The Hyrule Castle Theme is Spectacular

The title really says it all, I think. The Hyrule Castle theme, originally from The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, is one of the greatest pieces of video game music ever written. It kind of gets overshadowed, being on a soundtrack full mostly of the greatest video game music ever written, but taking a deeper look at it I was surprised at how much there was to chew on. Enjoy!
Entire A Link to the Past score, transcribed by yours truly: drive.google.com/drive/folder...
0:00 - Intro
1:43 - Overall Form
2:23 - Intro Fanfare
3:05 - Setting Up The Groove
4:06 - A Section Gives Us Some Ideas
5:51 - B Section Fleshes Them Out
7:47 - C Section Ties Everything Together
12:46 - Outro
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#aLttP #HyruleCastle #MusicTheory

[@adorimable9690]

I love that most zelda music has leitmotifs that have stayed for 30 years now

[@Ainigma]

Thought the same! Wagner style.

[@kyogrecrown5869]

The only true competition is Kirby music

[@Panda256]

I've always loved the Hyrule Castle theme. It gives the impression of a grand orchestra with just a few channels.

[@dalehadley3283]

Despite the limited sound channels,it truly does sound like a full orchestra, I agree

[@anonymousfellow8879]

It’s also nice to hear the OG Level Theme forever memorialized (and in-turn leads to meta that said-labyrinths really were defenses for Zelda’s triforce of wisdom (which she fractured and hid herself in the game’s scrolling text before getting abducted by Ganon to keep it out of Ganon’s Possession.) SO…2D Levels and the bosses and monsters inside? Actually those are defenses and appointed guards unless specified otherwise (like the Dark World/Lorule Dungeons-which actually ARE lairs and dungeons in-function since they’re where the banished miko are being held captive in LttP/LBW.)

[@cooldebt]

You might like The Consouls jazz cover from Windwaker kzbin.info/www/bejne/jILReoWterZ4iJo - not an orchestra but a quintet

[@nthgth]

It helps that at least two of the channels _are_ an "orchestra" type sound. Plus that lovely SNES audio chip.

[@fractalgem]

Honestly pretty much all the link to the past music did a great job of sounding like an orchestra despite the limited sound capabilities on the gameboy advanced (i can't speak for the nes version)

[@Casual_PKBeats]

This song has always cemented itself as the definition of "royalty" for me. When I noticed that Ikana Castle had a similar double chromatic enclosure idea, I just thought about this song. It's so expertly put together that it has became a staple for an entire style of music for me, and I love hearing it and any remixes of it. Great video! Love any Zelda content on this channel lol

[@maxpowr90]

The Farewell Hyrule King version from Wind Waker, is the best version of it.

[@robertpaulson5095]

I love your random smash facts videos

[@anonymousfellow8879]

@@maxpowr90 Oh definitely. And an incredibly moving arrangement for a character’s death scene who…was actually a major asshole. (Seriously-he has Link set up a Beacon for HYRULE ENTRANCE HERE, has Link break the Seal on a great deal of Ganondorf’s Power, then sidelines Tetra for Being Girl after completing her Triforce Piece and locking her away in HYRULE HERE-if you sail over Hyrule’s Entrance before completing the Triforce of Courage, it’s revealed that it’s locked away until you finish the Piece. Who has an entire Piece? GANONDORF. And the Tower of the Gods (which Link revealed by placing the Pearls) is SO MASSIVE that it’s easily scene in the distance as far away as Windfall, Forest Haven, and Dragon Roost.) Like…yes King’s traditionalist misogyny literally Makes Plot but. Y E A H… he didn’t even have Link CHECK ON THE OG Sages which would’ve avoided A Lot of trouble. (Or, y’know, keep Tetra close and on the move with Link. Tetra’s Ancestors keeping mobile with 3/4 of the Triforce of Wisdom is what kept Ganondorf or his followers from obtaining it. Ganondorf’s seen Tetra now, sure. But On The Move with the Master Sword wielder would still have been a Better Idea than “hiding” underneath a massive neon arrow sign. And unlike the New Sages, Tetra’s not combatively helpless!) But, yeahhh… the Kings have pretty much always been massive pieces of work in every game they appear in (LttP, OoT, WW, BotW.)

[@pluspiping]

That was the first thing I noticed during this breakdown, too, how similar the Ikana Castle theme is. Surely on purpose. But Ikana Castle feels like it's missing the out-in-front brass melodies, opting for more ethereal voices and murmurings, leaving the brass just playing backup fanfare to... almost nothing. Appropriate for a dead kingdom.

[@bruceknee1916]

So you won't mind playing this when the Queen enters the room then? Okay!

