PIPE ORGANS RANKED + REVIEWED
The professional opinion of a non-professional organist
201 Games
Rating: GOOD
Tracks: God's Baptism, Shrine
Wow! Surprisingly intricate, authentic pipe organ music on this very early Genesis game. It's nothing that especially blows me away, but it is very pleasant and excellently arranged - especially considering the hardware.
Tracks: God's Baptism, Shrine
Wow! Surprisingly intricate, authentic pipe organ music on this very early Genesis game. It's nothing that especially blows me away, but it is very pleasant and excellently arranged - especially considering the hardware.
Rating: GOOD
Tracks: Light Force of the Gods, Disciple of Darkness, The Dragon God and the Shrine Maiden, Advent of the Demon Beast
Positively beautiful and surprisingly melodic organ writing here despite always being an accompaniment texture, with the highlight being Light Force of the Gods. The organ isn't even present for about two-thirds of that piece, but when it shows up it sure makes a hell of an impression. Full and rich, and effectively saying exactly what it needs to say.
Tracks: Light Force of the Gods, Disciple of Darkness, The Dragon God and the Shrine Maiden, Advent of the Demon Beast
Positively beautiful and surprisingly melodic organ writing here despite always being an accompaniment texture, with the highlight being Light Force of the Gods. The organ isn't even present for about two-thirds of that piece, but when it shows up it sure makes a hell of an impression. Full and rich, and effectively saying exactly what it needs to say.
Rating: GOOD
Track: Zod's Blessing
There's some neat harmonic motions and cute melodic phrases, but nothing too poignant outside of that. Just some solid, pleasant, non-challenging organ music. Gets the job done and has a pretty fun time doing it.
Track: Zod's Blessing
There's some neat harmonic motions and cute melodic phrases, but nothing too poignant outside of that. Just some solid, pleasant, non-challenging organ music. Gets the job done and has a pretty fun time doing it.
Rating: PERFECT
Tracks: Cathedral of Shadows (all instances), Battle b6, Reign
The culmination of all the strength, beauty, and profundity of Shin Megami Tensei's pipe organs, which will be chronicled further throughout the list. This series has an unrivaled relationship with the pipe organ, and this game establishes itself as the peak not just by introducing new gorgeous, majestic, innovative tracks of its own, but also by resurfacing some legendary pipe organ tracks from games past. A true celebration of the single video game series that consistently showcases the pipe organ with the most virtuosity and splendor. Few poor words can be uttered against any of this series' application of the instrument, and none could even begin to approach the general direction of this entry.
Tracks: Cathedral of Shadows (all instances), Battle b6, Reign
The culmination of all the strength, beauty, and profundity of Shin Megami Tensei's pipe organs, which will be chronicled further throughout the list. This series has an unrivaled relationship with the pipe organ, and this game establishes itself as the peak not just by introducing new gorgeous, majestic, innovative tracks of its own, but also by resurfacing some legendary pipe organ tracks from games past. A true celebration of the single video game series that consistently showcases the pipe organ with the most virtuosity and splendor. Few poor words can be uttered against any of this series' application of the instrument, and none could even begin to approach the general direction of this entry.
Rating: GREAT
Track: Heretic Mansion (Shining Heaven)
Gorgeous flowing passages that develop and expand on each other seamlessly. Some of the absolute best counterpoint video game have to offer, with a pipe organ or otherwise. Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous!
Track: Heretic Mansion (Shining Heaven)
Gorgeous flowing passages that develop and expand on each other seamlessly. Some of the absolute best counterpoint video game have to offer, with a pipe organ or otherwise. Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous!
Rating: GOOD
Tracks: Thou Shalt Play, Demon Fusion
It's starting to become unfair just how incredible Shin Megami Tensei's pipe organs are... And it's cool that the Nohobino plays! Just a shame that he can't scrounge up any actually engaging repertoire when he's got a full series worth of options to choose from. That little riff he plays is pretty cheesy, but Thou Shalt Play prevents this game from losing its Shin Megami Tensei Pipe Organ prestige.
Tracks: Thou Shalt Play, Demon Fusion
It's starting to become unfair just how incredible Shin Megami Tensei's pipe organs are... And it's cool that the Nohobino plays! Just a shame that he can't scrounge up any actually engaging repertoire when he's got a full series worth of options to choose from. That little riff he plays is pretty cheesy, but Thou Shalt Play prevents this game from losing its Shin Megami Tensei Pipe Organ prestige.
Rating: GREAT
Track: A Fragrant Prayer, Raging Gajiru
I can't get my jaw up off the floor during either of these tracks. A Fragrant Prayer sends such red-hot chills with its delicate, warping harmonic motions, and Raging Gajiru is an onslaught of intense, swelling chords and runs that pierce through the punching, rhythmic orchestra ensemble like fireworks in an inky, cloudy night sky. Absolutely masterful arrangements composed of brilliant part writing that makes each organ appearance engrossing, enthralling, and exhilarating from the first note.
Track: A Fragrant Prayer, Raging Gajiru
I can't get my jaw up off the floor during either of these tracks. A Fragrant Prayer sends such red-hot chills with its delicate, warping harmonic motions, and Raging Gajiru is an onslaught of intense, swelling chords and runs that pierce through the punching, rhythmic orchestra ensemble like fireworks in an inky, cloudy night sky. Absolutely masterful arrangements composed of brilliant part writing that makes each organ appearance engrossing, enthralling, and exhilarating from the first note.
Rating: GREAT
Tracks: Solemnity
I feel similarly about this as I did Fortuna Shrine from Tales of Destiny 2. Masterfully powerful chords, aggressively beautiful tone; it's just a little more conventional than Fortuna Shrine, and is only a single track where Tales of Destiny 2 had more than I can remember off the top of my head. The fact that the two games' pipe organs can be compared is higher praise than anything else I could bother saying.
Tracks: Solemnity
I feel similarly about this as I did Fortuna Shrine from Tales of Destiny 2. Masterfully powerful chords, aggressively beautiful tone; it's just a little more conventional than Fortuna Shrine, and is only a single track where Tales of Destiny 2 had more than I can remember off the top of my head. The fact that the two games' pipe organs can be compared is higher praise than anything else I could bother saying.
Rating: GREAT
Track: Requiem
V to ♭VI always gets me, man. I can't hide my biases. It's just such a powerful harmonic motion. The rest of this piece is excellent as well, but towards the end where it just keeps flipping between V and ♭VI, man, it is unrelenting. That struggle, that trudging, that longing for a conclusion and having it constantly give out into imperfect cadences. It's like it keeps collapsing under the weight of itself. Standing back up, collapsing, standing back up, collapsing... Even I am not immune to basic music theory practices!!
Track: Requiem
V to ♭VI always gets me, man. I can't hide my biases. It's just such a powerful harmonic motion. The rest of this piece is excellent as well, but towards the end where it just keeps flipping between V and ♭VI, man, it is unrelenting. That struggle, that trudging, that longing for a conclusion and having it constantly give out into imperfect cadences. It's like it keeps collapsing under the weight of itself. Standing back up, collapsing, standing back up, collapsing... Even I am not immune to basic music theory practices!!
Rating: GREAT
Tracks: Praise Be To My Master, Passacaglia, Ceremony
These are masterfully crafted pieces of organ music, but it doesn't especially feel like anything besides "well-written music." I'm impressed, but I'm especially not moved. Compared to the first Suikoden's single organ track, these are certainly more accomplished pieces, but the first game's Requiem said something to my heart where these say something to my brain – but I can't stress enough that these are still marvelous pieces of organ music that I respect tremendously. My preference for the first game's single track does not detract just how immaculately composed these are.
Tracks: Praise Be To My Master, Passacaglia, Ceremony
These are masterfully crafted pieces of organ music, but it doesn't especially feel like anything besides "well-written music." I'm impressed, but I'm especially not moved. Compared to the first Suikoden's single organ track, these are certainly more accomplished pieces, but the first game's Requiem said something to my heart where these say something to my brain – but I can't stress enough that these are still marvelous pieces of organ music that I respect tremendously. My preference for the first game's single track does not detract just how immaculately composed these are.
Rating: PERFECT
Track: Church
I'll go on to later explain that Suikoden I's pipe organ music reached my heart, and Suikoden II's reached my brain; this reaches both equally. Astonishingly thoughtful, evocative, deliberate, intelligent, heart-felt... In a word, unbelievable.
Track: Church
I'll go on to later explain that Suikoden I's pipe organ music reached my heart, and Suikoden II's reached my brain; this reaches both equally. Astonishingly thoughtful, evocative, deliberate, intelligent, heart-felt... In a word, unbelievable.
Rating: GOOD
Tracks: Unused Track 7, Unused Track 8
I really wish I could rate this higher! These are two great pieces of organ music, but as you can see they're not actually used anywhere in the game. This poses an interesting question: can I really consider a game to "have" a pipe organ if its only inclusion is in tracks that are not in the final game? This is the first instance of needing to consider such a quandry for this list, and as such will set a precedent going forward. Since the organ music does indeed belong to the game I think yes, the game should be included in this list, though the fact that it doesn't actually exist in it means it can't contend with much fervor. Such a shame - I'm sure the composer of these must have been disappointed in their exclusion as well. It's clear some real passion and consideration went into these.
Tracks: Unused Track 7, Unused Track 8
I really wish I could rate this higher! These are two great pieces of organ music, but as you can see they're not actually used anywhere in the game. This poses an interesting question: can I really consider a game to "have" a pipe organ if its only inclusion is in tracks that are not in the final game? This is the first instance of needing to consider such a quandry for this list, and as such will set a precedent going forward. Since the organ music does indeed belong to the game I think yes, the game should be included in this list, though the fact that it doesn't actually exist in it means it can't contend with much fervor. Such a shame - I'm sure the composer of these must have been disappointed in their exclusion as well. It's clear some real passion and consideration went into these.
