonium, The Darkness of Eternity
Knowing what Uematsu is capable of with the organ, the tracks here in Final Fantasy IX feel strangely empty... They're serviceable, I wouldn't call any of this writing bad at all, but there's a distinct lack of any significant character behind them. There's no guts. The Darkness of Eternity in particular seems to try and hearken back to the pipe organ/prog rock combination of Final Fantasy VI's Dancing Mad, but it just doesn't quite cut it for me. The only one I can see myself actively wanting to listen to again is Master of Time, and even then that piece only really has a few select glimmers of intrigue. There's just really nothing too special here - though Cleyra's Settlement is a cute application of an organ's flute stops.
Rating: GOOD
Context: A puzzle near the end of the game
Koudelka, despite being a horror-themed RPG, does not feature a pipe organ anywhere in its soundtrack. Which is pretty funny - RPGs and horror games are the genres people probably most expect to be using those!! Well, not Koudelka - at least, not in its music. Towards the end of the game is a large, decrepit pipe organ that is used to solve a puzzle, which when solved rings out a single cluster chord slam that reverberates out through the room. The puzzle, as the game describes it, involves looking at the "keys" on the organ and "pushing" the ones that have specified markings on them. The reason I use quotation marks is because there are some pretty incredulous errors here: the "keys" they're referring to are the pipe organ's stops, and stops are not "pushed," they're pulled!! For how hyper-attentive the descriptions are for everything else in this game, I simply do not accept that the localization team saw the word "organ" in some compiled spreadsheet of text and assumed it was referring to the keyboard. The entire rest of the game could not have been written so intricately if this was the case. The only conclusion I have to come to is that they simply do not understand how pipe organs work. To make matters worse, the puzzle has to do with markings etched and scratched into the pipe organ's stops, which along with its decayed state is a tragic, gory sight for any organ aficionado. The thing is covered in dust, all the pipes are bent, there's a massive plant growing all around it so it must be horribly humid in that room, warping the wood and metal the instrument is made out of which at best would make it horribly detuned or at worse completely inoperable, plus the aforementioned damage on the stops. Human corpses are littered around Koudelka almost as commonly as the very walls and ceilings the rooms are made of, but I did not expect to be faced with a corpse of something even more morbid.
So, then, you may be wondering: why is something so inhumane ranked so highly on the list? Well, the answer is quite simple. It's a really cool set piece!!
Context: A puzzle near the end of the game
Koudelka, despite being a horror-themed RPG, does not feature a pipe organ anywhere in its soundtrack. Which is pretty funny - RPGs and horror games are the genres people probably most expect to be using those!! Well, not Koudelka - at least, not in its music. Towards the end of the game is a large, decrepit pipe organ that is used to solve a puzzle, which when solved rings out a single cluster chord slam that reverberates out through the room. The puzzle, as the game describes it, involves looking at the "keys" on the organ and "pushing" the ones that have specified markings on them. The reason I use quotation marks is because there are some pretty incredulous errors here: the "keys" they're referring to are the pipe organ's stops, and stops are not "pushed," they're pulled!! For how hyper-attentive the descriptions are for everything else in this game, I simply do not accept that the localization team saw the word "organ" in some compiled spreadsheet of text and assumed it was referring to the keyboard. The entire rest of the game could not have been written so intricately if this was the case. The only conclusion I have to come to is that they simply do not understand how pipe organs work. To make matters worse, the puzzle has to do with markings etched and scratched into the pipe organ's stops, which along with its decayed state is a tragic, gory sight for any organ aficionado. The thing is covered in dust, all the pipes are bent, there's a massive plant growing all around it so it must be horribly humid in that room, warping the wood and metal the instrument is made out of which at best would make it horribly detuned or at worse completely inoperable, plus the aforementioned damage on the stops. Human corpses are littered around Koudelka almost as commonly as the very walls and ceilings the rooms are made of, but I did not expect to be faced with a corpse of something even more morbid.
So, then, you may be wondering: why is something so inhumane ranked so highly on the list? Well, the answer is quite simple. It's a really cool set piece!!
Rating: PERFECT
Tracks: Journey to the Demon King, Hopelessness, The Demon King Odio, Armageddon
Live A Live ranks so highly here almost exclusively because of the track Armageddon. This is just a phenomenal organ piece. All the other tracks utilize the organ excellently as well, but Armageddon is right up there with Final Fantasy VI's Dancing Mad as one of the absolute best organ pieces the SNES - and indeed, video games as a medium - has to offer. A chillingly captivating piece of music with a distinguished air of dignity and gravitas gushing with passion. Absolutely astounding.
UPDATE: The 2022 remake of Live A Live beefs up and expands upon the game's organ repertoire. I will not be listing the remake separately from the original game, so instead I will mention it here; the new and extra work done in the remake bumps this entry up from "GREAT" to "PERFECT." Thank you, Shimomura-san.
Tracks: Journey to the Demon King, Hopelessness, The Demon King Odio, Armageddon
Live A Live ranks so highly here almost exclusively because of the track Armageddon. This is just a phenomenal organ piece. All the other tracks utilize the organ excellently as well, but Armageddon is right up there with Final Fantasy VI's Dancing Mad as one of the absolute best organ pieces the SNES - and indeed, video games as a medium - has to offer. A chillingly captivating piece of music with a distinguished air of dignity and gravitas gushing with passion. Absolutely astounding.
UPDATE: The 2022 remake of Live A Live beefs up and expands upon the game's organ repertoire. I will not be listing the remake separately from the original game, so instead I will mention it here; the new and extra work done in the remake bumps this entry up from "GREAT" to "PERFECT." Thank you, Shimomura-san.
Rating: GOOD
Tracks: Fade Into Darkside, Carpet
Fade Into Darkside has a great little opening phrase with the organ, but then it's dropped for the rest of the piece; meanwhile, Carpet is all organ all the time, but it's pretty standard fare of a bunch of chromatic mediants signposting the typical dark, oppressive sound expected of a pipe organ for a final boss. Luckily, the absolute impact of those organ chords at the start of Fade Into Darkside are such a shock at the immediate tone shift the game goes through that it still winds up being an inspired inclusion, and the chord voicings and extensions in Carpet manage to be considerate and fulfilling. Monster World IV's soundtrack is incredible and though the organ very nearly falls into the typical pitfalls, enough charm still finds its way into these to maintain character - and indeed, they're quite iconic in their own right.
Tracks: Fade Into Darkside, Carpet
Fade Into Darkside has a great little opening phrase with the organ, but then it's dropped for the rest of the piece; meanwhile, Carpet is all organ all the time, but it's pretty standard fare of a bunch of chromatic mediants signposting the typical dark, oppressive sound expected of a pipe organ for a final boss. Luckily, the absolute impact of those organ chords at the start of Fade Into Darkside are such a shock at the immediate tone shift the game goes through that it still winds up being an inspired inclusion, and the chord voicings and extensions in Carpet manage to be considerate and fulfilling. Monster World IV's soundtrack is incredible and though the organ very nearly falls into the typical pitfalls, enough charm still finds its way into these to maintain character - and indeed, they're quite iconic in their own right.
Rating: GREAT
Track: Shadowlord's Castle / Memory, Shadowlord
Similarly to MOTHER 3 and Panzer Dragoon Saga, Shadowlord's Castle / Memory does not actually use a real pipe organ, but the synthesized sounds are so clearly evocative of one and written in such exactly the same style that for our purposes it counts. Also similarly to MOTHER 3, this is one of the most incredible soundtracks of all time, in which every instrument is used with a thoughtful, considerate, deliberate hand to squeeze out the maximum expression at any possible moment. As such, the organ writing here is predictably exquisite. My only complaint is that I could have sworn it was used more often - and I wish it was with how glorious its inclusions are!! Please, Okabe, I'm starving!!
Track: Shadowlord's Castle / Memory, Shadowlord
Similarly to MOTHER 3 and Panzer Dragoon Saga, Shadowlord's Castle / Memory does not actually use a real pipe organ, but the synthesized sounds are so clearly evocative of one and written in such exactly the same style that for our purposes it counts. Also similarly to MOTHER 3, this is one of the most incredible soundtracks of all time, in which every instrument is used with a thoughtful, considerate, deliberate hand to squeeze out the maximum expression at any possible moment. As such, the organ writing here is predictably exquisite. My only complaint is that I could have sworn it was used more often - and I wish it was with how glorious its inclusions are!! Please, Okabe, I'm starving!!
Rating: GREAT
Track: Mirror of Judgement
That classic Baroque balance of dignified, brilliant counterpoint and flowing passion finds its way into yet another climactic moment in a video game. Gorgeously weaving and interlocking phrases that expand on each other wonderfully. Such a tightly structured piece of music is a surprise in the Planet Laika soundtrack, and that sudden juxtaposition to the rest of the game scores its scene perfectly.
Track: Mirror of Judgement
That classic Baroque balance of dignified, brilliant counterpoint and flowing passion finds its way into yet another climactic moment in a video game. Gorgeously weaving and interlocking phrases that expand on each other wonderfully. Such a tightly structured piece of music is a surprise in the Planet Laika soundtrack, and that sudden juxtaposition to the rest of the game scores its scene perfectly.
Rating: PERFECT
Tracks: Resurrection, Idol Collapse, Premonition of Revival
Shadow of the Colossus is the pipe organ of video games.
Tracks: Resurrection, Idol Collapse, Premonition of Revival
Shadow of the Colossus is the pipe organ of video games.
Rating: GREAT
Tracks: Koopa Castle, The Dungeon Is Full of Monsters, Geno Awakens, Celebrational Melody, Fight Against Smithy
What's incredible about Super Mario RPG is that, even back on the SNES, it utilizes a different combination of stops for every track the pipe organ is used in (several different combinations in Fight Against Smithy)! One of them is even exclusive to a quick little jingle - I have a sneaking suspicion Yoko Shimomura is an organhead just like me. Hell, composers now in 2022 hardly take the time to use different organ stops throughout their soundtracks! This alone would be enough for me to put this pretty high in this ranking of pipe organ representation, but on top of this, the music written for the organ is also sublime. It's not particularly prevalent throughout the entire soundtrack, but whenever the organ does show up it's always a treat - well, more like a meal, and let me tell you, we're eating good.