[@FwendlyMushwoom]

Twilight Princess's rendition of this song is my favorite, the way it gets darker and more complex and you get further to the top of the castle, until at the very end it starts transitioning into Ganon's theme to get you hyped for the final boss.

[@IceMaverick13]

I gotta say, I feel like the production value of this video specifically seems ridiculously high from what I feel like we normally get. There's a lot of juice in this video. Animation of on-screen elements, smooth transitions, little audio-clues from the music we're seeing to line up with what you're saying all contribute to what really feels like an evolution to your video format. It makes me wonder if this trend has been happening with other recent videos and I've only just now picked up on it, but I want to say that I really appreciate the amount of effort it takes to really polish these videos to a high sheen like that, when your much older videos demonstrated that people will totally watch even without the extra editing spice.

[@MetalRenard]

I noticed it too. Very useful and much appreciated.

[@blackcitadel37]

Indeed. Also your profile pic. That bring some good memories of a certain marine...

[@OrisStories]

Yes! I wholeheartedly agree! What did we do to get so lucky?!

[@You-ul8qw]

@@blackcitadel37 Yes lets goo carbot!

[@SireOblivion]

The melody in the C section is variation of the dungeon theme from Zelda 1, same key as well. Kondo's brilliance is undeniable, the way he recapitulates ideas so seamlessly is stunning.

[@Josh_Fredman]

@LonerlRelnol They used to do Zelda symphony concerts all over the country and the world; maybe they still do them. I had the opportunity to go to one, and they indeed played an orchestral version of this piece. Very exciting!

[@SireOblivion]

@LonerlRelnol Honestly Kondo and Uematsu should be revered on the same levels as Mozart, Bach, Handel, etc. Their ability with sounds is undeniably beyond all others within the genre, and some of the best music bar none.

[@stevewood694]

I was JUST about to post this, good ear.

[@Galaxia_EX]

@Juan Ramon Silva Parra HIGHLY disagree with this. If you compare Kondo's best stuff to Beethoven, Bach, Or Mozart's best stuff he's absolutely at their level at a minimum. In fact, I'd consider him higher because he wrote for a much bigger variety of genres and in many styles than those three did.

[@Galaxia_EX]

@Juan Ramon Silva Parra Well, considering how subjective this whole debate is, what makes you consider Kondo’s music lesser than that of the greatest composers of the classical/Baroque eras? If it’s purely holding up over time, then there’s no way to know. None of us will be alive in 200 years. I think comparing him to the Beatles doesn’t make sense at all. The whole thing about popular music is that it’s in one day, gone the next. It’s all about the latest trend. But soundtracks for games aren’t written like that, they’re all about legacy and there’s a reason that after over three decades soundtracks from games like Super Mario Bros of are still incredibly iconic. It basically revolutionized video game music and that’s when people started paying attention.

[@casperdewith]

10:24 … a _cohesive,_ _climactic_ _culmination_ … even if you don't _consciously_ hear the musical _connections._ An alliteration with Cs in the C section. Bravo!

[@maria.garavaglia]

Speaking of cohesion, I'm picking out tie-ins to other music in the game as well, particularly the triplet rhythm and 4th down + stepwise up from the main theme. Subtle nods and cross-references really tie a whole soundtrack together and make it so much more than the sum of its parts.

[@crimsonking6246]

leitmotif

[@usaskjock]

well spotted. Leitmotif in melody is easy to spot but I have a lot more difficult time using nomenclature to identify the rhythmic echoes. you're totally right that the actual beat and rhythm of this piece establishes patterns used through the whole soundtrack

[@ZetaPyro]

10:16 "Why can't I hold all these melodies? (Except I can because I'm a genius)" 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@ixfalia]

I love how the Hyrule Castle themes melodic ideas were played around with in Lorule, in A Link Between Worlds. Reversing some of them

[@nefdsnet]

The first few notes of the low strings melody in the C section also feel like a nod to the palace theme from Zelda II.

[@BlueMeeple]

It's also similar to LeChuck's theme from Monkey Island.

[@Dustz92]

I love to play this on piano, both in fast (like Alttp) or slow (like WW) versions. Really one of the best themes of the series. Section B is my favourite part btw.

[@felixmarques]

I always loved the piano version in TWW, but the 5/4 organ arrangement in BotW just blew my mind.

[@usaskjock]

my single favourite part of wind waker was the part where this music played

[@Doodle1678]

I love farewell Hyrule king from WW Link between worlds version is great too

[@SuperKirby_Gaming]

This theme has always been such a jam. Especially the syncopated rhythm! I can't NOT bop my head when it starts. 😄

[@jasonblalock4429]

I usually have to stop myself from air-conducting when the trumpets come in at the climax. 😀

[@jakemauger8377]

The whole soundtrack is bangin. Can't help but bop to Lost Woods, Dark World, or Death Mountain themes either.