Rating: GREAT
Tracks: Daeq Fazol, Cutscene #9
Wow... Daeq Fazol is gorgeous. One of the more atmospheric applications of the organ I've heard. It's easy to say that and think back to the many other low-ranking entries that just sit on chords for a long time, but this is more than that. These delicate, colorful chord stabs puncturing through the fuzzy blanket of the rest of the arrangement adds a real, tangible, recognizable atmosphere in a very literal sense, as opposed to how people tend to use the word "atmospheric" when talking about music. This isn't "atmospheric" because it's slow and quiet; it's really and truly building an actual atmosphere by playing with the physical structure of when, why, and how certain sounds happen at certain times. This is beautiful.
... Oh!! And I didn't even talk about Cutscene #9 yet!! I have no idea where this plays in the game, and the name certainly doesn't help give any context (I'm referring to an unofficial upload of the soundtrack) but this is an absolutely fantastic piece of organ writing.
Later on in this list I'm going to get horribly emo about the state of pipe organs in Tales soundtracks. If only I knew how much things would improve. Tales organs are more than alive, they're thriving baby!!
Tracks: Daeq Fazol, Cutscene #9
Wow... Daeq Fazol is gorgeous. One of the more atmospheric applications of the organ I've heard. It's easy to say that and think back to the many other low-ranking entries that just sit on chords for a long time, but this is more than that. These delicate, colorful chord stabs puncturing through the fuzzy blanket of the rest of the arrangement adds a real, tangible, recognizable atmosphere in a very literal sense, as opposed to how people tend to use the word "atmospheric" when talking about music. This isn't "atmospheric" because it's slow and quiet; it's really and truly building an actual atmosphere by playing with the physical structure of when, why, and how certain sounds happen at certain times. This is beautiful.
... Oh!! And I didn't even talk about Cutscene #9 yet!! I have no idea where this plays in the game, and the name certainly doesn't help give any context (I'm referring to an unofficial upload of the soundtrack) but this is an absolutely fantastic piece of organ writing.
Later on in this list I'm going to get horribly emo about the state of pipe organs in Tales soundtracks. If only I knew how much things would improve. Tales organs are more than alive, they're thriving baby!!
Rating: GOOD
Tracks: Solemn Castle, Sanctuary, Leon ~Victim of Fate~
Solemn Castle really takes the cake here; Sanctuary is little more than a bunch of scale runs and Leon's sitting on our tried and true long, stagnant block chord accompaniment technique. It's a good thing, in that case, that Solemn Castle is absolutely gorgeous; a little simple and predictable, and not really doing much that utilizes any unique qualities of the organ, but this little motive of constantly landing on then resolving off of non-chord tones really helps lean into the heart-squeezing largeness of this organ's sound.
Tracks: Solemn Castle, Sanctuary, Leon ~Victim of Fate~
Solemn Castle really takes the cake here; Sanctuary is little more than a bunch of scale runs and Leon's sitting on our tried and true long, stagnant block chord accompaniment technique. It's a good thing, in that case, that Solemn Castle is absolutely gorgeous; a little simple and predictable, and not really doing much that utilizes any unique qualities of the organ, but this little motive of constantly landing on then resolving off of non-chord tones really helps lean into the heart-squeezing largeness of this organ's sound.
Rating: GREAT
Tracks: Perverse Religion, Who is Good or Evil?, I Miss You
One of the most shrill, unrefined organ tones on the Super Nintendo surely, which is why the absolute majesty and power of Perverse Religion in particular is so surprising. I'd have a hard time pointing you towards a worse organ sample in such a mainstream game, but I'd also have a have a hard time pointing you towards too much video game organ music better than this (though of course, by looking at this list, I suppose that's exactly what's happening). There's a lot of love being shown to the pedal board here, which is great to see - this pipe organ might be a little tinny but the sound down in that lower register is full and rich and massive. Perverse Religion is also one of the more technical pieces on this list, taking full advantage of just how much mobility an organ player has on such a large instrument. Magnificent.
Tracks: Perverse Religion, Who is Good or Evil?, I Miss You
One of the most shrill, unrefined organ tones on the Super Nintendo surely, which is why the absolute majesty and power of Perverse Religion in particular is so surprising. I'd have a hard time pointing you towards a worse organ sample in such a mainstream game, but I'd also have a have a hard time pointing you towards too much video game organ music better than this (though of course, by looking at this list, I suppose that's exactly what's happening). There's a lot of love being shown to the pedal board here, which is great to see - this pipe organ might be a little tinny but the sound down in that lower register is full and rich and massive. Perverse Religion is also one of the more technical pieces on this list, taking full advantage of just how much mobility an organ player has on such a large instrument. Magnificent.
Rating: GOOD
Tracks: Standing in Pain, Untold Despair, Tethe Alla Castle, Rest of the Heart, Mithos, Beat the Angel, Derris Kharian (Appear), Derris Kharian (Shrine), It Can Waver and Fight, Final Destination
Shockingly and disappointingly, the most popular Tales game does not wield the organ nearly as prolifically as some of the lesser-known titles. Other Tales games have the organ incredibly close to the heart and use it to play critical thematic roles in their soundtracks; Symphonia only brings out every now and then to play a couple simple accompaniment chords or loose melody lines. Tethe Alla Castle is a competent piece of organ writing, but otherwise this is a shameful showing compared to the absolutely legendary pipe organs of the earlier Tales games.
Tracks: Standing in Pain, Untold Despair, Tethe Alla Castle, Rest of the Heart, Mithos, Beat the Angel, Derris Kharian (Appear), Derris Kharian (Shrine), It Can Waver and Fight, Final Destination
Shockingly and disappointingly, the most popular Tales game does not wield the organ nearly as prolifically as some of the lesser-known titles. Other Tales games have the organ incredibly close to the heart and use it to play critical thematic roles in their soundtracks; Symphonia only brings out every now and then to play a couple simple accompaniment chords or loose melody lines. Tethe Alla Castle is a competent piece of organ writing, but otherwise this is a shameful showing compared to the absolutely legendary pipe organs of the earlier Tales games.
Rating: BORING
Tracks: The Place of Relaxation, Kingdom of the Sky, Tales of Dragon Buster
It seems like with every new Tales release, they become less interested in the organ. In fact the previous game, Tales of Legendia, didn't have use the organ at all! So I suppose in some way this is some step up from that - but is it really a step up when there's so much nothing going on? I think I'd rather the organ just be left alone than see it in such a comatose state. How horribly disheartening it is to watch a series with such a deep, storied, intimate history with this instrument gradually fall out of love with it. Hopefully, if there's a more modern Tales game that ranks higher than this one, you can smile with the warm dramatic irony of knowing that before too long I'll see these two rekindle their flame. And if not... I suppose yet more heartache is all that awaits us further.
Tracks: The Place of Relaxation, Kingdom of the Sky, Tales of Dragon Buster
It seems like with every new Tales release, they become less interested in the organ. In fact the previous game, Tales of Legendia, didn't have use the organ at all! So I suppose in some way this is some step up from that - but is it really a step up when there's so much nothing going on? I think I'd rather the organ just be left alone than see it in such a comatose state. How horribly disheartening it is to watch a series with such a deep, storied, intimate history with this instrument gradually fall out of love with it. Hopefully, if there's a more modern Tales game that ranks higher than this one, you can smile with the warm dramatic irony of knowing that before too long I'll see these two rekindle their flame. And if not... I suppose yet more heartache is all that awaits us further.
Rating: GREAT
Track: Actos Shrine
Remarkable track that weaves in and out of languishing darkness and triumphant grandeur with a precise flippancy I've never quite seen before. Utterly entrancing and gorgeously structured.
Track: Actos Shrine
Remarkable track that weaves in and out of languishing darkness and triumphant grandeur with a precise flippancy I've never quite seen before. Utterly entrancing and gorgeously structured.
Rating: GOOD
Tracks: Safety in the Sanctuary, Yuga's Plan, Osfala Captured, Zelda's Portrait
Safety in the Sanctuary is a gorgeous development of Link to the Past's iconic track, which introduces a pipe organ to the choir and gives that organ a marvelous little phrase of its own separate from just doubling the choir parts. The rest of the pipe organ music in this is acceptable bordering on pretty good, but really this just gives me an excuse to rank Link to the Past's sanctuary music on this list, since the pipe organ is not present in the SNES release. One of my favorite pieces of Zelda music, and now it has an organ in it!!
Tracks: Safety in the Sanctuary, Yuga's Plan, Osfala Captured, Zelda's Portrait
Safety in the Sanctuary is a gorgeous development of Link to the Past's iconic track, which introduces a pipe organ to the choir and gives that organ a marvelous little phrase of its own separate from just doubling the choir parts. The rest of the pipe organ music in this is acceptable bordering on pretty good, but really this just gives me an excuse to rank Link to the Past's sanctuary music on this list, since the pipe organ is not present in the SNES release. One of my favorite pieces of Zelda music, and now it has an organ in it!!
Rating: GREAT
Tracks: Hey You, What Time Is It?, Come Here! I Defend You, The Absence of My Father from My Childhood, This is Also Training, Of My Life I Regret Nothing, Winged Maiden
Another SNES game that absolutely knocks it out of the park. All of the organ music here is positively lovely - including Come Here's surprise appearance which shows up completely out of nowhere, bringing out this gorgeously lush solo in the middle of a piece that otherwise has absolutely nothing to do with the pipe organ at all, complete with exactly the kind of sparkling writing I'm always looking for. Whether the pipe organ is the main focus of a track or a background texture, its inclusion is never off-handed and always brings something to chew on. Every instance of it in the soundtrack is a delightful surprise that constantly indulges itself by doing things a little differently than how you'd expect, mirroring Treasure Hunter G's position in the SNES RPG canon.
Tracks: Hey You, What Time Is It?, Come Here! I Defend You, The Absence of My Father from My Childhood, This is Also Training, Of My Life I Regret Nothing, Winged Maiden
Another SNES game that absolutely knocks it out of the park. All of the organ music here is positively lovely - including Come Here's surprise appearance which shows up completely out of nowhere, bringing out this gorgeously lush solo in the middle of a piece that otherwise has absolutely nothing to do with the pipe organ at all, complete with exactly the kind of sparkling writing I'm always looking for. Whether the pipe organ is the main focus of a track or a background texture, its inclusion is never off-handed and always brings something to chew on. Every instance of it in the soundtrack is a delightful surprise that constantly indulges itself by doing things a little differently than how you'd expect, mirroring Treasure Hunter G's position in the SNES RPG canon.