Tracks: Koopa Castle, The Dungeon Is Full of Monsters, Geno Awakens, Celebrational Melody, Fight Against Smithy
What's incredible about Super Mario RPG is that, even back on the SNES, it utilizes a different combination of stops for every track the pipe organ is used in (several different combinations in Fight Against Smithy)! One of them is even exclusive to a quick little jingle - I have a sneaking suspicion Yoko Shimomura is an organhead just like me. Hell, composers now in 2022 hardly take the time to use different organ stops throughout their soundtracks! This alone would be enough for me to put this pretty high in this ranking of pipe organ representation, but on top of this, the music written for the organ is also sublime. It's not particularly prevalent throughout the entire soundtrack, but whenever the organ does show up it's always a treat - well, more like a meal, and let me tell you, we're eating good.
Rating: THE WORST AND IT'S NOT CLOSE
Context: The Happy Mask Salesman teaching Link the Song of Healing
You'll notice I had to write "context" there rather than "tracks" as I have been for the entire rest of the list. The reason for this is simple; There is no organ in the Majora's Mask soundtrack. In a classic scene, the Happy Mask Salesman seems to materialize a full organ console (three manuals, and six piano pedals? It's a strange configuration) out of thin air, which is hilarious and a great way to further characterize his mysterious absurdity. Unfortunately, the organ... Makes piano sounds? This organ is not an organ. It has pipes and several keyboards, but that sure sounds like a hammer hitting a string to me. And to make it worse, he never actually plays the thing, not in any kind of meaningful way; he plays a total of three notes four times, likely using just a single finger to plunk away at them one-by-one. This is also hilarious, to summon such a massive instrument for such a trivial application, but unfortunately it does make this the absolute worst instance of a pipe organ in video game history - and like how Final fantasy VI will likely stay at the top forever, this will likely stay at the bottom forever as well (at least, I sure hope nobody discovers a worse way to use one).
Context: The Happy Mask Salesman teaching Link the Song of Healing
You'll notice I had to write "context" there rather than "tracks" as I have been for the entire rest of the list. The reason for this is simple; There is no organ in the Majora's Mask soundtrack. In a classic scene, the Happy Mask Salesman seems to materialize a full organ console (three manuals, and six piano pedals? It's a strange configuration) out of thin air, which is hilarious and a great way to further characterize his mysterious absurdity. Unfortunately, the organ... Makes piano sounds? This organ is not an organ. It has pipes and several keyboards, but that sure sounds like a hammer hitting a string to me. And to make it worse, he never actually plays the thing, not in any kind of meaningful way; he plays a total of three notes four times, likely using just a single finger to plunk away at them one-by-one. This is also hilarious, to summon such a massive instrument for such a trivial application, but unfortunately it does make this the absolute worst instance of a pipe organ in video game history - and like how Final fantasy VI will likely stay at the top forever, this will likely stay at the bottom forever as well (at least, I sure hope nobody discovers a worse way to use one).
Rating: GREAT
Tracks: Sky Palace, Fillmoa
Some of the juiciest chords you'll find for the organ in any game. Yuzo Koshiro really knows how to squeeze the sound out of this thing - the organ's place in this soundtrack is meaningful and deliberate. Incredible and effective writing.
Tracks: Sky Palace, Fillmoa
Some of the juiciest chords you'll find for the organ in any game. Yuzo Koshiro really knows how to squeeze the sound out of this thing - the organ's place in this soundtrack is meaningful and deliberate. Incredible and effective writing.
Rating: GOOD
Track: Prayer
Quick little tune that sets the tone of the game with a delicious chorale obviously invoking the distinguished sound of Baroque organ music. Liturgical, yet dramatic - yep, that's a pipe organ on the NES!
Track: Prayer
Quick little tune that sets the tone of the game with a delicious chorale obviously invoking the distinguished sound of Baroque organ music. Liturgical, yet dramatic - yep, that's a pipe organ on the NES!
Rating: ¯\(ツ)/¯
Track: What Lack
It feels weird putting my own music so high... but the fact of the matter is, I mean, of course I'm making the kind of music I'd want to hear! And of course I'd write for the organ the way I want organs to be written for. I promise this isn't coming from a place of ego or nepotism - it's just that the same mind who is constructing this list also constructed this organ music, so of course it checks the necessary boxes.
I will, however, refrain from being so vain as to review the reasons of why I think it's good. I'm not here to suck myself off. What I can do instead is offer some insight into the actual writing process.
This is a piece I had actually written back all the way in 2017 - well, "written." I sat at a little electronic organ one day and just kinda played around. I liked some of the chords I was using and the meter I was using them in, so I eventually developed it out into a more properly structured and defined piece. It was about half the length it currently exists as now in this soundtrack; in 2021 I decided to bring this piece back and flesh it out for this game. The 2017 lyrics have remained perfectly in tact, but I did write more to extend the voice further into the piece. A fun game for you to play might be trying to see if you can tell where the 2017 ends and the 2021 begins. It's been a long journey, but now in 2022 it's finally released. Shout out to my friend Tia for lending her amazing voice and providing an incredible performance.
Track: What Lack
It feels weird putting my own music so high... but the fact of the matter is, I mean, of course I'm making the kind of music I'd want to hear! And of course I'd write for the organ the way I want organs to be written for. I promise this isn't coming from a place of ego or nepotism - it's just that the same mind who is constructing this list also constructed this organ music, so of course it checks the necessary boxes.
I will, however, refrain from being so vain as to review the reasons of why I think it's good. I'm not here to suck myself off. What I can do instead is offer some insight into the actual writing process.
This is a piece I had actually written back all the way in 2017 - well, "written." I sat at a little electronic organ one day and just kinda played around. I liked some of the chords I was using and the meter I was using them in, so I eventually developed it out into a more properly structured and defined piece. It was about half the length it currently exists as now in this soundtrack; in 2021 I decided to bring this piece back and flesh it out for this game. The 2017 lyrics have remained perfectly in tact, but I did write more to extend the voice further into the piece. A fun game for you to play might be trying to see if you can tell where the 2017 ends and the 2021 begins. It's been a long journey, but now in 2022 it's finally released. Shout out to my friend Tia for lending her amazing voice and providing an incredible performance.
Rating: GREAT
Track: Palace of Peace
One of the first instances of truly great organ music in a video game. The immaculate counterpoint and development of themes makes the underwhelming Genesis sound chip sing with an unmistakably Baroque sensibility, and it is beautiful.
Track: Palace of Peace
One of the first instances of truly great organ music in a video game. The immaculate counterpoint and development of themes makes the underwhelming Genesis sound chip sing with an unmistakably Baroque sensibility, and it is beautiful.
Rating: NEUTRAL
Track: Healed by a Hymn
Just some nice honest organ music. It's no Franck, but it sure is Haydn, and sometimes Haydn is alright. Sometimes.
Track: Healed by a Hymn
Just some nice honest organ music. It's no Franck, but it sure is Haydn, and sometimes Haydn is alright. Sometimes.
Rating: BORING
Track: Dark Sultan's Fortress, Drysand Desert Theme, Fierce Battle, Hello Divinus
Half of these play during a weirdly racist part in the game, and those are just doing some boring Banjo-Kazooie-esque swirling arpeggios and melodic doubling. The music itself is actually constructed incredibly well, but not the organ parts in particular. The other two, luckily, are not morally reprehensible, and also happen to be much better applications of the instrument. Especially Hello Divinus, which has some real sweet chords.
Track: Dark Sultan's Fortress, Drysand Desert Theme, Fierce Battle, Hello Divinus
Half of these play during a weirdly racist part in the game, and those are just doing some boring Banjo-Kazooie-esque swirling arpeggios and melodic doubling. The music itself is actually constructed incredibly well, but not the organ parts in particular. The other two, luckily, are not morally reprehensible, and also happen to be much better applications of the instrument. Especially Hello Divinus, which has some real sweet chords.
Rating: BAD
Tracks: Sudden Metamorphosis, Fecto Forgo Hunted by the Beast, Two Planets Approach the Roche Limit
I really had to strain my ears to tell if there actually were pipe organs in these tracks, but I promise there are! They're just very weak and not playing much of anything at all, existing only to add to the wall of sound these tracks are trying to impress with. Well, maybe the sound trying to be achieved here necessitates the organ being such a minuscule ingredient, but you can't fool me!! I see how boring your organ part is, and I give you a bad ranking on my Backloggd Dot Com list for it!!
Tracks: Sudden Metamorphosis, Fecto Forgo Hunted by the Beast, Two Planets Approach the Roche Limit
I really had to strain my ears to tell if there actually were pipe organs in these tracks, but I promise there are! They're just very weak and not playing much of anything at all, existing only to add to the wall of sound these tracks are trying to impress with. Well, maybe the sound trying to be achieved here necessitates the organ being such a minuscule ingredient, but you can't fool me!! I see how boring your organ part is, and I give you a bad ranking on my Backloggd Dot Com list for it!!
Rating: GOOD
Track: Cackletta Theme, Agony
Yet another villain with a pipe organ. This one at least has a pretty distinct flavor to it; it's got just a bit of a lilt to it which helps characterize Cackletta as less of an outright "villain" and more of an inconvenience. Tossing the theme around between the different registers is a great way to develop a piece that is used a lot in actual organ repertoire but not so much in games; it's nice to see it here.
Track: Cackletta Theme, Agony
Yet another villain with a pipe organ. This one at least has a pretty distinct flavor to it; it's got just a bit of a lilt to it which helps characterize Cackletta as less of an outright "villain" and more of an inconvenience. Tossing the theme around between the different registers is a great way to develop a piece that is used a lot in actual organ repertoire but not so much in games; it's nice to see it here.
Rating: NEUTRAL
Tracks: Bowser Jr.'s Castle, Main Boss Castle, Final Bowser Battle
As far as Mario goes, I truly think the Boss Castle track is a great composition that completely lives up to the legendary castle themes of past Mario games (which tend to be my favorite parts of Mario soundtracks). What keeps this from getting too high though, is the fact that while it may be a great piece of music, it's not an especially good piece of organ music. If someone played the melodic line to Schubert's Ave Maria with a single finger on a pipe organ, that also would not be a good piece of organ music. Ave Maria is gorgeous, and many gorgeous arrangements of it for the organ exist, but stripping it down so bare begs the question of why to bother playing it in the first place. The organ in this game is essentially doing this for its own castle music.