[@musicdev]

@@jakemauger8377 seriously! There’s definitely a reason that LttP’s soundtrack can be found in every Zelda remix album ever ;)

[@kuks0453]

Man, Zelda does castle music expertly. From Hyrule castle in alttp, to the most modern rendition in botw and even some unrelated ones like Ikana Castle in MM, they always convey that sense of royalty, but also dread and melancholy. This series and its music are great!

[@thearjguy7241]

It’s interesting to see how this format has been used in many “final area” tracks throughout later Nintendo games as well.

[@moopaloopa]

I think we need a deep dive into all of Castlevania SOTN's tracks in particular. Such a perfect soundtrack!

[@RicardoAGuitar]

Commenting to boost this sentiment.

[@mcteith]

Yes!

[@musicdev]

Also commenting to boost this sentiment

[@cooldebt]

Ooh yes! I only know the music from The Consouls kzbin.info/www/bejne/lZeueIx8aLx6Ztk but a deep theory dive would be great!

[@nickwallette6201]

Top 5 desert island game with a top 5 desert island soundtrack.

[@jbertacchi]

ALttP was my first Zelda game. Still one of my favorites. And the castle’s theme is easily one of my favorite songs on the series. It gave me goosebumps when I heard the theme underlying the encounter with king Rhoam the first time he appears as a spirit in BotW. Nintendo does know how to play with our nostalgia

[@Hastrica]

Same here, even more so when he appears in the flashback you find near Zelda's study and is introduced with the first notes from the ALTTP castle theme. That one really made me shiver.

[@AlefSousa017]

I loved when the castle theme kicked in while playing Twilight Princess, it's such an iconic and powerful theme, it really made it feel way harder than it was. And like, I'm not nostalgic for A Link To The Past or anything, this just goes to show how great this theme actually is!

[@iangreathouse967]

A Link to the Past, in my opinion, is where the series began. The game had such a cool story, a whole new world to explore (the dark world) and the abundance of beautiful music. If you want a great Zelda game, this is one you should give a try.

[@DogsRNice]

I'd say it's where the series started taking its story more seriously More than just "rescue the princess!!!!11" I mean you still do that but there's other stuff too

[@iangreathouse967]

@@DogsRNice I agree

[@anonymousfellow8879]

Zelda1 isn’t bad. But it’s more focused on exploration than it is telling a story-literally. Zelda hides the Triforce of Wisdom to keep it from Ganon and is abducted shortly after, leading to Game. Still gives Zelda FAR more agency than most titles that followed, and it wasn’t ever trying to be more than Exploration + Mcguffin Hunt

[@ShinziiArt]

Definitely

[@nickwallette6201]

I missed most of the SNES era (got one around the same time I got a PSX), and never have played this game. Nor anything on the N64 for more than 5 min. Nor Windwaker, or the Game Boy Zelda games. I've got a WHOLE lot of stellar titles to explore, and I'm super excited about it. :-D

[@Jmsums]

We absolutely need a part 2 of this where you explore all the different Hyrule Castle themes and King Hyrule themes and compare them. Kind of a leitmotif analysis between the meaning of some of King Hyrule's motifs in the dark castle themes.

[@ChristopherRoss.]

One other thing to note is that the beginning of the A section melody is a leitmotif of (or at least a reference to) the main theme of the Zelda series, just transposed into minor.

[@claradoesnothing]

Why do music analyses move me to tears?

[@silphv]

Same.

[@idkshrug]

To me, the low strings in the C Section feels like a call back to the dungeon theme from the Original Zelda. I know it's not 1:1, but the note movement is similar, just more fleshed out.

[@praetorfenix69]

One of my favorite Zelda themes, I've always felt it's criminally underrated. Glad to see it getting the respect it deserves!

[@garrettaldridge549]

You uploading the soundtrack is absolutely amazing! Thank you so much for all your hard work. I’m in school for music right now and I can only hope that one day I’ll be able to talk about music with the same passion and cohesion as you.

[@Stratopeter87]

I always felt that there is some ingenuity in this piece and that it is somewhat underrepresented compared to other Zelda themes. I never realized that it has so many different parts, because all of this structural similarity that you mentioned, but it really carries the dramatic event of being this young man who just lost his father, fighting his way through a massive castle anxious about the great challenges that may lie ahead. Thank you for this detailled analysis!