Rating: GOOD
Tracks: The Hierophant’s Palace, Unwavering Spear - Roland’s Battle
I was immediately disappointed by Hierophant's Palace - an astoundingly gorgeous piece of music that treated the pipe organ with less dignity than background furniture - only to be immediately won back over by Unwavering Spear. It's not a particularly intricate piece, but it is a beautiful use of the instrument and engages heartily with the rest of the ensemble. Pristine and majestic if not especially impressive.
Tracks: The Hierophant’s Palace, Unwavering Spear - Roland’s Battle
I was immediately disappointed by Hierophant's Palace - an astoundingly gorgeous piece of music that treated the pipe organ with less dignity than background furniture - only to be immediately won back over by Unwavering Spear. It's not a particularly intricate piece, but it is a beautiful use of the instrument and engages heartily with the rest of the ensemble. Pristine and majestic if not especially impressive.
Rating: GREAT
Tracks: Valhalla, Tradition, The First Einherjar, Battle At Galdba - Castle Area, The Four Gifts, Odin's Help, Fenrir's Trap, The Four Gifts - Draupnir, Fight Between the Two Valkyries, Hilde's Last Request, Finding Out The Truth, Our Will, Last of the All-Father, Odin Regains Power, The Last Words of Odin, The Golden Wings, The Last Battle, Denouement, Theme of Odin
Using flute stops is the quickest way to climb up this list. The dynamic use of different stop combinations all throughout the soundtrack stole my heart (especially in The First Einherjarand and Last of the All-Father), and the writing that utilizes them is pretty decent to boot. Motoi Sakuraba has a long and storied history with the use of pipe organ in his soundtracks, and it's exciting to see he's still finding ways to expand his use of the instrument. He's done great work with the pipe organ before, but never has he experimented so much with its variation in tone and expression.
Tracks: Valhalla, Tradition, The First Einherjar, Battle At Galdba - Castle Area, The Four Gifts, Odin's Help, Fenrir's Trap, The Four Gifts - Draupnir, Fight Between the Two Valkyries, Hilde's Last Request, Finding Out The Truth, Our Will, Last of the All-Father, Odin Regains Power, The Last Words of Odin, The Golden Wings, The Last Battle, Denouement, Theme of Odin
Using flute stops is the quickest way to climb up this list. The dynamic use of different stop combinations all throughout the soundtrack stole my heart (especially in The First Einherjarand and Last of the All-Father), and the writing that utilizes them is pretty decent to boot. Motoi Sakuraba has a long and storied history with the use of pipe organ in his soundtracks, and it's exciting to see he's still finding ways to expand his use of the instrument. He's done great work with the pipe organ before, but never has he experimented so much with its variation in tone and expression.
Rating: GOOD
Tracks: Outline of the Demon Descent Chain, That Guy's Name is Fear, Rise Above the World, To the Other Side of the Earth
In a mind-meltingly hot soundtrack, the organ here never really does all that much, but its presence in the background is always significant to the piece's texture. Hard and heavy, it's an imposing presence that contributes strongly to Valkyrie Profile's brutal desolation.
Tracks: Outline of the Demon Descent Chain, That Guy's Name is Fear, Rise Above the World, To the Other Side of the Earth
In a mind-meltingly hot soundtrack, the organ here never really does all that much, but its presence in the background is always significant to the piece's texture. Hard and heavy, it's an imposing presence that contributes strongly to Valkyrie Profile's brutal desolation.
Rating: GOOD
Tracks: The Rebellious Spirit of A Serene Mind, Spinning the Thread of Creation
Spinning the Thread of Creation has got some really excellent excerpts tucked away inside itself. Overall the writing it's too impressive, but every now and then there's a splash of something worth paying attention to. Mostly "acceptable" with some highlights that help elevate it beyond other games with similarly standard organs.
Tracks: The Rebellious Spirit of A Serene Mind, Spinning the Thread of Creation
Spinning the Thread of Creation has got some really excellent excerpts tucked away inside itself. Overall the writing it's too impressive, but every now and then there's a splash of something worth paying attention to. Mostly "acceptable" with some highlights that help elevate it beyond other games with similarly standard organs.
Rating: GREAT
Track: Pray for the People's Joy
One of the most pure, crystalline, beautiful organ pieces I've heard in a game. This piece isn't technically demanding, it doesn't use a unique combination of stops, it doesn't break genre conventions or use intense chromatic chords with tons of extensions, but it does have a heart the size of the moon and weeps with devastating compassion. There's an emotional honesty here that resonates so strongly because of its simplicity, not despite it. Simply put: a masterpiece.
Track: Pray for the People's Joy
One of the most pure, crystalline, beautiful organ pieces I've heard in a game. This piece isn't technically demanding, it doesn't use a unique combination of stops, it doesn't break genre conventions or use intense chromatic chords with tons of extensions, but it does have a heart the size of the moon and weeps with devastating compassion. There's an emotional honesty here that resonates so strongly because of its simplicity, not despite it. Simply put: a masterpiece.
Rating: GOOD
Track: Prayer for Love
These PC-88 games are pretty tough to pin down as far as their uses of the pipe organ (I decided to omit Ys I and II from this list because they were just a bit too vague) but this one feels pretty clear. The writing here is emblematic of typical pipe organ fare, though with the distinction that it was doing them before other video games had much of a chance to! Organ writing doesn't seem to be Yuzo Koshiro's particular strong suit, but he's such a phenomenal composer that this track wind up being great anyways even if it's not especially authentic or showcasing the nuance of the instrument.
Track: Prayer for Love
These PC-88 games are pretty tough to pin down as far as their uses of the pipe organ (I decided to omit Ys I and II from this list because they were just a bit too vague) but this one feels pretty clear. The writing here is emblematic of typical pipe organ fare, though with the distinction that it was doing them before other video games had much of a chance to! Organ writing doesn't seem to be Yuzo Koshiro's particular strong suit, but he's such a phenomenal composer that this track wind up being great anyways even if it's not especially authentic or showcasing the nuance of the instrument.
Rating: GOOD
Tracks: Main Title, Defeat, Medal of Honor, Of the Century, Seven Seas, Dawn of Empire, For The Queen!, Wild Frontier, Soldiers Grief, Obstinate Seals, Q.R.G. Guardians, Ardent Prince, Battle Steps, Burn the Floor!, At Advantage, Grand Troops, First Move!, Queen's Army, Fountain Keeper, Spirit's Calling, Take the Field, Dark Side, Willin' Delight, Another Day, Quick Suspicion, A.W.E., My Own Enemy, R.T.S.!
This one is interesting. It uses the pipe organ a lot, but it's an altered sample of one with no sustain and very quick decay, which allows it to be used in a lot more contexts than a normal pipe organ. It gets a lot of use in this soundtrack by doing quick flourishes and runs and arpeggios, but in a way that sounds more like a sparkling synthesizer than the typical heavy darkness the organ usually carries. Thanks to its short sample length, the pipe organ here is able to lend the color of its voice without necessarily muddying up the mix as it tends to do. This would be a wonderful excuse for the composer to have it start doing phrases the instrument would otherwise never do (a la Kirby's pan flutes, for example), but instead the organ is pretty much always played pretty straight and authentically (and just a bit too conventionally); it just sounds a little different than it normally does. Which is cool! The organ carries not just a lot of cultural baggage with it but also timbral ones. The organ can very easily paint a massive wall over the entire frequency spectrum, which can be troublesome for audio mixers (especially when the mix needs to accommodate something like the Nintendo DS speakers, as Ys Strategy does). I think this is one of the reasons why a lot of game composers tend to stay away unless they have a really obvious, clear thematic reason to use it. This is an interesting work-around that allows us to see the pipe organ used as a staple of the soundtrack in many more contexts than we normally would. Very cool to see so much pipe organ love in one place! It's just a shame that so much of it is standard arpeggios and scalar runs that wind up being background textures more than anything else.
Tracks: Main Title, Defeat, Medal of Honor, Of the Century, Seven Seas, Dawn of Empire, For The Queen!, Wild Frontier, Soldiers Grief, Obstinate Seals, Q.R.G. Guardians, Ardent Prince, Battle Steps, Burn the Floor!, At Advantage, Grand Troops, First Move!, Queen's Army, Fountain Keeper, Spirit's Calling, Take the Field, Dark Side, Willin' Delight, Another Day, Quick Suspicion, A.W.E., My Own Enemy, R.T.S.!
This one is interesting. It uses the pipe organ a lot, but it's an altered sample of one with no sustain and very quick decay, which allows it to be used in a lot more contexts than a normal pipe organ. It gets a lot of use in this soundtrack by doing quick flourishes and runs and arpeggios, but in a way that sounds more like a sparkling synthesizer than the typical heavy darkness the organ usually carries. Thanks to its short sample length, the pipe organ here is able to lend the color of its voice without necessarily muddying up the mix as it tends to do. This would be a wonderful excuse for the composer to have it start doing phrases the instrument would otherwise never do (a la Kirby's pan flutes, for example), but instead the organ is pretty much always played pretty straight and authentically (and just a bit too conventionally); it just sounds a little different than it normally does. Which is cool! The organ carries not just a lot of cultural baggage with it but also timbral ones. The organ can very easily paint a massive wall over the entire frequency spectrum, which can be troublesome for audio mixers (especially when the mix needs to accommodate something like the Nintendo DS speakers, as Ys Strategy does). I think this is one of the reasons why a lot of game composers tend to stay away unless they have a really obvious, clear thematic reason to use it. This is an interesting work-around that allows us to see the pipe organ used as a staple of the soundtrack in many more contexts than we normally would. Very cool to see so much pipe organ love in one place! It's just a shame that so much of it is standard arpeggios and scalar runs that wind up being background textures more than anything else.
Rating: NEUTRAL
Track: Prayer for Love
It's a pretty straight arrangement of the same track from Ys III. The higher-fidelity rendering draws out more of its flaws by drawing painstaking attention to the incredibly inorganic MIDI playing. Nothing about the piece itself is any worse as far as how it's written - it's still nice organ writing - but it does feel considerably more soulless here than in the PC-88 original.