Tracks: Bowser Jr.'s Castle, Main Boss Castle, Final Bowser Battle
As far as Mario goes, I truly think the Boss Castle track is a great composition that completely lives up to the legendary castle themes of past Mario games (which tend to be my favorite parts of Mario soundtracks). What keeps this from getting too high though, is the fact that while it may be a great piece of music, it's not an especially good piece of organ music. If someone played the melodic line to Schubert's Ave Maria with a single finger on a pipe organ, that also would not be a good piece of organ music. Ave Maria is gorgeous, and many gorgeous arrangements of it for the organ exist, but stripping it down so bare begs the question of why to bother playing it in the first place. The organ in this game is essentially doing this for its own castle music.
Rating: GREAT
Track: Ultimate Koopa
This is a classic. It'd be easy to write this off as a generic pipe organ track being used for an evil character simply for the sake of itself (as I will often be doing further down this list), but the writing here is incredible! The motives are all clearly defined, developed on masterfully, and effectively utilizes the full extent of the instrument's range. As far as pipe organs being included just for the sake of the villain is concerned, this is as good as it gets.
Track: Ultimate Koopa
This is a classic. It'd be easy to write this off as a generic pipe organ track being used for an evil character simply for the sake of itself (as I will often be doing further down this list), but the writing here is incredible! The motives are all clearly defined, developed on masterfully, and effectively utilizes the full extent of the instrument's range. As far as pipe organs being included just for the sake of the villain is concerned, this is as good as it gets.
Rating: GOOD
Track: Ganon's Tower
Working up the tower to the score of this organ music, only to reach the top and find that Ganondorf himself was the one playing it is the best use of a physical organ in an actual video game environment so far. The music is only so-so, but we're getting actual on-screen organ representation here, and it's a great scene at that. Fantastic moment.
Track: Ganon's Tower
Working up the tower to the score of this organ music, only to reach the top and find that Ganondorf himself was the one playing it is the best use of a physical organ in an actual video game environment so far. The music is only so-so, but we're getting actual on-screen organ representation here, and it's a great scene at that. Fantastic moment.
Rating: GOOD
Track: Funerary Services
Beautiful chords with a sprinkle of that classic Taniguchi quirk - the organ may just be just be pure block chords, but when the chords are so fascinating and expressive, it's hard to complain.
Track: Funerary Services
Beautiful chords with a sprinkle of that classic Taniguchi quirk - the organ may just be just be pure block chords, but when the chords are so fascinating and expressive, it's hard to complain.
Rating: GREAT
Track: Tainted Lovers
The interplay here between the pipe organ and the guitar is seriously incredible - maybe the best actual blending of traditional organ writing and rock music I've seen yet, which is something a good amount of games tend to try for. The pipe organ isn't around for nearly as long as the electric organ is, but it uses its limited time on the stage to blast out some absolutely show-stopping riffs that perfectly blends the inherently technical run-on nature of both Baroque music and guitar solos without ever feeling disingenuous to either of them. Really, these are two styles that have a lot more similarities between each other than differences, but somehow a lot of games tend to get too stuck on those differences; this game understands their similarities in a gorgeously authentic way and lets it rip in one of the most exciting entries on this list.
Track: Tainted Lovers
The interplay here between the pipe organ and the guitar is seriously incredible - maybe the best actual blending of traditional organ writing and rock music I've seen yet, which is something a good amount of games tend to try for. The pipe organ isn't around for nearly as long as the electric organ is, but it uses its limited time on the stage to blast out some absolutely show-stopping riffs that perfectly blends the inherently technical run-on nature of both Baroque music and guitar solos without ever feeling disingenuous to either of them. Really, these are two styles that have a lot more similarities between each other than differences, but somehow a lot of games tend to get too stuck on those differences; this game understands their similarities in a gorgeously authentic way and lets it rip in one of the most exciting entries on this list.
Rating: GOOD
Track: Watch Out for the Giant, Perplexing Dungeons
Surprise banger out of nowhere from a silly little Data East platformer on the Genesis - this shit rules!! It's no Crusader of Centy but the pipe organ in this is not only clearly identifiable, it's also used a lot more dynamically here than a lot of other games manage to eke out. The music in this game is unreasonably impressive and it finds some real sweet places to employ great organ writing.
Track: Watch Out for the Giant, Perplexing Dungeons
Surprise banger out of nowhere from a silly little Data East platformer on the Genesis - this shit rules!! It's no Crusader of Centy but the pipe organ in this is not only clearly identifiable, it's also used a lot more dynamically here than a lot of other games manage to eke out. The music in this game is unreasonably impressive and it finds some real sweet places to employ great organ writing.
Rating: NEUTRAL
Track: Alatreon Theme
One more on the board for a general organ theme employed to sound menacing and not much else. It earns some good-boy points for having some interesting harmonic shifts, but the organ itself isn't doing a lot of the heavy lifting here. It's just a half-interesting piece of music that happens to have an organ in it.
Track: Alatreon Theme
One more on the board for a general organ theme employed to sound menacing and not much else. It earns some good-boy points for having some interesting harmonic shifts, but the organ itself isn't doing a lot of the heavy lifting here. It's just a half-interesting piece of music that happens to have an organ in it.
Rating: GOOD
Track: Dark Colossus - Kaiju
Similar use to Final Fantasy VI, where the organ is only introduced after the rest of the ensemble hangs back. It's a great little shining moment that adds a great texture to the piece, but unfortunately the actual organ writing itself is a little sparse. By no means bad, just lacking. It could certainly do with a more "full" sounding selection of pulled stops or a more dynamic part with more movement.
Track: Dark Colossus - Kaiju
Similar use to Final Fantasy VI, where the organ is only introduced after the rest of the ensemble hangs back. It's a great little shining moment that adds a great texture to the piece, but unfortunately the actual organ writing itself is a little sparse. By no means bad, just lacking. It could certainly do with a more "full" sounding selection of pulled stops or a more dynamic part with more movement.
Rating: GOOD
Tracks: N's Castle, Rayquaza Appears!
- Standing in for all generation 5 Pokemon games -
Another game where the organ is used as a quick shorthand for power and majesty. It does a good job in really utilizing that grandeur, but to me there's just a little something missing. Neither of these instances of the organ are even remotely bad, in fact they're exceedingly competent, but I can't bring myself to feel especially passionate about such small applications.
Tracks: N's Castle, Rayquaza Appears!
- Standing in for all generation 5 Pokemon games -
Another game where the organ is used as a quick shorthand for power and majesty. It does a good job in really utilizing that grandeur, but to me there's just a little something missing. Neither of these instances of the organ are even remotely bad, in fact they're exceedingly competent, but I can't bring myself to feel especially passionate about such small applications.
Rating: PERFECT
Tracks: Wedding at Tarrey Town, Hyrule Castle
As you can see from the rest of the list (yes, even including my beloved Final Fantasy VI), video games have a nasty habit of utilizing the pipe organ by pulling out every single stop and letting it rip - which is such a shame!! The instrument is so much more diverse than that. Breath of the Wild is the only game I can think of that so prominently favors the more gentle colors of the organ; the flute, vox, and string stops, as opposed to the typical diapasons. Hyrule Castle in particular uses these to incredible effect - the track is otherwise a pretty standard militarized-orchestra-march affair, save for these quiet solo passages from the organ which turn a typical Star Wars-flavored track into something with meaning. It's no longer just a plunge into an evil castle; suddenly the castle has a history, a humanity, a memory to consider. If the orchestra is the cold stone walls and the bloodthirsty enemies that patrol inside of them, the organ is the tattered books strewn on the floor and the unmade beds that used to belong to people who will never be able to see the world return to peace. It brings a distinctly human touch to the setting and completely re-contextualizes the storm through the castle to always bring forward its tragic history.
Tracks: Wedding at Tarrey Town, Hyrule Castle
As you can see from the rest of the list (yes, even including my beloved Final Fantasy VI), video games have a nasty habit of utilizing the pipe organ by pulling out every single stop and letting it rip - which is such a shame!! The instrument is so much more diverse than that. Breath of the Wild is the only game I can think of that so prominently favors the more gentle colors of the organ; the flute, vox, and string stops, as opposed to the typical diapasons. Hyrule Castle in particular uses these to incredible effect - the track is otherwise a pretty standard militarized-orchestra-march affair, save for these quiet solo passages from the organ which turn a typical Star Wars-flavored track into something with meaning. It's no longer just a plunge into an evil castle; suddenly the castle has a history, a humanity, a memory to consider. If the orchestra is the cold stone walls and the bloodthirsty enemies that patrol inside of them, the organ is the tattered books strewn on the floor and the unmade beds that used to belong to people who will never be able to see the world return to peace. It brings a distinctly human touch to the setting and completely re-contextualizes the storm through the castle to always bring forward its tragic history.
Rating: NEUTRAL
Track: Dark Hyrule Castle
Another piece where the organ is just stagnant accompaniment. The second half is pretty evocative and uses the grandness of the instrument well, but it's too little too late. Would have loved to see the piece develop a little more.
Track: Dark Hyrule Castle
Another piece where the organ is just stagnant accompaniment. The second half is pretty evocative and uses the grandness of the instrument well, but it's too little too late. Would have loved to see the piece develop a little more.
Rating: NEUTRAL
Tracks: Tower of the Gods, Gohdan
Gohdan isn't exactly a pipe organ, but coming off the heels of Tower of the Gods and the way it's structured definitely insinuates that it's supposed to be. And it's a pretty cool piece! It has two distinct halves: one that's focused on a melismatic melodic idea borrowing heavily from Baroque conventions, and one that's more rhythmically-focused pulling more from jazz. The instant switching from one to another works surprisingly well tonally, but I'd be lying if I said the actual playing didn't feel a little aimless. Any particular moment is cool on its own, but there's no real identifiable theme or consistent through-line to bring the piece together. Neat individual phrases, but it winds up feeling like a bunch of wandering around trying to find a solid idea to latch on to.
Tracks: Tower of the Gods, Gohdan
Gohdan isn't exactly a pipe organ, but coming off the heels of Tower of the Gods and the way it's structured definitely insinuates that it's supposed to be. And it's a pretty cool piece! It has two distinct halves: one that's focused on a melismatic melodic idea borrowing heavily from Baroque conventions, and one that's more rhythmically-focused pulling more from jazz. The instant switching from one to another works surprisingly well tonally, but I'd be lying if I said the actual playing didn't feel a little aimless. Any particular moment is cool on its own, but there's no real identifiable theme or consistent through-line to bring the piece together. Neat individual phrases, but it winds up feeling like a bunch of wandering around trying to find a solid idea to latch on to.
