ReMix: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 'Epona's Pastorale'
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- Game: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Nintendo, 1998, N64)
- ReMixer(s): Abadoss
- Composer(s): Koji Kondo
- Song(s): 'Lon Lon Ranch'
- Posted: 2007-05-06, evaluated by the judges
Before I begin, two unrelated cool things: Video Game Cakes and a cool OCR music video that syncs up Star's Robot mix with in-game footage quite well. Abadoss returns with his second mix, sticking with his orchestral approach but switching from CT over to Zelda 64. He writes:
"I came across the idea of arranging Epona's Song at work, actually. I was pretty bored one day and started fiddling with the melody a little (with improvised lyrics, of course) and came up with the nuances for it that are currently in the piece. Before starting, I had thought about actually using the lyrics I had come up with for it, but I liked it better without. The name, "Epona's Pastorale", is somewhat of a play on words (pasture/pastorale)."
This is a relatively tricky piece to mix; for some reason it always sounded like a pleasant theme from a Western, like Ma and Pa sitting on the porch at the ranch, while little Jimmy tends the horses. Or something. Whatever it is that goes on in the Midwest... with animals, and work, and stuff. Mr. Keyn's done a sweet job turning it into a lullabying orchestral composition, with strings, flute, bells, piano, and yes... bassoon. The children cry out for bassoon, and Kenneth Edward Keyn is there to sate their palates. So to speak. Ojisez:
"The samples were a bit exposed and rigidly sequenced with the piano from :22-:39 but that was a minor snag. Even until :59, the samples were a bit too exposed, a bigger than usual drawback when going for such an intimate, purposefully sparse soundscape. Otherwise though, the arrangement was nothing short of excellent IMO, and the production was solid enough despite the samples sounding weak in spots. I loved the several emotive variations on the source tune. The changeup at 1:55 with the strings moving toward the close was beautiful stuff and a strong resolution. A brief mix but with excellent dynamics, it says a lot in a little time. Nice work, Kenneth."
With zyko lowercasedly chiming in:
"on one hand, i'm a sucker for zelda music and especially epona's theme. this is very cinematic in that early 20th century sort of way. i feel as though i'm watching a cecil b. demille film... epic and deeply moving. the arrangement is killer - it is intelligently interpreted and skillfully altered. very easy to run out of ideas with a short source material - not the case here."
Tricky source material and satisfying arrangement. Production isn't squeaky clean; there's still room for improvement on both samples and sample usage, and I think tempo variation could be utilized for more ebb and flow, but even if it weren't difficult source material, this would still be a very compelling arrangement, and its challenge only adds to the appeal.
Discussion: Latest 14 comments/reviews; view the Something is lacking with the piano, not sure what though, just
doesnt sound... Meaty enough? lol
But all in all I love this remix so much. Very peaceful. and one of my faves on the site! Going to have a look and see what else he has done.
- Tydin on January 24, 2010
But all in all I love this remix so much. Very peaceful. and one of my faves on the site! Going to have a look and see what else he has done.
- Tydin on January 24, 2010
I definitely like the quieter sections where there's just one
instrument taking center stage... it sounds almost [b]too[/b]
cheesy when the full orchestra comes in. Still, I appreciate the
arrangement and, while they're not the best, I don't think the
sample quality inhibited my enjoyment much, if at all.
That being said, I'm also glad that Abadoss has taken advantage of the various collaboration opportunities for projects lately... when his stellar arrangements meet live music/professional-sounding samples, that's when his music really shines and you realize just how talented of an arranger he is! :-D
- Emunator on December 8, 2009
That being said, I'm also glad that Abadoss has taken advantage of the various collaboration opportunities for projects lately... when his stellar arrangements meet live music/professional-sounding samples, that's when his music really shines and you realize just how talented of an arranger he is! :-D
- Emunator on December 8, 2009
This came up on random on itunes, so I'm going to take advantage of
it to write a review here.
Overall Abadoss is a master at classical writing, which is always a nice listen. I've loved hearing your arrangements, and I look forward to hearing what you can cook up next. The original is definately there, but it's also your own, which really is what I enjoy about your works.
Beating a dead horse here (11PM and I can be clever?), but the sample quality is your downfall. I'm glad you've collaborated a lot more lately to make some really nice sounding pieces, because it's a shame that these pieces can't realize their full potential.
Nice work though, keep arranging awesome stuff!
- DragonAvenger on October 28, 2009
Overall Abadoss is a master at classical writing, which is always a nice listen. I've loved hearing your arrangements, and I look forward to hearing what you can cook up next. The original is definately there, but it's also your own, which really is what I enjoy about your works.
Beating a dead horse here (11PM and I can be clever?), but the sample quality is your downfall. I'm glad you've collaborated a lot more lately to make some really nice sounding pieces, because it's a shame that these pieces can't realize their full potential.
Nice work though, keep arranging awesome stuff!