Track: Prayer for Love
It's a pretty straight arrangement of the same track from Ys III. The higher-fidelity rendering draws out more of its flaws by drawing painstaking attention to the incredibly inorganic MIDI playing. Nothing about the piece itself is any worse as far as how it's written - it's still nice organ writing - but it does feel considerably more soulless here than in the PC-88 original.
Rating: BORING
Track: Movie 5 (Collapse)
Pretty typical cinematic chords to help bolster the massive sound of an orchestra. The organ is at least pretty forward in the mix and is the source of a lot of the strength behind the sound being achieved, but it's not especially inspired.
Track: Movie 5 (Collapse)
Pretty typical cinematic chords to help bolster the massive sound of an orchestra. The organ is at least pretty forward in the mix and is the source of a lot of the strength behind the sound being achieved, but it's not especially inspired.
Rating: GOOD
Track: The Force of a True Ancestor
Nice!! Great interplay between the organ and orchestra, the melismatic runs are dynamic and exciting, awesomely large and powerful chords, this is delicious. It's just a bit typical and lacking in full-fledged part writing, but what's here is great for what it is.
Track: The Force of a True Ancestor
Nice!! Great interplay between the organ and orchestra, the melismatic runs are dynamic and exciting, awesomely large and powerful chords, this is delicious. It's just a bit typical and lacking in full-fledged part writing, but what's here is great for what it is.
Rating: BAD
Track: Red Moon
Oh, there's a pipe organ in this? Sure there is: can't you hear the repetitive arpeggiations? That's what pipe organs are supposed to do, right? That's what a pipe organ is? That's why they exist, is to always do this and nothing else? Right?
Track: Red Moon
Oh, there's a pipe organ in this? Sure there is: can't you hear the repetitive arpeggiations? That's what pipe organs are supposed to do, right? That's what a pipe organ is? That's why they exist, is to always do this and nothing else? Right?
Rating: GOOD
Track: Tatsh feat. K. Nayuki
Wow! I've shamed other games on this list for unsuccessfully trying to merge organ music with pop music - while dance music and pop music aren't quite the same, I am impressed at how well they mingle here. The difference between this and the other games that try is that the organ here is not accommodating the dance music, it's an organic part that doesn't sacrifice any aspect of itself to belong in the ensemble. The organ is making great use of its full register, it's employing some great harmonic movements, but it's not doing this despite the dance music, it's doing this because of it. These two aspects are working together to support each other rather than trying to make one change to better suit the other. Games that try to use the organ for more modern pop-styled music should take notes.
Track: Tatsh feat. K. Nayuki
Wow! I've shamed other games on this list for unsuccessfully trying to merge organ music with pop music - while dance music and pop music aren't quite the same, I am impressed at how well they mingle here. The difference between this and the other games that try is that the organ here is not accommodating the dance music, it's an organic part that doesn't sacrifice any aspect of itself to belong in the ensemble. The organ is making great use of its full register, it's employing some great harmonic movements, but it's not doing this despite the dance music, it's doing this because of it. These two aspects are working together to support each other rather than trying to make one change to better suit the other. Games that try to use the organ for more modern pop-styled music should take notes.
Rating: NEUTRAL
Track: Bloody Tears
The use of the organ in the middle of intense drum and bass is really funny. I appreciate the effort and the intention, but in this case it's just two flavors that wind up not really having anything to do with each other. The organ is used so sparingly that it feels separate from everything else, like they only included it because it's a Castlevania track so it needs an organ. Well, take a look around - Castlevania doesn't actually use the organ that often!! I suppose the difference is that Castlevania never feels obligated to use an organ the way this clearly does; what that results in is the actual Castlevania organs being much stronger showings than this one.
Track: Bloody Tears
The use of the organ in the middle of intense drum and bass is really funny. I appreciate the effort and the intention, but in this case it's just two flavors that wind up not really having anything to do with each other. The organ is used so sparingly that it feels separate from everything else, like they only included it because it's a Castlevania track so it needs an organ. Well, take a look around - Castlevania doesn't actually use the organ that often!! I suppose the difference is that Castlevania never feels obligated to use an organ the way this clearly does; what that results in is the actual Castlevania organs being much stronger showings than this one.
Rating: NEUTRAL
Track: Spirits' Chapel, Rotting Forest
I'm really into how weird and meandering this is! I can imagine some Nostalgia Critic-imitator trying to punch up how "dissonant" this is (secretly revealing how boring their music taste is), but I mean, it works! It sets an excellently off-putting, uneasy tone. A pipe organ in a Dracula game isn't an especially novel idea but these unconventional progressions and voicings are pretty neat.
Track: Spirits' Chapel, Rotting Forest
I'm really into how weird and meandering this is! I can imagine some Nostalgia Critic-imitator trying to punch up how "dissonant" this is (secretly revealing how boring their music taste is), but I mean, it works! It sets an excellently off-putting, uneasy tone. A pipe organ in a Dracula game isn't an especially novel idea but these unconventional progressions and voicings are pretty neat.
Rating: GREAT
Tracks: Please God, God of Decadence
A pair of truly beautiful chorales. God of Decadence is what elevates this game to be so high on the list, but both are excellent in their own right.
Tracks: Please God, God of Decadence
A pair of truly beautiful chorales. God of Decadence is what elevates this game to be so high on the list, but both are excellent in their own right.
Rating: NEUTRAL
Tracks: Chapel, Game Over, Throne Fights
Surprisingly for a Castlevania game, the organ music here is pretty underwhelming. Certainly not bad, but at least personally I can never seem to remember much about these tracks without going back to listen to them again. The organ is used effectively in the ensemble, but obviously there's something missing here to make anything about them stand out.
Tracks: Chapel, Game Over, Throne Fights
Surprisingly for a Castlevania game, the organ music here is pretty underwhelming. Certainly not bad, but at least personally I can never seem to remember much about these tracks without going back to listen to them again. The organ is used effectively in the ensemble, but obviously there's something missing here to make anything about them stand out.
Rating: GOOD
Tracks: Prologue, Successor of Fate, Epilogue
"Harmony of Dissonance" is right! Very very strange harmonies in this, but never feeling unnecessary. There's a thoughtfulness behind it all that makes the lack-of-relation between chords still feel like they click into a meaningful place. Where most video game organ music leans more Baroque, this leans more Expressionist, which is a side of the organ that doesn't often appear in games. Great to see it show up here!
Tracks: Prologue, Successor of Fate, Epilogue
"Harmony of Dissonance" is right! Very very strange harmonies in this, but never feeling unnecessary. There's a thoughtfulness behind it all that makes the lack-of-relation between chords still feel like they click into a meaningful place. Where most video game organ music leans more Baroque, this leans more Expressionist, which is a side of the organ that doesn't often appear in games. Great to see it show up here!
Rating: BAD
Track: Eden
Horribly uninspired organ runs over a typical choir and orchestra. Completely unmemorable.
Track: Eden
Horribly uninspired organ runs over a typical choir and orchestra. Completely unmemorable.
Rating: GOOD
Tracks: The Nexus, Old King Allant
Oh this is what I like. I love the room to breathe in these, the silences punctuating such powerful bellows is excellent. Gorgeously colorful yet dark writing, deliberate with its sparseness and squeamish harmonies. Despite this, the tracks are quite simple and quite short, so it's nothing that'll stick with me, but the tracks are wonderful while they're around.
Tracks: The Nexus, Old King Allant
Oh this is what I like. I love the room to breathe in these, the silences punctuating such powerful bellows is excellent. Gorgeously colorful yet dark writing, deliberate with its sparseness and squeamish harmonies. Despite this, the tracks are quite simple and quite short, so it's nothing that'll stick with me, but the tracks are wonderful while they're around.
Rating: NEUTRAL
Track: Church
The organ only appears here in short little burst, but they are fascinating little bursts, though they're also just a little repetitive. It gets the job done though!
Track: Church
The organ only appears here in short little burst, but they are fascinating little bursts, though they're also just a little repetitive. It gets the job done though!
Rating: NEUTRAL
Track: Ending
The organ shades the color of this piece excellently. The texture of this piece is fascinating, and the use of a pipe organ is an excellent choice that even I wouldn't have thought of – and I'm constantly trying to find places to use pipe organs!! The writing isn't too impressive but that's not really what the point is here. It's about the texture. The organ's clearly defined place in this slippery, dreamy ensemble speaks well to its deliberate and considered implementation.
Track: Ending
The organ shades the color of this piece excellently. The texture of this piece is fascinating, and the use of a pipe organ is an excellent choice that even I wouldn't have thought of – and I'm constantly trying to find places to use pipe organs!! The writing isn't too impressive but that's not really what the point is here. It's about the texture. The organ's clearly defined place in this slippery, dreamy ensemble speaks well to its deliberate and considered implementation.
Rating: BAD
Track: Saint's Prayer
The jingle is iconic, but woefully boring.
Track: Saint's Prayer
The jingle is iconic, but woefully boring.
Rating: BORING
Tracks: The Saint, Church, Save
Finally a Dragon Quest game that uses a pipe organ for something other than the church jingles! Too bad it's not much more interesting than those jingles either way.
Tracks: The Saint, Church, Save
Finally a Dragon Quest game that uses a pipe organ for something other than the church jingles! Too bad it's not much more interesting than those jingles either way.
Rating: BORING
Tracks: Elegy, Ghosts
Not much to care about in this one. Sounds like someone whose only experience with this kind of music comes from other video games. Aimless.
Tracks: Elegy, Ghosts
Not much to care about in this one. Sounds like someone whose only experience with this kind of music comes from other video games. Aimless.
Rating: NEUTRAL
Track: Baram's Chasm, Rose Temple
The interplay with the strings in Rose Temple is a lot of fun, and the opportunities it has to be the main focus there are also executed very well. It's just a bit flat for my tastes, it never feels like it's developing much for or towards anything, but for what it is Rose Temple is a perfectly fine piece of organ music in a video game. Better than Baram's Chasm, at least.