Rating: GREAT
Tracks: Holy Radiance, Fallen Angel, Caught Between Hope and Despair
Nearly every instance in which a pipe organ simply squeezes out a melodic line and nothing else ranks considerably lower on this list, but Holy Radiance is such a beautiful melodic line that suits the tone and playability of the organ unbelieveably perfectly. The organ only playing a melodic line here does not diminish the instrument's use in this track at all since the part is so immaculately suited for it. All other organ tracks in this game are similarly incredible - and they apply more of the organ's full utility as an instrument, as well. It's tough to choose a favorite or say one is particularly better than the other; this is just a game with incredible music across the board, and every use of the organ is inspired and effective.
Tracks: Holy Radiance, Fallen Angel, Caught Between Hope and Despair
Nearly every instance in which a pipe organ simply squeezes out a melodic line and nothing else ranks considerably lower on this list, but Holy Radiance is such a beautiful melodic line that suits the tone and playability of the organ unbelieveably perfectly. The organ only playing a melodic line here does not diminish the instrument's use in this track at all since the part is so immaculately suited for it. All other organ tracks in this game are similarly incredible - and they apply more of the organ's full utility as an instrument, as well. It's tough to choose a favorite or say one is particularly better than the other; this is just a game with incredible music across the board, and every use of the organ is inspired and effective.
Rating: BORING
Tracks: Mad Monster Mansion, Inside the Mansion, Cemetery, Church Door Opens, Inside the Church
The only track here with anything going on even remotely is Inside the Church, and even then I really struggle to say it's anything of much value. The ideas behind the composition are already extraordinarily dull, and their arrangement on the organ does not invigorate it in any way.
Tracks: Mad Monster Mansion, Inside the Mansion, Cemetery, Church Door Opens, Inside the Church
The only track here with anything going on even remotely is Inside the Church, and even then I really struggle to say it's anything of much value. The ideas behind the composition are already extraordinarily dull, and their arrangement on the organ does not invigorate it in any way.
Rating: NEUTRAL
Tracks: Dungeon of Torment (Intro), Alter of Skorne 1 (Intro), Alter of Skorne 2 (Intro), Alter of Skorne 2, Haunted Cemetary, Mausoleum (Intro), Mausoleum, Gates of the Underworld
Wow, this sure is a whole lot of organ music that sounds basically identical! Sometimes we'll get some more bespoke passages, but mostly we're dealing with some Bach-flavored scalar runs. Alter of Skorn 2 is probably the best use of the pipe organ on this soundtrack, but even then it's not doing things too terribly different from the other tracks, it's just a more structurally cohesive piece.
Tracks: Dungeon of Torment (Intro), Alter of Skorne 1 (Intro), Alter of Skorne 2 (Intro), Alter of Skorne 2, Haunted Cemetary, Mausoleum (Intro), Mausoleum, Gates of the Underworld
Wow, this sure is a whole lot of organ music that sounds basically identical! Sometimes we'll get some more bespoke passages, but mostly we're dealing with some Bach-flavored scalar runs. Alter of Skorn 2 is probably the best use of the pipe organ on this soundtrack, but even then it's not doing things too terribly different from the other tracks, it's just a more structurally cohesive piece.
Rating: GOOD
Track: Drawcia Sorceress
The stereo panning of the different organ lines implies some kind of manual coupling, which would be the first time I've heard this as a deliberate structural decision in any game soundtrack. Here's a quick lesson for anyone unfamiliar with how pipe organs are built: every organ console consists of however many keyboards, or "manuals" as we call them (because they're played with the hands; the "keyboard" we play with our feet is the pedal board), usually ranging from 2-4. These manuals are not just for show; they each connect to a different set of pipes. We call these sets of pipes "ranks." Since these pipes are so large, they need to be set up all around a room, they wouldn't all fit in just one spot. So, let's say we have three manuals on a console; there's one manual that connects to ranks on the left side of the room, one that connects to ranks on the right side of the room, and one that connects to a few ranks on both sides. Playing just the first manual would only sound from the left side of the room, since that's where all its associated ranks are. HOWEVER, using a certain mechanism on the organ's console, we can "couple" manuals together - now when you press a key on the first manual, it will also trigger a corresponding key on the second manual without you actually touching that manual yourself. Now, by pressing a key on the first manual, there's sound coming from different ranks on both sides of the room. This is usually used for the sake of combining sounds that are not mapped to the same manual, but it can also be used for something like this that plays with the space of the sound. Whether or not that was the goal with this track, it certainly is happening - there's one organ line that only ever exists as a direct parallel to the other lines, panned to a separate stereo channel from the other organ lines, which certainly is exactly how coupling on an organ works. Cool!
Track: Drawcia Sorceress
The stereo panning of the different organ lines implies some kind of manual coupling, which would be the first time I've heard this as a deliberate structural decision in any game soundtrack. Here's a quick lesson for anyone unfamiliar with how pipe organs are built: every organ console consists of however many keyboards, or "manuals" as we call them (because they're played with the hands; the "keyboard" we play with our feet is the pedal board), usually ranging from 2-4. These manuals are not just for show; they each connect to a different set of pipes. We call these sets of pipes "ranks." Since these pipes are so large, they need to be set up all around a room, they wouldn't all fit in just one spot. So, let's say we have three manuals on a console; there's one manual that connects to ranks on the left side of the room, one that connects to ranks on the right side of the room, and one that connects to a few ranks on both sides. Playing just the first manual would only sound from the left side of the room, since that's where all its associated ranks are. HOWEVER, using a certain mechanism on the organ's console, we can "couple" manuals together - now when you press a key on the first manual, it will also trigger a corresponding key on the second manual without you actually touching that manual yourself. Now, by pressing a key on the first manual, there's sound coming from different ranks on both sides of the room. This is usually used for the sake of combining sounds that are not mapped to the same manual, but it can also be used for something like this that plays with the space of the sound. Whether or not that was the goal with this track, it certainly is happening - there's one organ line that only ever exists as a direct parallel to the other lines, panned to a separate stereo channel from the other organ lines, which certainly is exactly how coupling on an organ works. Cool!
Rating: NEUTRAL
Track: Final Boss Phase 2
This is the single best final boss track in the history of Mario games (well, outside of the RPGs). Unfortunately, that prestige comes from just about everything that isn't the organ; its presence is significant and welcome, but it's not pulling nearly the same weight as just about anything else in the arrangement.
Track: Final Boss Phase 2
This is the single best final boss track in the history of Mario games (well, outside of the RPGs). Unfortunately, that prestige comes from just about everything that isn't the organ; its presence is significant and welcome, but it's not pulling nearly the same weight as just about anything else in the arrangement.
Rating: GREAT
Track: Theme of Simon (Stage 1), Entrance Hall (Stage 6-1), Dracula's Death, Ending
Conventional, but lavishly decadent writing. Entrance Hall in particular stands out, with punching staccato phrases utilizing the whole range of the organ, weaving around steadily growing layers of secondary harmonic functions that creep with a breathless anticipation. Evocative, exciting, excellent.
Track: Theme of Simon (Stage 1), Entrance Hall (Stage 6-1), Dracula's Death, Ending
Conventional, but lavishly decadent writing. Entrance Hall in particular stands out, with punching staccato phrases utilizing the whole range of the organ, weaving around steadily growing layers of secondary harmonic functions that creep with a breathless anticipation. Evocative, exciting, excellent.
Rating: GOOD
Tracks: Tower of Spirits (Dungeon), Tower of Spirits (Staircase), Final Battle: Malladus
The pipe organ is a very evocative sound in this soundtrack; the tone being used here is a more gentle assortment of principal stops than the typical full-stop video game organ, but not reaching such a delicate color as Breath of the Wild's flutes. It also tends to be pretty quiet in the mix; this results in a sound that, while powerful, has a smoothness to it that compliments the naturalistic folk sounds of this game. It's an inspired choice that plays an actively engaging role in this game's already unique sound profile.
Tracks: Tower of Spirits (Dungeon), Tower of Spirits (Staircase), Final Battle: Malladus
The pipe organ is a very evocative sound in this soundtrack; the tone being used here is a more gentle assortment of principal stops than the typical full-stop video game organ, but not reaching such a delicate color as Breath of the Wild's flutes. It also tends to be pretty quiet in the mix; this results in a sound that, while powerful, has a smoothness to it that compliments the naturalistic folk sounds of this game. It's an inspired choice that plays an actively engaging role in this game's already unique sound profile.
Rating: BORING
Track: Credits
You'd think a game about Dracula would use the pipe organ more often! Well, I suppose they normally do - just not D. It doesn't appear until right at the very end, about halfway through the credits, and then it just keeps repeating this little rock riff over and over again - and that riff isn't especially inspired, either. A poor display.
Track: Credits
You'd think a game about Dracula would use the pipe organ more often! Well, I suppose they normally do - just not D. It doesn't appear until right at the very end, about halfway through the credits, and then it just keeps repeating this little rock riff over and over again - and that riff isn't especially inspired, either. A poor display.
Rating: NEUTRAL
Track: Propaganda
This is another one of those tracks where the organ is doing a couple short repeating ideas over and over again while the rest of the ensemble plays with those ideas around it. In this instance, the rest of the ensemble has some beautiful, powerful parts, but the organ is just kinda sitting there spinning around itself. The track is great; the organ writing, while crucially central to the structure of the piece, ultimately just doesn't have much going on.
Track: Propaganda
This is another one of those tracks where the organ is doing a couple short repeating ideas over and over again while the rest of the ensemble plays with those ideas around it. In this instance, the rest of the ensemble has some beautiful, powerful parts, but the organ is just kinda sitting there spinning around itself. The track is great; the organ writing, while crucially central to the structure of the piece, ultimately just doesn't have much going on.
Rating: NEUTRAL
Tracks: Opening/Alter of Skorn, Select Character, Desecrated Temple/Ending, Battle Fortress
I'm not sure how to describe this but the 3D Gauntlet games look and sound like they smell bad. I wish I could explain what that means. Anyways, the organ music here isn't that impressive. There's one melodic figure that keeps coming back between Select Character and the Ending that's pretty fun, and it's arranged very nicely in the Ending, but overall it just doesn't inspire very much. Inoffensive, sure; exciting, no.