- DragonAvenger on October 28, 2009
apoc;269075 wrote: I'm not completely sure why, but this mix didn't really vibe with me overall. There were small portions of it that I thought were very cool, creative, and well done, but I think maybe I found this piece slightly boring (to your credit, I don't think there's much to work with in the source track). I also didn't really like the quality of the instruments that I heard during the louder parts of the mix - particularly at the very end of the song. I'm no expert, but things sounded a bit MIDI to me.
Congrats on the good review score though. The arrangement in this track was definitely great. Keep the remixes coming!
same.
i like epona's song, but there's not much material there.
- goombapatrol on November 13, 2008
apoc;269075 wrote: I'm not completely sure why, but this mix didn't really vibe with me overall. There were small portions of it that I thought were very cool, creative, and well done, but I think maybe I found this piece slightly boring (to your credit, I don't think there's much to work with in the source track). I also didn't really like the quality of the instruments that I heard during the louder parts of the mix - particularly at the very end of the song. I'm no expert, but things sounded a bit MIDI to me.
I'm getting the same kind of feeling...I don't know. I like the new chord progression, considering I love the V -> V7 feeling, but with the sparse instrumentation, attention to the sample quality is important...and it does sound MIDI-ish. I never really liked Epona's theme (couldn't this also go under the Lon Lon ranch theme, too?), and this doesn't do much to change my mind for it. It just sounds very cliche to me...I'm not quite sure why.
But hey, that's just my opinion. You can't please everyone, and it looks like you did a good job pleasing the majority.
- Chavous on May 14, 2007
I'm new to the forums, but have listened to OCRemixes since I first
got a computer, and this is a favorite already!
A little short, but the arrangement is great, and I like how it /isn't/ Gerudo Valley! Even though the sampling is clearly visible (audible?) here, it doesn't take away anything for me.
Thanks, Abadoss!
- Kapyrna on May 9, 2007
A little short, but the arrangement is great, and I like how it /isn't/ Gerudo Valley! Even though the sampling is clearly visible (audible?) here, it doesn't take away anything for me.
Thanks, Abadoss!
- Kapyrna on May 9, 2007
I'm not completely sure why, but this mix didn't really vibe with
me overall. There were small portions of it that I thought were
very cool, creative, and well done, but I think maybe I found this
piece slightly boring (to your credit, I don't think there's much
to work with in the source track). I also didn't really like the
quality of the instruments that I heard during the louder parts of
the mix - particularly at the very end of the song. I'm no expert,
but things sounded a bit MIDI to me.
Congrats on the good review score though. The arrangement in this track was definitely great. Keep the remixes coming!
- apoc on May 9, 2007
Congrats on the good review score though. The arrangement in this track was definitely great. Keep the remixes coming!
- apoc on May 9, 2007
Epona's song was always one of my least favorite songs in the game.
However,　I like your arrangement very much. Thank you
for your efforts in making　it, it is and will go on
being enjoyed.
- ChloroPhil on May 8, 2007
- ChloroPhil on May 8, 2007
I love this mix. It's nice to see some of the parts that we're (in
my opinion) not as great as they could be, being orchestrated. I
love this not only because it is something finally not Gerudo, but
it really is altogether a great piece that made my day.
- Rekklis on May 7, 2007
- Rekklis on May 7, 2007
Nice arrangement, although the sample usage and partwriting in the
first half put a big dent in the execution for me. Also a little on
the short side.
Still, it's good to see more Zelda64 coverage that isn't Gerudo Valley. ;)
- Dhsu on May 7, 2007
Still, it's good to see more Zelda64 coverage that isn't Gerudo Valley. ;)
- Dhsu on May 7, 2007
This is a nice, charming piece. There's no critcism I could offer
that hasn't already, so I'll offer praise. I really enjoy listening
to this and always felt the source material had potential, which
you have tapped masterfully. It also stands unique among many of
the OCR songs I've heard in the past, bringing something sort've
new to the table. This is one I'll be listening to often for a long
time to come and is already one of my favorites. Great job, I hope
to see you do much, much more work of this skill and quality.
- Duo on May 7, 2007
- Duo on May 7, 2007
It's exactly as the judges said. It has a profoundly classy-
western feel to it. I also think that its definately earning of the
title "rearangement" :D, because it's oh so very original, yet very
reminiscant of the source material. Awesome job Abados :).
- HoboKa on May 7, 2007
- HoboKa on May 7, 2007
Overall very well done, with some very nice ideas, I especially
like how you kept hinting harmonically at some of the original, and
then going in a different direction, it really kept surprising
me,and in a good way.
Some of the samples seemed too exposed, mostly the solo instruments, and though the piano was a bit rigid, it didn't detract in any way to me.
Very nice work. :-)
- OA on May 7, 2007
Some of the samples seemed too exposed, mostly the solo instruments, and though the piano was a bit rigid, it didn't detract in any way to me.
Very nice work. :-)
- OA on May 7, 2007