Track: Baram's Chasm, Rose Temple
The interplay with the strings in Rose Temple is a lot of fun, and the opportunities it has to be the main focus there are also executed very well. It's just a bit flat for my tastes, it never feels like it's developing much for or towards anything, but for what it is Rose Temple is a perfectly fine piece of organ music in a video game. Better than Baram's Chasm, at least.
Rating: BORING
Track: Stage 1
I was shocked to see a game like this existed, and shocked again to immediately hear a pipe organ in the first stage. What I was not shocked by is how bog-standard the organ writing is!
Track: Stage 1
I was shocked to see a game like this existed, and shocked again to immediately hear a pipe organ in the first stage. What I was not shocked by is how bog-standard the organ writing is!
Rating: NEUTRAL
Track: 弱い者は死になさい, 光と闇, 祈リ
The first organ piece in this game immediately quotes Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor, which hilariously sets the tone perfectly for exactly what we're dealing with here. Just some basic, bare-bones Baroque organing. Astonishingly normal. No risks or any kind of inspiration at all, we're running around the circle of fifths and laying down some plagal cadences. Maybe use a secondary function somewhere and we can call it a day.
Track: 弱い者は死になさい, 光と闇, 祈リ
The first organ piece in this game immediately quotes Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor, which hilariously sets the tone perfectly for exactly what we're dealing with here. Just some basic, bare-bones Baroque organing. Astonishingly normal. No risks or any kind of inspiration at all, we're running around the circle of fifths and laying down some plagal cadences. Maybe use a secondary function somewhere and we can call it a day.
Rating: GOOD
Track: Lurking Enemy Castle 2
In a soundtrack so steeped in traditional Japanese culture (which is rendered lovingly even with such limited technology), I was surprised to find such a bouncy, authentic, Western-classical-styled toccata for what surely must be a pipe organ! Three-part counterpoint flying by and weaving around itself, each voice tossing points of interest between each other, this is just a wonderful piece of organ writing.
Track: Lurking Enemy Castle 2
In a soundtrack so steeped in traditional Japanese culture (which is rendered lovingly even with such limited technology), I was surprised to find such a bouncy, authentic, Western-classical-styled toccata for what surely must be a pipe organ! Three-part counterpoint flying by and weaving around itself, each voice tossing points of interest between each other, this is just a wonderful piece of organ writing.
Rating: NEUTRAL
Tracks: Teteo's Feelings, Pope Galades, Crystal Temple, Final Decisive Battle
A lot of the organ's use in this soundtrack is for the cultural recognition of its grandiosity and bombast; it does not, however, really do much besides recall the fact that organs are "supposed" to feel so powerful. It seems to be content alluding to the towering presence of a pipe organ without really writing anything that incites that kind of impression. The more gentle flute stops used in Teteo's Feelings are incredibly charming and would have been an excellent flavor to keep as a consistent part of the soundtrack's more naturalistic palette - such a shame that they're used once then put away!!
Tracks: Teteo's Feelings, Pope Galades, Crystal Temple, Final Decisive Battle
A lot of the organ's use in this soundtrack is for the cultural recognition of its grandiosity and bombast; it does not, however, really do much besides recall the fact that organs are "supposed" to feel so powerful. It seems to be content alluding to the towering presence of a pipe organ without really writing anything that incites that kind of impression. The more gentle flute stops used in Teteo's Feelings are incredibly charming and would have been an excellent flavor to keep as a consistent part of the soundtrack's more naturalistic palette - such a shame that they're used once then put away!!
Rating: BORING
Track: Awakening the Order of Phoenix
Every time the organ shows up here is just to reiterate a loose phrase that keeps reappearing throughout the track - the phrase is not especially interesting, and the instances of it on the organ do not particularly warrant the instrument's use. To me this sounds like someone trying to write something that sounds inspired without the inspiration.
Track: Awakening the Order of Phoenix
Every time the organ shows up here is just to reiterate a loose phrase that keeps reappearing throughout the track - the phrase is not especially interesting, and the instances of it on the organ do not particularly warrant the instrument's use. To me this sounds like someone trying to write something that sounds inspired without the inspiration.
Rating: BORING
Track: Last Battle
The organ here quickly pokes its head in every now and then to say a few words before vanishing from the arrangement altogether. They're neat little bursts to punctuate the piece with, but the organ doesn't really seem to have a justified place in the ensemble.
Track: Last Battle
The organ here quickly pokes its head in every now and then to say a few words before vanishing from the arrangement altogether. They're neat little bursts to punctuate the piece with, but the organ doesn't really seem to have a justified place in the ensemble.
Rating: BAD
Tracks: Chateau d'Oraguille, Castle Zvahl
Man! As far as organs sitting around not doing anything are concerned, this one is particularly lethargic. Literal minutes on end of just droning out a pedal tone and only every now and then does it shift to a different chord. The Chateau at least gets a few moments of, uh, actual writing, but it's so lacking in any meaning that it's still just as wearisome as anything else the organ does in this soundtrack. Shameful.
Tracks: Chateau d'Oraguille, Castle Zvahl
Man! As far as organs sitting around not doing anything are concerned, this one is particularly lethargic. Literal minutes on end of just droning out a pedal tone and only every now and then does it shift to a different chord. The Chateau at least gets a few moments of, uh, actual writing, but it's so lacking in any meaning that it's still just as wearisome as anything else the organ does in this soundtrack. Shameful.
Rating: NEUTRAL
Tracks: Legendary Inheritance, Shaman in the Dark
The Game Boy Advance certainly isn't doing this organ any favors... But even still, accepting this organ for its writing rather than its meek tone, there's something to appreciate here with Shaman in the Dark. It follows the tried-and-true Baroque structure of looping around the circle of fifths, which may be a little typical sure, but shoot, it's used a lot for a reason! It's just a great sequence that always satisfies. It doesn't really do too much besides that though, the melodic line just kind of walks around to different chord tones and calls it a day; there isn't any real intrigue with the accompanying arpeggios either. Even if this piece had a more dignified appearance on a console more accommodating than the Game Boy Advance, I still don't think it'd impress all that much.
Tracks: Legendary Inheritance, Shaman in the Dark
The Game Boy Advance certainly isn't doing this organ any favors... But even still, accepting this organ for its writing rather than its meek tone, there's something to appreciate here with Shaman in the Dark. It follows the tried-and-true Baroque structure of looping around the circle of fifths, which may be a little typical sure, but shoot, it's used a lot for a reason! It's just a great sequence that always satisfies. It doesn't really do too much besides that though, the melodic line just kind of walks around to different chord tones and calls it a day; there isn't any real intrigue with the accompanying arpeggios either. Even if this piece had a more dignified appearance on a console more accommodating than the Game Boy Advance, I still don't think it'd impress all that much.
Rating: GOOD
Track: Track 21
Intoxicating meandering that finds a direction in its own directionless to wind through some harmonic sequences that only seem to be concerned with one thing: is the phrase moving upwards or downwards? Conventional cadences and chordal relationships are foregone for surprisingly heartfelt passages that just seem to happen upon chords rather than intentionally arriving to them. A transient beauty that's characteristic of early FromSoftware titles.
Track: Track 21
Intoxicating meandering that finds a direction in its own directionless to wind through some harmonic sequences that only seem to be concerned with one thing: is the phrase moving upwards or downwards? Conventional cadences and chordal relationships are foregone for surprisingly heartfelt passages that just seem to happen upon chords rather than intentionally arriving to them. A transient beauty that's characteristic of early FromSoftware titles.
Rating: BORING
Tracks: Opening, Red Arremer Appears, Citadel Approach, Astaroth Appears, Final Boss Battle, Final Boss Defeated, Credits (Secret Ending)
Any presence the pipe organ typically commands has been sand-papered down to a mushy gelatin that slips between the teeth of these tracks. The only time the pipe organ has any kind of significance at all is during Astaroth Appears, every other time it's just a part of an obligatory backdrop. Yawn.
Tracks: Opening, Red Arremer Appears, Citadel Approach, Astaroth Appears, Final Boss Battle, Final Boss Defeated, Credits (Secret Ending)
Any presence the pipe organ typically commands has been sand-papered down to a mushy gelatin that slips between the teeth of these tracks. The only time the pipe organ has any kind of significance at all is during Astaroth Appears, every other time it's just a part of an obligatory backdrop. Yawn.
Rating: NEUTRAL
Track: The Man
An unsatisfying attempt at trying to bridge the gap between the Baroque era and rock music - unfortunately it falls a little flat by stifling the expressiveness of Baroque counterpoint so any particular lead instrument can do some fast runs over top of big, fat block chords from the organ and rhythm section. The organ isn't pulling much weight and, by trying to juggle two flavors at once, the piece clearly seems to favor one flavor over the other. The rock elements are fine, but it's substandard writing for the organ.
Track: The Man
An unsatisfying attempt at trying to bridge the gap between the Baroque era and rock music - unfortunately it falls a little flat by stifling the expressiveness of Baroque counterpoint so any particular lead instrument can do some fast runs over top of big, fat block chords from the organ and rhythm section. The organ isn't pulling much weight and, by trying to juggle two flavors at once, the piece clearly seems to favor one flavor over the other. The rock elements are fine, but it's substandard writing for the organ.
Rating: GOOD
Tracks: The GOD bites own lip in chagrin, The Cat Attached to the Rust
Interesting genre combinations here! The Cat Attached to the Rust uses the pipe organ alongside a folksy combination of acoustic guitar and whistling to invoke this kind of mish-mashed Americana style, half-parts bluegrass and half-parts gospel. It's really pretty! The organ writing here is simple but effective, and its place in the ensemble is unique - one of the more inspired creative decisions on this list!
Tracks: The GOD bites own lip in chagrin, The Cat Attached to the Rust
Interesting genre combinations here! The Cat Attached to the Rust uses the pipe organ alongside a folksy combination of acoustic guitar and whistling to invoke this kind of mish-mashed Americana style, half-parts bluegrass and half-parts gospel. It's really pretty! The organ writing here is simple but effective, and its place in the ensemble is unique - one of the more inspired creative decisions on this list!