Tracks: Opening/Alter of Skorn, Select Character, Desecrated Temple/Ending, Battle Fortress
I'm not sure how to describe this but the 3D Gauntlet games look and sound like they smell bad. I wish I could explain what that means. Anyways, the organ music here isn't that impressive. There's one melodic figure that keeps coming back between Select Character and the Ending that's pretty fun, and it's arranged very nicely in the Ending, but overall it just doesn't inspire very much. Inoffensive, sure; exciting, no.
Rating: NEUTRAL
Tracks: Gris Pt. 1, Perseverance
The aggressive organ runs juxtapose well against Gris' ethereally floating soundscape, but it really is just a bit too much of a cliché for me. I'm personally not a fan of playing fast arpeggios to indicate something "exciting" is happening, but it's still a nice textural surprise to see a pipe organ doing it instead of some more typical synths or strings. There's some games that give the impression of being "pipe organ games" and Gris' genre of pop-indie games usually don't belong to that group, so some credit must be given for being willing to experiment with its sounds.
Tracks: Gris Pt. 1, Perseverance
The aggressive organ runs juxtapose well against Gris' ethereally floating soundscape, but it really is just a bit too much of a cliché for me. I'm personally not a fan of playing fast arpeggios to indicate something "exciting" is happening, but it's still a nice textural surprise to see a pipe organ doing it instead of some more typical synths or strings. There's some games that give the impression of being "pipe organ games" and Gris' genre of pop-indie games usually don't belong to that group, so some credit must be given for being willing to experiment with its sounds.
Rating: BORING
Tracks: Holy Sanctuary, Kaymat - Twisted Reunion
These organ tracks are so close to being phenomenal, but they just never exert themselves. Holy Sanctuary feels like it's constantly vamping towards something that would undoubtedly be beautiful, but it never quite gets there - and while that very well may be the point, it doesn't change the fact that the organ writing is completely void of any expression. Similar situation with Kaymat, where the intriguing organ introduction implies further development on this idea, but we never see the organ ever again. The music in this soundtrack is impressive, if it had only used the pipe organ more liberally it could have easily stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the many legendary SNES pipe organs.
Tracks: Holy Sanctuary, Kaymat - Twisted Reunion
These organ tracks are so close to being phenomenal, but they just never exert themselves. Holy Sanctuary feels like it's constantly vamping towards something that would undoubtedly be beautiful, but it never quite gets there - and while that very well may be the point, it doesn't change the fact that the organ writing is completely void of any expression. Similar situation with Kaymat, where the intriguing organ introduction implies further development on this idea, but we never see the organ ever again. The music in this soundtrack is impressive, if it had only used the pipe organ more liberally it could have easily stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the many legendary SNES pipe organs.
Rating: BAD
Tracks: Witchy World - Haunted Zone, Witchy World - Dodgem Dome Lobby
The introductions to these Witchy World zones have some charm to them, but after that the organ is relegated to pure, flat, stagnant block chord accompaniment. Totally lifeless.
Tracks: Witchy World - Haunted Zone, Witchy World - Dodgem Dome Lobby
The introductions to these Witchy World zones have some charm to them, but after that the organ is relegated to pure, flat, stagnant block chord accompaniment. Totally lifeless.
Rating: NEUTRAL
Track: Void Termina (Flying Phase), Void Termina (Soul Phase)
Strangely meek organ tone for such a climactic moment. It sounds more like a reed organ or an accordion than pipe, but this sure is a big towering final boss, so there's no way it's anything besides a pipe organ! We get a few interesting phrases here and there, but most of the time it's just regurgitating this one single thematic idea over and over again because that's this game's idea of what a "motif" is. There's parts of this that are too competently written for me to really give it too much flack, but I'm still overall disappointed with this one.
Track: Void Termina (Flying Phase), Void Termina (Soul Phase)
Strangely meek organ tone for such a climactic moment. It sounds more like a reed organ or an accordion than pipe, but this sure is a big towering final boss, so there's no way it's anything besides a pipe organ! We get a few interesting phrases here and there, but most of the time it's just regurgitating this one single thematic idea over and over again because that's this game's idea of what a "motif" is. There's parts of this that are too competently written for me to really give it too much flack, but I'm still overall disappointed with this one.
Rating: NEUTRAL
Track: King Koopa Battle, Clash of the Titans, Fawful's Stronghold - Act 1, Fawful's Stronghold - Act 2, Final Boss Intro
There's a couple nice passages here, but overall the compositions in this just don't have any kind of character to make them stand out in any way. Very simple, safe applications that don't offend but also don't leave any kind of impression.
Track: King Koopa Battle, Clash of the Titans, Fawful's Stronghold - Act 1, Fawful's Stronghold - Act 2, Final Boss Intro
There's a couple nice passages here, but overall the compositions in this just don't have any kind of character to make them stand out in any way. Very simple, safe applications that don't offend but also don't leave any kind of impression.
Rating: BAD
Tracks: Castle Mu Exterior, Judge Jury and Executioner
This game wants to be so many other games so bad
Tracks: Castle Mu Exterior, Judge Jury and Executioner
This game wants to be so many other games so bad
Rating: GREAT
Track: Virgo
Virgo is the only track in Ace Combat 3's soundtrack that uses a pipe organ, but it's used in the single most unique way I've found in a score yet. The organ itself isn't playing anything particularly incredible, but the way it's spliced and remixed re-contextualizes the sound of an organ to be something completely new. Being so big, organs ring out in the space of the room they're in, so splicing between samples also means cutting between different points of reverberation in the room. That physical continuity of the space (or lack thereof), matched with some twisting harmonic sequences crafted by jigsaw-puzzle-shuffling-around different points of the recording, results in a fascinatingly disorienting track that only manages to remain so meticulously cohesive thanks to an astoundingly delicate hand of an obviously experienced artist. One of the most innovative sounds I've heard not just from a pipe organ, but from a video game in general.
Track: Virgo
Virgo is the only track in Ace Combat 3's soundtrack that uses a pipe organ, but it's used in the single most unique way I've found in a score yet. The organ itself isn't playing anything particularly incredible, but the way it's spliced and remixed re-contextualizes the sound of an organ to be something completely new. Being so big, organs ring out in the space of the room they're in, so splicing between samples also means cutting between different points of reverberation in the room. That physical continuity of the space (or lack thereof), matched with some twisting harmonic sequences crafted by jigsaw-puzzle-shuffling-around different points of the recording, results in a fascinatingly disorienting track that only manages to remain so meticulously cohesive thanks to an astoundingly delicate hand of an obviously experienced artist. One of the most innovative sounds I've heard not just from a pipe organ, but from a video game in general.
Rating: NEUTRAL
Tracks: Magician's Tent, Shrine for the Worship of Chaos, Darwin - Treasure Hunter, Birth of a Hero
There's some organs here that are on the verge of sounding like electric organs, but due to the tone of the game and their place in the soundtrack I think they're all supposed to be pipe. Anyways, this ranking is hard carried by Magician's Tent and Birth of a Hero. Magician's Tent provides a cute little madrigal (not particularly great - just "cute") and Birth of a Hero boasts some neat twisting chordal relationships. Neither on their own would mean all too much - to say nothing of the other two tracks, where the organ is simply accompaniment - but as a total package, the pipe organ could do much worse than what Arcana offers. Not bad!
Tracks: Magician's Tent, Shrine for the Worship of Chaos, Darwin - Treasure Hunter, Birth of a Hero
There's some organs here that are on the verge of sounding like electric organs, but due to the tone of the game and their place in the soundtrack I think they're all supposed to be pipe. Anyways, this ranking is hard carried by Magician's Tent and Birth of a Hero. Magician's Tent provides a cute little madrigal (not particularly great - just "cute") and Birth of a Hero boasts some neat twisting chordal relationships. Neither on their own would mean all too much - to say nothing of the other two tracks, where the organ is simply accompaniment - but as a total package, the pipe organ could do much worse than what Arcana offers. Not bad!
Rating: BAD
Track: Enshrinement
Standard organ block chords underscoring a choir. The choir is incredible, but the organ is hardly doing anything at all and offers very little to the piece. In fact, the parts without the organ tend to be the parts I like more...
Track: Enshrinement
Standard organ block chords underscoring a choir. The choir is incredible, but the organ is hardly doing anything at all and offers very little to the piece. In fact, the parts without the organ tend to be the parts I like more...
Rating: BORING
Track: In Labors & Dangers ~Fortitudo~
Once again, the organ is being used exclusively to accompany other things. This is one of the more boring instances of it though; it's basically only ever doing straight block chords, and when it does get more intricate it's simply doubling another more prevalent part.
Track: In Labors & Dangers ~Fortitudo~
Once again, the organ is being used exclusively to accompany other things. This is one of the more boring instances of it though; it's basically only ever doing straight block chords, and when it does get more intricate it's simply doubling another more prevalent part.
Rating: BORING
Track: Temperantia - In Foregoing Pleasures
Similar to Bayonetta 1, the organ here just is not doing anything to really justify its presence. Doubling other orchestra parts with some arpeggiated ostinatos every now and then isn't enough.
Track: Temperantia - In Foregoing Pleasures
Similar to Bayonetta 1, the organ here just is not doing anything to really justify its presence. Doubling other orchestra parts with some arpeggiated ostinatos every now and then isn't enough.
Rating: BORING
Track: Laurence, the First Vicar
That cello solo is gorgeous! I wish this was a ranking of cello music. Instead I need to talk about the totally flat, lifeless organ part in this. Such a shame that I'm not a cellist instead.
Track: Laurence, the First Vicar
That cello solo is gorgeous! I wish this was a ranking of cello music. Instead I need to talk about the totally flat, lifeless organ part in this. Such a shame that I'm not a cellist instead.
Rating: GOOD
Tracks: Watchtower, Mysterious Coffin, First Struggle, Underground Waterway, Malus Reappears, Toothed Wheel, Third Struggle - Dance of Illusions, Melodies of Castlevania
Further down on this list I'll be complaining a lot about the pipe organ being used purely for accompaniment purposes - I need to express that those are examples of the pipe organ being used as an accompaniment instrument poorly. This is how to do it right. It's rare for the organ to have any solo segments for it to show off here (though they're great moments the few times it does happen) so most of the time it's simply a part of the larger ensemble. Though even when it's relocated to just these background textures, it still finds ways to poke through and add something to the conversation. Sometimes it's a strangely produced tone, sometimes it's rhythmically slamming down on chords to provide an extra layer of forward driving momentum, or sometimes it really is simply sitting square on some block chords - which still finds a way to be interesting just by the virtue of how the rest of the ensemble dances around the organ being so firmly planted in the ground. Oftentimes the pipe organ being in situations like this winds up feeling bland and inconsequential, but here it always plays a vital role and helps add to a sound that winds up being more than the sum of its parts. Some of the later entries in this list might make it seem like I despise the pipe organ being stuck as a supporting role - this is not true. It simply needs to be treated with the same consideration and respect in that role like any other instrument would be shown, as it is here in Castlevania 64.
Tracks: Watchtower, Mysterious Coffin, First Struggle, Underground Waterway, Malus Reappears, Toothed Wheel, Third Struggle - Dance of Illusions, Melodies of Castlevania
Further down on this list I'll be complaining a lot about the pipe organ being used purely for accompaniment purposes - I need to express that those are examples of the pipe organ being used as an accompaniment instrument poorly. This is how to do it right. It's rare for the organ to have any solo segments for it to show off here (though they're great moments the few times it does happen) so most of the time it's simply a part of the larger ensemble. Though even when it's relocated to just these background textures, it still finds ways to poke through and add something to the conversation. Sometimes it's a strangely produced tone, sometimes it's rhythmically slamming down on chords to provide an extra layer of forward driving momentum, or sometimes it really is simply sitting square on some block chords - which still finds a way to be interesting just by the virtue of how the rest of the ensemble dances around the organ being so firmly planted in the ground. Oftentimes the pipe organ being in situations like this winds up feeling bland and inconsequential, but here it always plays a vital role and helps add to a sound that winds up being more than the sum of its parts. Some of the later entries in this list might make it seem like I despise the pipe organ being stuck as a supporting role - this is not true. It simply needs to be treated with the same consideration and respect in that role like any other instrument would be shown, as it is here in Castlevania 64.
Rating: GREAT
Tracks: Prologue, Moonlight Nocturne, Requiem for the Gods, Finale Toccata
If Final Fantasy VI introduced the pipe organ/prog rock marriage into video game music, Symphony of the Night is the next step in its evolution. I only wish it used the organ as effectively as Final Fantasy VI did; it often winds up being more of a background texture for other instruments to project on top of. There are some novel implementations of the organ here though, especially Requiem for the Gods' lowering the attack on the beginning organ chords so they gradually fade forward in a way that a real organ would not be able to do. When the organ does take center stage it's absolutely masterful; I just wish it did so more often.
Tracks: Prologue, Moonlight Nocturne, Requiem for the Gods, Finale Toccata
If Final Fantasy VI introduced the pipe organ/prog rock marriage into video game music, Symphony of the Night is the next step in its evolution. I only wish it used the organ as effectively as Final Fantasy VI did; it often winds up being more of a background texture for other instruments to project on top of. There are some novel implementations of the organ here though, especially Requiem for the Gods' lowering the attack on the beginning organ chords so they gradually fade forward in a way that a real organ would not be able to do. When the organ does take center stage it's absolutely masterful; I just wish it did so more often.
Rating: NEUTRAL
Track: なぞの礼拝堂
There's some fun doubling with the guitar to help layer this full aggressive sound, but like so many others on this list, most of the playing here comes down to just sitting on some chords or swirling around some arpeggios. Not especially inspired, but it is one of the finer instances of this overly-trodden pipe organ trope.
Track: なぞの礼拝堂
There's some fun doubling with the guitar to help layer this full aggressive sound, but like so many others on this list, most of the playing here comes down to just sitting on some chords or swirling around some arpeggios. Not especially inspired, but it is one of the finer instances of this overly-trodden pipe organ trope.
Rating: GOOD
Track: The Mausoleum
Quirky little waltz with a gorgeous organ tone and fun, dynamic writing. A unique angle of the organ we don't normally hear - just a good time!
Track: The Mausoleum
Quirky little waltz with a gorgeous organ tone and fun, dynamic writing. A unique angle of the organ we don't normally hear - just a good time!
Rating: GREAT
Tracks: Joyous Promenade, Caute Cave Mortem, Baking the Wondertart
Nobody needs me to say just how unbelievable Cuphead's music is. I've called it "one of the single most impressive audio/visual experiences since the turn of the century" and I really truly believe that. We didn't get much organ music in the base game, but the DLC manages to pull it out just a few more times - and thank goodness! What a treat. That Kristofer Maddigan manages to work impeccably with every style he tries. The organ music is just as wonderful and just as authentic as the big band stuff, which is to say, it's damn good.
Tracks: Joyous Promenade, Caute Cave Mortem, Baking the Wondertart
Nobody needs me to say just how unbelievable Cuphead's music is. I've called it "one of the single most impressive audio/visual experiences since the turn of the century" and I really truly believe that. We didn't get much organ music in the base game, but the DLC manages to pull it out just a few more times - and thank goodness! What a treat. That Kristofer Maddigan manages to work impeccably with every style he tries. The organ music is just as wonderful and just as authentic as the big band stuff, which is to say, it's damn good.
Rating: NEUTRAL
Tracks: Battle, Scenario Clear
There's a lot of organs in this soundtrack, but the sound quality makes it pretty tough to tell which ones are electric and which ones are pipe. I think my selections of tracks here is accurate, but it says a lot about the tone and the writing style here that I'm not entirely confident; every organ here is pumping out some rock-flavored stuff no matter where it shows up, which is perfectly fun and suitable for the soundtrack, but it unfortunately foregoes a lot of the nuances of the pipe organ. No textural changes, no intricate part writing, just a bunch of fast licks and riffs. I get the impression that everything here was essentially written just for an electric organ, and was adapted to a pipe organ whenever the composer wanted a "larger" sound - which is not a problem, but it does feel a little shallow, and to some degree under-considered.
Tracks: Battle, Scenario Clear
There's a lot of organs in this soundtrack, but the sound quality makes it pretty tough to tell which ones are electric and which ones are pipe. I think my selections of tracks here is accurate, but it says a lot about the tone and the writing style here that I'm not entirely confident; every organ here is pumping out some rock-flavored stuff no matter where it shows up, which is perfectly fun and suitable for the soundtrack, but it unfortunately foregoes a lot of the nuances of the pipe organ. No textural changes, no intricate part writing, just a bunch of fast licks and riffs. I get the impression that everything here was essentially written just for an electric organ, and was adapted to a pipe organ whenever the composer wanted a "larger" sound - which is not a problem, but it does feel a little shallow, and to some degree under-considered.
Rating: GREAT
Track: Deacons of the Deep
I've regularly said FromSoftware games are doing more to keep classical music traditions alive and relevant than actual classical music establishments and initiatives; tracks like this are what I'm talking about. There's a beautiful darkness that's exclusive to the languishing, dramatic elegance of something like Fauré's masterwork requiem that not many games have the confidence to approach. Dark Souls III not only has that confidence, but also the skill to back it up. This is just actual classical music and I'll eat it up every time.
Track: Deacons of the Deep
I've regularly said FromSoftware games are doing more to keep classical music traditions alive and relevant than actual classical music establishments and initiatives; tracks like this are what I'm talking about. There's a beautiful darkness that's exclusive to the languishing, dramatic elegance of something like Fauré's masterwork requiem that not many games have the confidence to approach. Dark Souls III not only has that confidence, but also the skill to back it up. This is just actual classical music and I'll eat it up every time.
Rating: GREAT
Tracks: Opening, Legend of Firebrand, Beyond the Colosseum, Over the Demon Realm, Metropolis of Ruin, Catacombs of the Dead, Cursed Towers, Dance of the Snowy Barrens, Palace of Decadence, The Infinite Demon, Memorial of the Fallen Ones
Surprisingly beautiful and sombre tracks that apply the pipe organ exquisitely. Never would have expected a spinoff game focusing on one enemy from Ghouls n' Ghosts to take such a delicate tone, but it's delicious. Some of these tracks like Snowy Barrens could situate perfectly well as proper organ repertoire. Is this the earliest point in video game history I've said this? It's certainly true of other games as the medium matures, but most pipe organ music from the 90's – while being absolutely astounding – have a certain "je ne sais quoi" that still clues it off to clearly belonging to a video game. Someone with an ear for classical music wouldn't be fooled if an organist tried playing that stuff during a recital. I'm going to go ahead and make the claim that Demon's Crest is the first video game with pipe organ tracks which, were they to be performed with real instruments, would sound indistinguishable from authentic classical music. That person with an ear for classical music could feasibly be fooled by several tracks in this game.
Tracks: Opening, Legend of Firebrand, Beyond the Colosseum, Over the Demon Realm, Metropolis of Ruin, Catacombs of the Dead, Cursed Towers, Dance of the Snowy Barrens, Palace of Decadence, The Infinite Demon, Memorial of the Fallen Ones
Surprisingly beautiful and sombre tracks that apply the pipe organ exquisitely. Never would have expected a spinoff game focusing on one enemy from Ghouls n' Ghosts to take such a delicate tone, but it's delicious. Some of these tracks like Snowy Barrens could situate perfectly well as proper organ repertoire. Is this the earliest point in video game history I've said this? It's certainly true of other games as the medium matures, but most pipe organ music from the 90's – while being absolutely astounding – have a certain "je ne sais quoi" that still clues it off to clearly belonging to a video game. Someone with an ear for classical music wouldn't be fooled if an organist tried playing that stuff during a recital. I'm going to go ahead and make the claim that Demon's Crest is the first video game with pipe organ tracks which, were they to be performed with real instruments, would sound indistinguishable from authentic classical music. That person with an ear for classical music could feasibly be fooled by several tracks in this game.
Rating: GREAT
Tracks: Theme of Sparda, Cathedral, Magic Sword Sparda Acquired, Hell's Great Temple, Awakening, Collapse of the Demon Emperor Mundus, Demon Emperor Mundus Again, Demon Emperor Mundus Battle 3 Underground
Simply looking at that track list should be a pretty good indication of how well the organ is being treated here. The writing is good and it is frequent; someone rented out a cathedral and wanted to get the most bang for their buck, and now we're the ones benefiting from it.