Rating: GOOD
Track: Boss Battle
A pretty, floating chorale opens way to a toccata-styled groove. It's light on anything too intricate or engrossing, but there is a a fun honesty to it and it's well-executed for what it is.
Track: Boss Battle
A pretty, floating chorale opens way to a toccata-styled groove. It's light on anything too intricate or engrossing, but there is a a fun honesty to it and it's well-executed for what it is.
Rating: NEUTRAL
Track: Toccata
Pretty relaxed for a toccata... Not bad at all though. I'm a fan of the flute stops midway through too, you know I like those more gentle tones. It's clear this was written by someone who isn't too intimately familiar with organ music, but an honest attempt was made and it achieves what it needs to achieve.
Track: Toccata
Pretty relaxed for a toccata... Not bad at all though. I'm a fan of the flute stops midway through too, you know I like those more gentle tones. It's clear this was written by someone who isn't too intimately familiar with organ music, but an honest attempt was made and it achieves what it needs to achieve.
Rating: GOOD
Track: The Crime
Evocative of the playful sound of when organs were used to accompany movies and theatrical productions in the early 1900's - very very cute! That's a section of organ history that often goes unloved, so it's nice to see a callback to it in a video game cutscene - it's scoring the scene identically to how they would have back in the day. This is one of those things where I can imagine the composer having this epiphany moment of "Oh, it'd be really cute if we scored this part like this" - and it is!
Track: The Crime
Evocative of the playful sound of when organs were used to accompany movies and theatrical productions in the early 1900's - very very cute! That's a section of organ history that often goes unloved, so it's nice to see a callback to it in a video game cutscene - it's scoring the scene identically to how they would have back in the day. This is one of those things where I can imagine the composer having this epiphany moment of "Oh, it'd be really cute if we scored this part like this" - and it is!
Rating: GOOD
Track: Magical Holic, God Bless Prier!, A Heart Filled With Thought
A soundtrack where the organ is - like usual - playing a supporting role, but its texture and charisma are critical to the tone and structure of the pieces it's included in. Gorgeous music with the kind of organ excerpts that perk my ears up and make me say "oh, cool!"
Track: Magical Holic, God Bless Prier!, A Heart Filled With Thought
A soundtrack where the organ is - like usual - playing a supporting role, but its texture and charisma are critical to the tone and structure of the pieces it's included in. Gorgeous music with the kind of organ excerpts that perk my ears up and make me say "oh, cool!"
Rating: BORING
Track: Gaudy Church
The tone of the organ here is gorgeous for a SNES game, but unfortunately it's just not really doing much of anything at all. This piece in its entirety is great, but the organ just is not pulling its weight.
Track: Gaudy Church
The tone of the organ here is gorgeous for a SNES game, but unfortunately it's just not really doing much of anything at all. This piece in its entirety is great, but the organ just is not pulling its weight.
Rating: BORING
Track: Boo Lake
It sure does use a pipe organ for a couple measures. It doesn't do anything particularly "wrong," but it is embarrassingly short and tediously superficial.
Track: Boo Lake
It sure does use a pipe organ for a couple measures. It doesn't do anything particularly "wrong," but it is embarrassingly short and tediously superficial.
Rating: GOOD
Track: The Hilltop Mausoleum
Wow!! This one leaves quite an impression pretty immediately. By now you must be familiar with how much I love "big, juicy chords" on the pipe organ - well here we are again, with some big juicy chords to blow me away right at the start. Great opening!! This only lasts so long though; once the organ is finished establishing itself, it spends the rest of the track just outlining accompaniment chords for the rest of the ensemble to play on top of. As far as "organ as accompaniment" tracks go (which is a significant percentile of organs on this list), this one at least keeps some sense of momentum, and even gives the organ a few extra measures to shine on its own once again before too long, but it never even comes close to the height of the introduction passage. Sure is a shame it couldn't maintain that energy throughout the entire piece, but even when it gets dialed back, this is still a completely worthy piece of organ writing.
Track: The Hilltop Mausoleum
Wow!! This one leaves quite an impression pretty immediately. By now you must be familiar with how much I love "big, juicy chords" on the pipe organ - well here we are again, with some big juicy chords to blow me away right at the start. Great opening!! This only lasts so long though; once the organ is finished establishing itself, it spends the rest of the track just outlining accompaniment chords for the rest of the ensemble to play on top of. As far as "organ as accompaniment" tracks go (which is a significant percentile of organs on this list), this one at least keeps some sense of momentum, and even gives the organ a few extra measures to shine on its own once again before too long, but it never even comes close to the height of the introduction passage. Sure is a shame it couldn't maintain that energy throughout the entire piece, but even when it gets dialed back, this is still a completely worthy piece of organ writing.
Rating: NEUTRAL
Track: Malzeno Battle
The organ writing here is actually pretty engaging, its place in the ensemble is active and dynamic - but it's so quiet in the mix!! Bring that shit forward baby, let me hear that thing sing!! Shake what your mama gave you there's nothing to hide!!
Track: Malzeno Battle
The organ writing here is actually pretty engaging, its place in the ensemble is active and dynamic - but it's so quiet in the mix!! Bring that shit forward baby, let me hear that thing sing!! Shake what your mama gave you there's nothing to hide!!
Rating: BORING
Track: Mithra (4th ver.)
This is something you'd teach to an organ student to get them comfortable with using the pedal board.
Track: Mithra (4th ver.)
This is something you'd teach to an organ student to get them comfortable with using the pedal board.
Rating: BORING
Track: Day of Memories
In a tricky flip of the script, where most games relegate the pipe organ to a lifeless background texture, this game manages to relegate the pipe organ to a lifeless foreground texture. It's honking out a little melodic line that doesn't utilize any unique or meaningful characteristics of the pipe organ at all besides the fact that it has a cultural association with spooky stuff.
Track: Day of Memories
In a tricky flip of the script, where most games relegate the pipe organ to a lifeless background texture, this game manages to relegate the pipe organ to a lifeless foreground texture. It's honking out a little melodic line that doesn't utilize any unique or meaningful characteristics of the pipe organ at all besides the fact that it has a cultural association with spooky stuff.
Rating: GOOD
Tracks: Boss Encounter (Gordor Version 1), Boss Encounter (Gordor Version 2), Battle! (Entei), Battle! (Arceus)
Wow! It's great to see so much solo organ music so front-and-center in a Pokemon game. And most of it is pretty good! Gorgor 2 seems more interested in showing off than constructing a meaningful piece of music, but the other ones are great. Arceus in particular really stands out. Gloriously majestic, yet in a way understated. A beautiful pairing with such a powerful being; this is the most reserved battle music I've ever heard from a Pokemon game and it's incredible that it plays while fighting God. Obviously God = religion = pipe organ isn't a terribly inspired train of thought to follow, but refraining from the typical Pokemon maximalism for this more honest refinement is an impeccable choice.
Tracks: Boss Encounter (Gordor Version 1), Boss Encounter (Gordor Version 2), Battle! (Entei), Battle! (Arceus)
Wow! It's great to see so much solo organ music so front-and-center in a Pokemon game. And most of it is pretty good! Gorgor 2 seems more interested in showing off than constructing a meaningful piece of music, but the other ones are great. Arceus in particular really stands out. Gloriously majestic, yet in a way understated. A beautiful pairing with such a powerful being; this is the most reserved battle music I've ever heard from a Pokemon game and it's incredible that it plays while fighting God. Obviously God = religion = pipe organ isn't a terribly inspired train of thought to follow, but refraining from the typical Pokemon maximalism for this more honest refinement is an impeccable choice.
Rating: GREAT
Track: MISSA Requiem
If Dark Souls III is like Fauré's Requiem, this is more like Mozart's. Which shoot, I mean, what a compliment!! I'm not huge on Mozart but I do love that requiem, and similarly this track is phenomenal. Video games love to throw around the word "requiem" just for fun, but this is the first time it seems like it's being used to recall the historical significance of what requiems really are. Would never have expected music so accurate to the late Classical/early Romantic era to wind up in a rhythm game. Magnificent.
Track: MISSA Requiem
If Dark Souls III is like Fauré's Requiem, this is more like Mozart's. Which shoot, I mean, what a compliment!! I'm not huge on Mozart but I do love that requiem, and similarly this track is phenomenal. Video games love to throw around the word "requiem" just for fun, but this is the first time it seems like it's being used to recall the historical significance of what requiems really are. Would never have expected music so accurate to the late Classical/early Romantic era to wind up in a rhythm game. Magnificent.
Rating: GREAT
Tracks: Organ Style, Horror
Organ Style is just a performance of the fifth movement from Charles-Marie Widor's Symphony for Organ No. 5. And a damn good performance at that! Bravo to Peter James Adcock for a brilliant interpretation of a brilliant piece. Is it unfair to have actual organ repertoire so high on a list of video game music? Only as unfair as it is to include this as part of a game soundtrack in the first place. It was French composers around La Belle Époque like Widor that really drove my interest in music to be something I pursued as significantly as I do now and I can't hide my biases. Top of the list just on principal. (Widor was never one I was specifically interested in though - hit me up if you want to hear more about French composers that actually inspired me, I've got a lot to say and not many people to say it to!!)
Oh uh, and Horror is alright too. It's an original piece and it's got some neat ideas. But I mean, come on. We're all here for Widor.
Tracks: Organ Style, Horror
Organ Style is just a performance of the fifth movement from Charles-Marie Widor's Symphony for Organ No. 5. And a damn good performance at that! Bravo to Peter James Adcock for a brilliant interpretation of a brilliant piece. Is it unfair to have actual organ repertoire so high on a list of video game music? Only as unfair as it is to include this as part of a game soundtrack in the first place. It was French composers around La Belle Époque like Widor that really drove my interest in music to be something I pursued as significantly as I do now and I can't hide my biases. Top of the list just on principal. (Widor was never one I was specifically interested in though - hit me up if you want to hear more about French composers that actually inspired me, I've got a lot to say and not many people to say it to!!)
Oh uh, and Horror is alright too. It's an original piece and it's got some neat ideas. But I mean, come on. We're all here for Widor.