Tracks: Theme of Sparda, Cathedral, Magic Sword Sparda Acquired, Hell's Great Temple, Awakening, Collapse of the Demon Emperor Mundus, Demon Emperor Mundus Again, Demon Emperor Mundus Battle 3 Underground
Simply looking at that track list should be a pretty good indication of how well the organ is being treated here. The writing is good and it is frequent; someone rented out a cathedral and wanted to get the most bang for their buck, and now we're the ones benefiting from it.
Rating: NEUTRAL
Track: Demon World
As tends to be the case, the organ in this track is mostly used just to accompany something else; in this case a choir. It gets a few bars to sing on its own, and it's a great few bars, but overall the organ writing here is simply serviceable and doesn't especially utilize anything about the organ that makes it unique. It doesn't do anything wrong, but it's not like it does anything especially great either.
Track: Demon World
As tends to be the case, the organ in this track is mostly used just to accompany something else; in this case a choir. It gets a few bars to sing on its own, and it's a great few bars, but overall the organ writing here is simply serviceable and doesn't especially utilize anything about the organ that makes it unique. It doesn't do anything wrong, but it's not like it does anything especially great either.
Rating: BAD
Track: Creepy Castle
The scary area has a pipe organ. How inspired! It rolls over on a small selection of chords then leaves the rest of the track to everyone else. I can't even pretend like there's any insight to be gleamed here. Trite and completely unoriginal.
Track: Creepy Castle
The scary area has a pipe organ. How inspired! It rolls over on a small selection of chords then leaves the rest of the track to everyone else. I can't even pretend like there's any insight to be gleamed here. Trite and completely unoriginal.
Rating: BAD
Track: Saint's Prayer
DRAGON'S QUEEEESSSSSTTTTT!!!!!!!!!
Track: Saint's Prayer
DRAGON'S QUEEEESSSSSTTTTT!!!!!!!!!
Rating: BORING
Tracks: Church Treatment, Pray at the Church
The classic Dragon Quest jingles are now on the Nintendo DS! Does that change anything? Not really!
Tracks: Church Treatment, Pray at the Church
The classic Dragon Quest jingles are now on the Nintendo DS! Does that change anything? Not really!
Rating: BAD
Tracks: Prayer, Imperial Scrolls of Honor
These Dragon Quest jingles are finally being played by a discernible facsimile of some kind of sound resembling a real pipe organ, but it's still not enough to save them from being so dull.
Tracks: Prayer, Imperial Scrolls of Honor
These Dragon Quest jingles are finally being played by a discernible facsimile of some kind of sound resembling a real pipe organ, but it's still not enough to save them from being so dull.
Rating: BAD
Track: Nightmare Battle
The rest of this soundtrack is incredibly unique and sparkling with unusual applications of unusual instruments. So why is the single use of a pipe organ so typical and trite??
Track: Nightmare Battle
The rest of this soundtrack is incredibly unique and sparkling with unusual applications of unusual instruments. So why is the single use of a pipe organ so typical and trite??
Ranking: NEUTRAL
Tracks: 竜の巣からの話, クリスタル・キャッスル, 避け得ぬ戦い, ファイナルボス
Before saying anything, I want to make it clear this entry is based on the PC Engine release of this game; other releases may vary on their inclusion of the pipe organ.
I gotta say, it hurts to keep Emerald Dragon so low. This is an absolutely otherworldly soundtrack, truly and completely phenomenal, but it's another one where it designates the pipe organ to be an arpeggio machine and not much else. Of course, they're great chords to be arpeggiating, thus the higher ranking compared to other subpar organ uses, but in the end it's just not interested in using the instrument too comprehensively at all.
Tracks: 竜の巣からの話, クリスタル・キャッスル, 避け得ぬ戦い, ファイナルボス
Before saying anything, I want to make it clear this entry is based on the PC Engine release of this game; other releases may vary on their inclusion of the pipe organ.
I gotta say, it hurts to keep Emerald Dragon so low. This is an absolutely otherworldly soundtrack, truly and completely phenomenal, but it's another one where it designates the pipe organ to be an arpeggio machine and not much else. Of course, they're great chords to be arpeggiating, thus the higher ranking compared to other subpar organ uses, but in the end it's just not interested in using the instrument too comprehensively at all.
Rating: GREAT
Track: The Sanctum
Emancipate the dissonance, baby. Where so much of this list is swallowed up by Baroque- and Romantic-flavored music, this is something a lot more modern. It's not like we're on the verge of Ligeti here, but this certainly is along the lines of the kind of stuff contemporary organists would be playing in our current post-Dupré world. Uematsu's got his pulse on a lot more music scenes than he lets on, it seems!! That, or contemporary organ music has a lot more in common with other contemporary music genres than we (I) give it credit for, which is also strikingly likely. Either way, this rules. Thank you.
Track: The Sanctum
Emancipate the dissonance, baby. Where so much of this list is swallowed up by Baroque- and Romantic-flavored music, this is something a lot more modern. It's not like we're on the verge of Ligeti here, but this certainly is along the lines of the kind of stuff contemporary organists would be playing in our current post-Dupré world. Uematsu's got his pulse on a lot more music scenes than he lets on, it seems!! That, or contemporary organ music has a lot more in common with other contemporary music genres than we (I) give it credit for, which is also strikingly likely. Either way, this rules. Thank you.
Rating: GREAT
Track: Marriage & Cohesion
Similar to Xenogears, this is just such a beautifully heartfelt work. It doesn't need to be anything flashy; being honest means so much more.
Track: Marriage & Cohesion
Similar to Xenogears, this is just such a beautifully heartfelt work. It doesn't need to be anything flashy; being honest means so much more.
Rating: GREAT
Tracks: Sacred Space, Separation With God
I think it's up for interpretation whether or not Sacred Space is an organ piece (I could also see it being a string ensemble), but Separation With God is absolutely a pipe organ and it's downright incredible. Lovingly, hauntingly, atrociously emotional work that continues to unfold and reveal more of itself as it keeps pushing forward.
Tracks: Sacred Space, Separation With God
I think it's up for interpretation whether or not Sacred Space is an organ piece (I could also see it being a string ensemble), but Separation With God is absolutely a pipe organ and it's downright incredible. Lovingly, hauntingly, atrociously emotional work that continues to unfold and reveal more of itself as it keeps pushing forward.
Rating: GREAT
Track: Ragnarok
Positively chilling. Much of the work is being carried by the choir, but the organ's got a towering presence here that shades the entire piece in this cloak of austerity. This is another instance of an organ in a video game that feels more like authentic performance repertoire than video game music (well, more like choir repertoire than organ repertoire, but one tends to beget the other). Marvelous.
Track: Ragnarok
Positively chilling. Much of the work is being carried by the choir, but the organ's got a towering presence here that shades the entire piece in this cloak of austerity. This is another instance of an organ in a video game that feels more like authentic performance repertoire than video game music (well, more like choir repertoire than organ repertoire, but one tends to beget the other). Marvelous.
Rating: GOOD
Track: A Messenger
Another piece where the organ doesn't have much going on, but I sure am a sucker for big, thick chords. The writing here isn't anything particularly special, but there are some attention-grabbing harmonic shifts that utilize the darkness and the fullness of the sound well. Ultimately, the only real reason the organ is here is because the piece needs to sound vaguely spiritual; otherwise it could be replaced handily with just about any other sustaining instrument. Far from the worst but far from the best.
Track: A Messenger
Another piece where the organ doesn't have much going on, but I sure am a sucker for big, thick chords. The writing here isn't anything particularly special, but there are some attention-grabbing harmonic shifts that utilize the darkness and the fullness of the sound well. Ultimately, the only real reason the organ is here is because the piece needs to sound vaguely spiritual; otherwise it could be replaced handily with just about any other sustaining instrument. Far from the worst but far from the best.
Rating: GREAT
Track: Thee Houses Main Theme, The Crest of Flames, Arcana Code, Life at Garreg Mach Monastary, Scales of the Goddess, Garreg Mach Cathedral, The Archbishop, At What Cost?
A lot of the pipe organ's use here is to invoke this ancient, sacred sound of the past. And well, they do it in a really boring way!! The writing is flat and lifeless - which yes, that kind of stasis is exactly the kind of emotion this context calls for - but it makes for horribly dull organ writing. Fortunately, that's not all this soundtrack has to offer; whenever the organ is used outside of these situations (save for the splash of unconvincing half-committed pop flavor of Life at Garreg Mach Monastary), there's a switch that gets flipped which decides if it's going to be Poulenc/Duruflé-flavored impressionism or Franck/d'Indy-flavored Romanticism, showcased excellently in Garreg Mach Cathedral which tends to flip between them throughout the piece. The careful, considerate, conscious bridging between these two styles is the organ's stand-out moment in the soundtrack and basically the sole reason this game ranks so highly. I get the feeling this composer is just kind of showing off their vocabulary of repertoire here - but unlike most showcases of talent for the sake of itself, this one is actually grounded in some kind of genuine artistry. There's a reverence for the history of the organ and it's being applied to create something new and beautiful.
Track: Thee Houses Main Theme, The Crest of Flames, Arcana Code, Life at Garreg Mach Monastary, Scales of the Goddess, Garreg Mach Cathedral, The Archbishop, At What Cost?
A lot of the pipe organ's use here is to invoke this ancient, sacred sound of the past. And well, they do it in a really boring way!! The writing is flat and lifeless - which yes, that kind of stasis is exactly the kind of emotion this context calls for - but it makes for horribly dull organ writing. Fortunately, that's not all this soundtrack has to offer; whenever the organ is used outside of these situations (save for the splash of unconvincing half-committed pop flavor of Life at Garreg Mach Monastary), there's a switch that gets flipped which decides if it's going to be Poulenc/Duruflé-flavored impressionism or Franck/d'Indy-flavored Romanticism, showcased excellently in Garreg Mach Cathedral which tends to flip between them throughout the piece. The careful, considerate, conscious bridging between these two styles is the organ's stand-out moment in the soundtrack and basically the sole reason this game ranks so highly. I get the feeling this composer is just kind of showing off their vocabulary of repertoire here - but unlike most showcases of talent for the sake of itself, this one is actually grounded in some kind of genuine artistry. There's a reverence for the history of the organ and it's being applied to create something new and beautiful.
Rating: GOOD
Track: The Last Battle
As far as SNES organs are concerned, this one is pretty weak. The tone is limp and the writing is straight and utilitarian - not bad writing by any definition, but compared to its contemporaries in Final Fantasy VI and Live A Live, it can't even find a candle to try and hold in the first place. We do at least get some fun interplay between the organ and the rest of the orchestra here - usually these pieces are written in a way where the organ winds up being separate from the rest of the ensemble. It feels like it really belongs in the space here and is engaging with the material in some kind of meaningful way.
Track: The Last Battle
As far as SNES organs are concerned, this one is pretty weak. The tone is limp and the writing is straight and utilitarian - not bad writing by any definition, but compared to its contemporaries in Final Fantasy VI and Live A Live, it can't even find a candle to try and hold in the first place. We do at least get some fun interplay between the organ and the rest of the orchestra here - usually these pieces are written in a way where the organ winds up being separate from the rest of the ensemble. It feels like it really belongs in the space here and is engaging with the material in some kind of meaningful way.
Rating: GREAT
Track: Granas Sanctuary
An otherworldly pristine beauty. Not even disappointed that the organ is absent for half the track, because the half it is there for is positively mystifying. Cold and withdrawn, yet reflective and sensitive.
Track: Granas Sanctuary
An otherworldly pristine beauty. Not even disappointed that the organ is absent for half the track, because the half it is there for is positively mystifying. Cold and withdrawn, yet reflective and sensitive.
Rating: BORING
Track: Shock
"Shock" is right - how can one organist keep spinning out these ostinato figures so fast for so long?? I guess it's a pretty neat passage at least, though I'd prefer some actual organ writing.
Track: Shock
"Shock" is right - how can one organist keep spinning out these ostinato figures so fast for so long?? I guess it's a pretty neat passage at least, though I'd prefer some actual organ writing.
Rating: NEUTRAL
Track: Ministry of Education
Some great juicy chords that take advantage of the fullness of an organ's sound, but ultimately pretty safe and flat writing that doesn't utilize the organ as much as it seems to want to.
Track: Ministry of Education
Some great juicy chords that take advantage of the fullness of an organ's sound, but ultimately pretty safe and flat writing that doesn't utilize the organ as much as it seems to want to.
Rating: BAD
Track: Decisive Battle
Just a few bars of generic pipe organ noodling that pops up throughout the track every now and then to signify that an evil character is on screen. Embarrassing.
Track: Decisive Battle
Just a few bars of generic pipe organ noodling that pops up throughout the track every now and then to signify that an evil character is on screen. Embarrassing.
Rating: GREAT
Tracks: Title, The Great Union, Tranquil Hill, Servants of Granada, Staff Roll
I've been vindicated! Further down this list, I mention Paladin's Quest (or Lennus 1) had the potential for incredible organ music, but it just wasn't applying itself enough. Well, now in the sequel, here we are!! The organ music here is serviceable at worst, and stunning at best. Tranquil Hill blew me back in my seat with how ethereally dazzling these chords are. For my money, it's the most unique chords to come out of an SNES pipe organ - and hopefully you can tell by this list I'm saying that with an intense familiarity in that particular subject. There's never been anything else quite like this on that console. What an absolute pleasure to discover something so pristine hidden and tucked away in a game like this.
Tracks: Title, The Great Union, Tranquil Hill, Servants of Granada, Staff Roll
I've been vindicated! Further down this list, I mention Paladin's Quest (or Lennus 1) had the potential for incredible organ music, but it just wasn't applying itself enough. Well, now in the sequel, here we are!! The organ music here is serviceable at worst, and stunning at best. Tranquil Hill blew me back in my seat with how ethereally dazzling these chords are. For my money, it's the most unique chords to come out of an SNES pipe organ - and hopefully you can tell by this list I'm saying that with an intense familiarity in that particular subject. There's never been anything else quite like this on that console. What an absolute pleasure to discover something so pristine hidden and tucked away in a game like this.
Rating: NEUTRAL
Tracks: Stand And Fight Luigi!, The Nightmare Road, Neo Bowser's Castle, Neo Bowser Sunrise, Final Antasama Battle, Adventure's End
Here's some fun behind-the-scenes insight; I originally listened to this soundtrack and wrote its entry before Bowser's Inside Story. However, once getting around to that game, I simply could not scrounge up even a shrivel of insight that differed from what I already said for this game; what is currently Bowser's Inside Story's entry note used to belong to Dream Team. I copy/pasted it over since it ranked just a little higher and, if people are reading chronologically, they'll see that entry before this one. It's hard to believe a composer who has claimed several spots near the top of this list has fallen so far. Yoko Shimomura has lost her touch.
Tracks: Stand And Fight Luigi!, The Nightmare Road, Neo Bowser's Castle, Neo Bowser Sunrise, Final Antasama Battle, Adventure's End
Here's some fun behind-the-scenes insight; I originally listened to this soundtrack and wrote its entry before Bowser's Inside Story. However, once getting around to that game, I simply could not scrounge up even a shrivel of insight that differed from what I already said for this game; what is currently Bowser's Inside Story's entry note used to belong to Dream Team. I copy/pasted it over since it ranked just a little higher and, if people are reading chronologically, they'll see that entry before this one. It's hard to believe a composer who has claimed several spots near the top of this list has fallen so far. Yoko Shimomura has lost her touch.
Rating: NEUTRAL
Tracks: The One They Call The Witch, Daughter of the Dark God
The organ tone here is unlike anything else I've ever heard in - not in a good way - which I can only describe as "watery." It feels weirdly unstable and loose, like it has no foundation and could give out at any moment like a faulty pair of lungs. For two tracks that are full-on with the bombast and the spectacle, this is not a great sound to be using at all - and on top of it, the part writing is the same boring arpeggio runs we've seen countless times on this list. Weak tone, weak writing, weak entry on the list.
Tracks: The One They Call The Witch, Daughter of the Dark God
The organ tone here is unlike anything else I've ever heard in - not in a good way - which I can only describe as "watery." It feels weirdly unstable and loose, like it has no foundation and could give out at any moment like a faulty pair of lungs. For two tracks that are full-on with the bombast and the spectacle, this is not a great sound to be using at all - and on top of it, the part writing is the same boring arpeggio runs we've seen countless times on this list. Weak tone, weak writing, weak entry on the list.
Rating: GOOD
Track: The Corrupted Black Bowser Battle, Black Bowser's Castle Revealed!, Black Bowser's Castle Lobby, Thing Card - Electric Battery, Blackout
Similar to Super Mario 64, this game simply does a great job of actually defining and developing its villain's theme, though the writing here is simply too conservative and typical to warrant any higher placement.
Track: The Corrupted Black Bowser Battle, Black Bowser's Castle Revealed!, Black Bowser's Castle Lobby, Thing Card - Electric Battery, Blackout
Similar to Super Mario 64, this game simply does a great job of actually defining and developing its villain's theme, though the writing here is simply too conservative and typical to warrant any higher placement.
Rating: BAD
Tracks: God's Country, Fight with a Miler
The pipe organ in this game is... almost bashful? It uses principal stops but they're the quietest, most timid principal stops I've heard in my life. This is the gutsiest tone an organ can have, but here they're totally gutless. I've listened to this soundtrack many times in the past few years without even noticing it used pipe organs at all until I checked it for this list, that's how subdued its texture is. This doesn't necessarily have to be a bad thing on its own - The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks ranks quite high on this list for doing something very similar, in fact. The issue here is that Popolocrois' organ is never used to accomplish anything meaningful. It's always hidden in the mix and just sitting on some accompaniment chords that are usually made redundant by the rest of the rhythm section. It's a shame; this soundtrack is gorgeous and its organ tone is fascinating. Had it only used the organ with a more deliberate hand this would easily place somewhere in the top half of this list, but unfortunately the pipe organ seems to be one of this soundtrack's few weak points.
Tracks: God's Country, Fight with a Miler
The pipe organ in this game is... almost bashful? It uses principal stops but they're the quietest, most timid principal stops I've heard in my life. This is the gutsiest tone an organ can have, but here they're totally gutless. I've listened to this soundtrack many times in the past few years without even noticing it used pipe organs at all until I checked it for this list, that's how subdued its texture is. This doesn't necessarily have to be a bad thing on its own - The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks ranks quite high on this list for doing something very similar, in fact. The issue here is that Popolocrois' organ is never used to accomplish anything meaningful. It's always hidden in the mix and just sitting on some accompaniment chords that are usually made redundant by the rest of the rhythm section. It's a shame; this soundtrack is gorgeous and its organ tone is fascinating. Had it only used the organ with a more deliberate hand this would easily place somewhere in the top half of this list, but unfortunately the pipe organ seems to be one of this soundtrack's few weak points.
Rating: BAD
Track: Final Battle
One of the least convincing organ tones I've ever heard, absurdly quiet compared to the rest of the ensemble, hardly playing anything at all... It's a tried and true recipe for a poor ranking on this list. Sorry, Sakura Wars.
Track: Final Battle
One of the least convincing organ tones I've ever heard, absurdly quiet compared to the rest of the ensemble, hardly playing anything at all... It's a tried and true recipe for a poor ranking on this list. Sorry, Sakura Wars.
Rating: GOOD
Tracks: The God Tree, Sacred Precincts
The organ writing here is sparse, yet effectively striking. A luxuriously full tone and heavy chords. Can't complain about that.
Tracks: The God Tree, Sacred Precincts
The organ writing here is sparse, yet effectively striking. A luxuriously full tone and heavy chords. Can't complain about that.
Rating: NEUTRAL
Track: Church Prayer
Incredibly normal piece of video game organ music. It's good, but not good enough to inspire any particular feelings.
Track: Church Prayer
Incredibly normal piece of video game organ music. It's good, but not good enough to inspire any particular feelings.
9 Comments
8/26/2022 - just hit 150 entries....... PIPE ORGAN LIST WILL NEVER DIE!!!
1/11/2023 - 200 entries and going strong. PIPE ORGAN LIST WILL NEVER DIE!!!
As a fledgling composer, fucking incredible list and the best list I've seen on this website so far. Following for this alone so I don't lose this list.
this list fucking rules. LOVE your notes. amazing
@DIOXYRIBOSE thank you so much
This is it. The greatest list on all of Backloggd.
Funbil
1 year ago