Rating: BAD
Track: Cave Background
Used for some chromatic mediants right at the start before beginning to actually open up into some harmonic phrases that seem like they're going somewhere, but then stops dead in its tracks and lets a completely different ensemble take over. Sorry, Runescape: stagnant chromatic mediant block chords go at the bottom of the list.
Track: Cave Background
Used for some chromatic mediants right at the start before beginning to actually open up into some harmonic phrases that seem like they're going somewhere, but then stops dead in its tracks and lets a completely different ensemble take over. Sorry, Runescape: stagnant chromatic mediant block chords go at the bottom of the list.
Rating: GOOD
Track: Church
This track in Sanitarium is at once comforting and disquieting, warm and cold. It's one of the more nuanced emotions I've heard come out of an organ and greatly uses the sensitive characteristics of the instrument to its benefit in achieving this.
Track: Church
This track in Sanitarium is at once comforting and disquieting, warm and cold. It's one of the more nuanced emotions I've heard come out of an organ and greatly uses the sensitive characteristics of the instrument to its benefit in achieving this.
Rating: NEUTRAL
Track: At The Great Cathedral
There's some neat ear-catching harmonic shifts, but the plodding introduction featuring the organ which quickly is swept underneath a larger ensemble to continue just laying out some chords doesn't take advantage of what intrigue the piece is close to having. I can tell there's some kind of inspiration here, it's just not a whole lot.
Track: At The Great Cathedral
There's some neat ear-catching harmonic shifts, but the plodding introduction featuring the organ which quickly is swept underneath a larger ensemble to continue just laying out some chords doesn't take advantage of what intrigue the piece is close to having. I can tell there's some kind of inspiration here, it's just not a whole lot.
Rating: GREAT
Tracks: Jakyou, Fusion
Breathtakingly beautiful swirling counterpoint that restlessly pushes forward, ever-growing, never halting its momentum even for a second. Phenomenal.
Tracks: Jakyou, Fusion
Breathtakingly beautiful swirling counterpoint that restlessly pushes forward, ever-growing, never halting its momentum even for a second. Phenomenal.
Ranking: GOOD
Track: Hotel Gomaden
As always, gorgeous counterpoint being displayed in a Shin Megami Tensei game. Something about this feels a little more dry and academic compared to other Shin Megami Tensei titles, it doesn't tug at the heart as much as the others, but it's still beautiful and impeccably structured.
Track: Hotel Gomaden
As always, gorgeous counterpoint being displayed in a Shin Megami Tensei game. Something about this feels a little more dry and academic compared to other Shin Megami Tensei titles, it doesn't tug at the heart as much as the others, but it's still beautiful and impeccably structured.
Rating: GOOD
Tracks: Jakyou no Yakata, Devils Fusion, Terminal Point
Rich, powerful, profound counterpoint as expected of a Jakyou track in a Shin Megami Tensei game. The other two tracks unfortunately, while carrying an appropriate gravitas, are just a little on the grating side. Something about the tone of the organ and the pitches being sustained for so long just doesn't sit perfectly well.
Tracks: Jakyou no Yakata, Devils Fusion, Terminal Point
Rich, powerful, profound counterpoint as expected of a Jakyou track in a Shin Megami Tensei game. The other two tracks unfortunately, while carrying an appropriate gravitas, are just a little on the grating side. Something about the tone of the organ and the pitches being sustained for so long just doesn't sit perfectly well.
Rating: GREAT
Track: Mansion of Heresy, Mesia Cathedral
Absolutely astounding, breathtakingly beautiful, completely consummate. Shin Megami Tensei impresses again, and far from the last time. Unmistakably, unbelievably, unspeakably incredible. It's unfair to other games just how constantly these games use the pipe organ so immaculately...!!!
Track: Mansion of Heresy, Mesia Cathedral
Absolutely astounding, breathtakingly beautiful, completely consummate. Shin Megami Tensei impresses again, and far from the last time. Unmistakably, unbelievably, unspeakably incredible. It's unfair to other games just how constantly these games use the pipe organ so immaculately...!!!
Rating: GOOD
Track: Is it Love? A
Gentle yet oppressive, smooth yet unrelenting; a fascinating expression for the organ. Not a particularly engaging piece musically, but the feeling of it is remarkable.
Track: Is it Love? A
Gentle yet oppressive, smooth yet unrelenting; a fascinating expression for the organ. Not a particularly engaging piece musically, but the feeling of it is remarkable.
Rating: NEUTRAL
Tracks: Cockatrice, Death Crawler, Castle of the Emperor, Astaroth
Astaroth is alright.
...
...
IDK! There isn't really anything going on at all here. It's maybe the most bog-standard implementation of a pipe organ in a Halloween-flavored game out there. Astaroth is alright.
Tracks: Cockatrice, Death Crawler, Castle of the Emperor, Astaroth
Astaroth is alright.
...
...
IDK! There isn't really anything going on at all here. It's maybe the most bog-standard implementation of a pipe organ in a Halloween-flavored game out there. Astaroth is alright.
Rating: NEUTRAL
Track: New Creator
(The Sharp X1 version of Hydlide 3 is not on Backloggd, so instead I need to use the Genesis port; this track is obviously a pipe organ on the Sharp X1 release, but the instrumentation is more vague on the Genesis.)
The organ is only used for a brief introduction, but it is a wonderful introduction. Nothing groundbreaking, but it certainly is pretty!
Track: New Creator
(The Sharp X1 version of Hydlide 3 is not on Backloggd, so instead I need to use the Genesis port; this track is obviously a pipe organ on the Sharp X1 release, but the instrumentation is more vague on the Genesis.)
The organ is only used for a brief introduction, but it is a wonderful introduction. Nothing groundbreaking, but it certainly is pretty!
Rating: NEUTRAL
Tracks: Will and Reason, The Empyrean's Throne, Kanonushi the Fifth Empyrean
The pipe organ in this is alright! Will and Reason is fine. The other tracks are pretty lacking, but there's enough going on in Will and Reason to keep it from ranking too poorly, but also not nearly enough to save the Tales series' quickly diminishing reputation on this list.
Tracks: Will and Reason, The Empyrean's Throne, Kanonushi the Fifth Empyrean
The pipe organ in this is alright! Will and Reason is fine. The other tracks are pretty lacking, but there's enough going on in Will and Reason to keep it from ranking too poorly, but also not nearly enough to save the Tales series' quickly diminishing reputation on this list.
Rating: GREAT
Tracks: Sacred Capital, Elraine, Ancient Relics, Invitation to the Sea, A Resolution, Holy Place, Fortuna Shrine, Eternal Paradise, Utopia, Sacred Judgement, Zealot, Crooked Sight, Dona Nobis
Pacem, Wheel of Fortune, Wheel of Fortune ~ Last Judgement
This game was originally going to be a lot lower on this list, but then I came across Fortuna Shrine. Good lord. This is what it's all about, people. This soundtrack uses the pipe organ a lot, even in places I didn't expect it to be; it obviously has a deep love for the instrument, but Fortuna Shrine is the track where that love shines through the most sparklingly. This is a thick, babbling soup of some of the largest, most expressively emotional chords you can find in game music. The rest of the organ tracks don't especially impress too much, but the fullness of this organ's tone and the voicings of the chords manage to match and maintain the precedent Fortuna Shrine has laid throughout the soundtrack.
Tracks: Sacred Capital, Elraine, Ancient Relics, Invitation to the Sea, A Resolution, Holy Place, Fortuna Shrine, Eternal Paradise, Utopia, Sacred Judgement, Zealot, Crooked Sight, Dona Nobis
Pacem, Wheel of Fortune, Wheel of Fortune ~ Last Judgement
This game was originally going to be a lot lower on this list, but then I came across Fortuna Shrine. Good lord. This is what it's all about, people. This soundtrack uses the pipe organ a lot, even in places I didn't expect it to be; it obviously has a deep love for the instrument, but Fortuna Shrine is the track where that love shines through the most sparklingly. This is a thick, babbling soup of some of the largest, most expressively emotional chords you can find in game music. The rest of the organ tracks don't especially impress too much, but the fullness of this organ's tone and the voicings of the chords manage to match and maintain the precedent Fortuna Shrine has laid throughout the soundtrack.
Rating: BORING
Tracks: The Corroder, Pour In the Debris
Tales.................
Tracks: The Corroder, Pour In the Debris
Tales.................
Rating: NEUTRAL
Tracks: Valleia Crystal Knights, Spirmaze Anger, Scarlet Haired Devil, Overflowing Nightmares, Glory of the Imperial Army, Creed Graphite
Still a far cry from the astronomical reputation of the first couple Tales games' pipe organs, but at least we're not as deep in the dregs as the games immediately previous to this. Overflowing Nightmares and Spirmaze Anger have some nice parts where the organ gets to show off a little, and they're fine enough displays. I do wonder how much credit I'm giving this just based on the fact I'm coming right off the heels of Tales of Innocence and Tales of Vesperia... Though just by the sheer amount of tracks using the pipe organ here compared to those, is it possible the Tales series truly is redeeming itself?
Tracks: Valleia Crystal Knights, Spirmaze Anger, Scarlet Haired Devil, Overflowing Nightmares, Glory of the Imperial Army, Creed Graphite
Still a far cry from the astronomical reputation of the first couple Tales games' pipe organs, but at least we're not as deep in the dregs as the games immediately previous to this. Overflowing Nightmares and Spirmaze Anger have some nice parts where the organ gets to show off a little, and they're fine enough displays. I do wonder how much credit I'm giving this just based on the fact I'm coming right off the heels of Tales of Innocence and Tales of Vesperia... Though just by the sheer amount of tracks using the pipe organ here compared to those, is it possible the Tales series truly is redeeming itself?
Rating: BORING
Track: Sky Fantasia
Tales franchise...... Please, I'm begging you...... Let your pipe organs be good again........ Please........ I'm dying........
Track: Sky Fantasia
Tales franchise...... Please, I'm begging you...... Let your pipe organs be good again........ Please........ I'm dying........
Rating: NEUTRAL
Track: Scutum - Cruel, Scutum - Fang, Scutum - Intertwine, Scutum - Decisive Battle
I'm not totally convinced this Scutum theme is great enough to be re-arranged so constantly throughout the soundtrack, and it certainly isn't worth keeping the game's only instances of pipe organ confined to it. The Decisive Battle iteration at least juices it up to any kind of satisfying degree, but it still isn't anything too impactful, especially compared to the Tales series' history with the instrument.
Track: Scutum - Cruel, Scutum - Fang, Scutum - Intertwine, Scutum - Decisive Battle
I'm not totally convinced this Scutum theme is great enough to be re-arranged so constantly throughout the soundtrack, and it certainly isn't worth keeping the game's only instances of pipe organ confined to it. The Decisive Battle iteration at least juices it up to any kind of satisfying degree, but it still isn't anything too impactful, especially compared to the Tales series' history with the instrument.
Rating: BORING
Tracks: Trends of the World, Nightmare Reflected in the Mirror, A Tragic Decision
Not enough to save the Tales series' rapidly declining reputation on this list. Its use in Nightmare is cliche, in Tragic Decision it's aimless and unjustified... Can nothing revive the pipe organ's spirit in these soundtracks?
Tracks: Trends of the World, Nightmare Reflected in the Mirror, A Tragic Decision
Not enough to save the Tales series' rapidly declining reputation on this list. Its use in Nightmare is cliche, in Tragic Decision it's aimless and unjustified... Can nothing revive the pipe organ's spirit in these soundtracks?
Rating: BORING
Track: Rising Up
It's cool that the organ was used in a vocal track..... but...... the pulse of pipe organs in Tales soundtracks has officially stopped. We've flatlined. I'm sorry I couldn't do anything to save you, Pipe Organs In Tales Of Soundtracks. 20 years of a constant downward descent, only to end up here, crumpled and cold on the floor. How did it end up like this? Why did it end up like this? You did so much good and still had so much potential left... I'll miss you, Tales Pipe Organs. I'll miss you so dearly - and I'll remember you by what you were, not what you became. Please rest as however well as you're capable of in such a state.
Track: Rising Up
It's cool that the organ was used in a vocal track..... but...... the pulse of pipe organs in Tales soundtracks has officially stopped. We've flatlined. I'm sorry I couldn't do anything to save you, Pipe Organs In Tales Of Soundtracks. 20 years of a constant downward descent, only to end up here, crumpled and cold on the floor. How did it end up like this? Why did it end up like this? You did so much good and still had so much potential left... I'll miss you, Tales Pipe Organs. I'll miss you so dearly - and I'll remember you by what you were, not what you became. Please rest as however well as you're capable of in such a state.
Rating: GOOD
Track: The Dark Church
A quiet, tranquil little ostinato figure shimmering around some soft synth pulses. Not much to say, it's just some pretty playing.
Track: The Dark Church
A quiet, tranquil little ostinato figure shimmering around some soft synth pulses. Not much to say, it's just some pretty playing.
Rating: GOOD
Track: Crossbell Cathedral
Perfectly pleasant and authentic church music. Smooth, gentle selection of stops, delicately balanced part writing, if you told me this was actually a piece of Bach music I'd have no reason not to believe you (though only because for as great as Bach is, a lot of his music in major keys can be exceptionally simple, bordering on boring - this track is more like those than the Bach pieces that really impress me).
Track: Crossbell Cathedral
Perfectly pleasant and authentic church music. Smooth, gentle selection of stops, delicately balanced part writing, if you told me this was actually a piece of Bach music I'd have no reason not to believe you (though only because for as great as Bach is, a lot of his music in major keys can be exceptionally simple, bordering on boring - this track is more like those than the Bach pieces that really impress me).
Rating: NEUTRAL
Tracks: Time Is Warped in This Crumbling Frozen Old Castle, Death Curse, Boss Battle Ends, Entering Dark Astaroth Area, Dark Astaroth
There's some nice moments here, particularly with Entering Dark Astaroth Area, but for the most part this is all playing pretty strictly by the book. Not as egregiously bland as other games that play their pipe organs so safe, but there is a distinct lack of any particular character here.
Tracks: Time Is Warped in This Crumbling Frozen Old Castle, Death Curse, Boss Battle Ends, Entering Dark Astaroth Area, Dark Astaroth
There's some nice moments here, particularly with Entering Dark Astaroth Area, but for the most part this is all playing pretty strictly by the book. Not as egregiously bland as other games that play their pipe organs so safe, but there is a distinct lack of any particular character here.
Rating: NEUTRAL
Track: Rise Above the World
The chords are pretty neat, but it just isn't really doing anything with them. A confusing choice to exclusively use the organ only in this single track when other pieces in the soundtrack imply the existence of one without utilizing it.
Track: Rise Above the World
The chords are pretty neat, but it just isn't really doing anything with them. A confusing choice to exclusively use the organ only in this single track when other pieces in the soundtrack imply the existence of one without utilizing it.
Rating: NEUTRAL
Tracks: Feast of the Damned, Demitri Victory, Victor von Gerdenheim Victory
For a horror-themed fighting game, I'm surprised it took until the third entry to use a pipe organ. And then the just kinda don't do much with it... The typical Baroque-styled melismatic runs you'd expect are here, the heavy minor chords are here, it's exactly what a game like this calls for and nothing else. Many other games have found significantly more interesting ways of blending Baroque music with other styles.
Tracks: Feast of the Damned, Demitri Victory, Victor von Gerdenheim Victory
For a horror-themed fighting game, I'm surprised it took until the third entry to use a pipe organ. And then the just kinda don't do much with it... The typical Baroque-styled melismatic runs you'd expect are here, the heavy minor chords are here, it's exactly what a game like this calls for and nothing else. Many other games have found significantly more interesting ways of blending Baroque music with other styles.
Rating: GOOD
Track: Introduction
A premonition of great things to come when the first thing you hear upon booting a game up is a massive chord on a pipe organ! An even greater premonition when it develops into an absolutely show-stopping cantata with choir and string orchestra, with the pipe organ taking a commanding lead. Unfortunately, that premonition wound up being a lie - the pipe organ is absent for the entire rest of the soundtrack. However, this can be forgiven by just how powerful its presence is here right at the start. If only the actual game was as good as this...
Track: Introduction
A premonition of great things to come when the first thing you hear upon booting a game up is a massive chord on a pipe organ! An even greater premonition when it develops into an absolutely show-stopping cantata with choir and string orchestra, with the pipe organ taking a commanding lead. Unfortunately, that premonition wound up being a lie - the pipe organ is absent for the entire rest of the soundtrack. However, this can be forgiven by just how powerful its presence is here right at the start. If only the actual game was as good as this...
Rating: NEUTRAL
Track: Waycrest Manor
The opening is hilariously Phantom of the Opera-esque, and the rest is kind of plodding and aimless, full of those classic chromatic mediants that make people say things like "it sounds like a movie, dude." It eventually gets phased out entirely with an orchestra taking its place, and you know how I feel about that!
Track: Waycrest Manor
The opening is hilariously Phantom of the Opera-esque, and the rest is kind of plodding and aimless, full of those classic chromatic mediants that make people say things like "it sounds like a movie, dude." It eventually gets phased out entirely with an orchestra taking its place, and you know how I feel about that!
Rating: GOOD
Track: Karazhan (Opera House - Organ)
Wow! This one's really interesting. I'm not sure what its context is in the game, but it's obviously calling on some theatrical/carnival performance traditions, and pushing it really far into some bizarre harmonic and timbral places. Cool use of the instrument, if not something I'd necessarily go out of my way to listen to all the time.
Track: Karazhan (Opera House - Organ)
Wow! This one's really interesting. I'm not sure what its context is in the game, but it's obviously calling on some theatrical/carnival performance traditions, and pushing it really far into some bizarre harmonic and timbral places. Cool use of the instrument, if not something I'd necessarily go out of my way to listen to all the time.
Rating: NEUTRAL
Track: Alcamoth (Day)
There's some great chords here, and the tone of the organ is gorgeous, but the instrument is only around for just a little bit towards the beginning, and it's noodling around pretty aimlessly. The heart of a good organ part is here, but it would be a lot better if it had more of a specific, defined purpose in the piece.
Track: Alcamoth (Day)
There's some great chords here, and the tone of the organ is gorgeous, but the instrument is only around for just a little bit towards the beginning, and it's noodling around pretty aimlessly. The heart of a good organ part is here, but it would be a lot better if it had more of a specific, defined purpose in the piece.
Rating: GOOD
Track: Thus Spoke an Alchemist
Gorgeous selection of stops here, but the writing and playing is just a little too dry for me. Not so dry as to call it "academic" but certainly leaning more that way than anything terribly expressive.
Track: Thus Spoke an Alchemist
Gorgeous selection of stops here, but the writing and playing is just a little too dry for me. Not so dry as to call it "academic" but certainly leaning more that way than anything terribly expressive.
Rating: GOOD
Track: Ancient Disputation
@ all you video game composers who want to use a pipe organ just for insanely fast Baroque/rock-fusion licks: this is how to do it right.
Track: Ancient Disputation
@ all you video game composers who want to use a pipe organ just for insanely fast Baroque/rock-fusion licks: this is how to do it right.
Rating: GREAT
Tracks: Treasure Box, Theme of Kefin II, Crime and Punishment, Wicked Pleasure (Intro)
Once again, the SNES gifts us with one of the absolute best pieces of organ writing in the history of the medium. Crime and Punishment is a powerhouse of a track, constantly weaving between themes, tones, and emotions to build a sprawling tapestry of pure artistry and raw passion. The organ's role is less significant in the other tracks, but it's always beautifully incorporated, and Crime and Punishment more than makes up for those other less-substantial outings.
Tracks: Treasure Box, Theme of Kefin II, Crime and Punishment, Wicked Pleasure (Intro)
Once again, the SNES gifts us with one of the absolute best pieces of organ writing in the history of the medium. Crime and Punishment is a powerhouse of a track, constantly weaving between themes, tones, and emotions to build a sprawling tapestry of pure artistry and raw passion. The organ's role is less significant in the other tracks, but it's always beautifully incorporated, and Crime and Punishment more than makes up for those other less-substantial outings.
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