[@trumpets101]

The Hyrule Castle theme is so iconic to the series and so ominous when approaching Ganon for that final battle. You can hear a semblance of it in the Dark Mountain Forest (what you have titled as Black Mist). Which would make sense as you are nearing Ganon's Tower in the Dark World.

[@cobracommander6522]

I have always loved The Hyrule Castle Theme since the first time I heard it when I was a kid back in the 90's. This is one of my top favorite Zelda themes.

[@thedapperrabbit113]

Link to the Past's Hyrule Castle has always been easily one of my favorite songs in all of the Zelda series.

[@Jmotist]

The first video game i've ever played was the port of alttp on gba, i was too young to know what to do after escaping the sewers, so to me this theme was very important bc it was pretty much the whole game, it really felt like i was storming a castle at the age of 4

[@justinward3218]

Your channel is so much fun!

[@justinmiller7398]

Love your entire channel, keep it up!

[@TannerCh]

Fantastic video! Thank you so much!

[@zeldzzz3694]

I always love these Zelda music vids!

[@liarcomposermusica57]

I just love this channel.

[@Scrawlerism]

Oooof this was a great breakdown thank you.

[@SoCalXWing]

Thanks so much for this awesome breakdown and for the transcriptions!

[@noncrediblecase341]

This score analysis makes me appreciate one of my all time favorite video game tunes so much more. Thanks so much for this.

[@stageon]

Wow! This is one of your best videos yet. Thanks!

[@Matthias333]

Fantastic analysis of one of my fav songs. Thanks also for the score!

[@LecroixMystique00]

Amazing analysis!! Had to subscribe 👍🏻✨

[@ARCtheIsmaster]

excellent, please continue this with how this theme evolved through the series!

[@prebenjohnsen6913]

Thank you for your wonderful content in general. Dont quit.

[@alexandreancel6423]

Awesome video as usual, and thank you for the transcriptions ! :)

[@rulojuka]

Thank you very much for the video and also providing the transcriptions!!

[@ShoesMagoo]

Thanks a trillion for your efforts. That's a lot of hard work that you're generously sharing with everyone.

[@scraps7624]

Amazing video dude!

[@Thortjoland]

I love a KZbin channel that both:1. Helps me slightly remember what I learned in music school. 2. Makes me feel smarter

[@carelessanonymous6570]

I love your videos, they are always super engaging and enjoyable!

[@KinaliBZP]

Thank you for this!! Hyrule Castle was always my #1 favourite Zelda tune and I'm always overjoyed to hear it show up!

[@PedroKrebs]

Amazing video, hyrule castle theme is truly a masterpiece. thanks for the transcriptions

[@AltoPiano12]

i literally cried watching this video just reliving how epic and interwoven this masterfully crafted piece o music is. thank you for putting words to its magnificence

[@dewinmoonl]

oh my god ! ! ! I've been trying to wrap my head around this theme for the past week and how did you read my mind that I needed this ? ! thank you thank you thank you

[@chickensandwich9977]

I feel like I'm starting to understand your videos more and more It's such a neat feeling XD Thank you for your work

[@frankbailey5383]

thank you for the scores and the wonderful analysis of my favorite Zelda game :)

[@bigp169]

I totally forgot about this channel! So happy this popped up on the feed. Thank you!

[@julianromero6381]

Thanks for the transcriptions! That was a really nice present :D

[@SwollFullReady2Roll]

Always one of my favorites. Such a banger

[@Link_SkywaIker]

Yet Another Great Video

[@gloryholetoanotherdimension]

my dude holy shit thanks for the scores! And all the great content of course haha

[@Zm4rf]

absolute banger: the original piece and your analysis

[@Nabbermind]

those melodies are brilliant!

[@kjetilhallaraker229]

Man I love your videos! Really informative, well explained and super inspiring as a composer! Thank you so much

[@BuyMyBeard]

Man, having an analysis of the Hyrule Castle theme feels awesome since I know this piece very intimately from playing it on the piano so many times. Thanks for the video, that was awesome!

[@Scarshockable]

Very interesting as usual !! Thank you very much for the free transcription of the OST of the game!! 🙂 Cheers from France 🇫🇷

[@maximofernandez196]

Man, I just discovered your channel yesterday, but you actually encourage me to learn about music

[@TheResetButtonChannel]

Oh my gosh I've been saying and feeling this for YEARS, TY for making a video breaking it down

[@sethebrownmusic]

So glad you made this video. This track has always struck me as profound in ways I struggled to fully articulate. It would do us good to study this carefully. It’s a masterpiece of the highest order.

[@juliusjohnson8046]

Taking a break from my own music project I'm trying to finish and this just gave me so much inspiration to finish it up. Thanks for the great content as always

[@marcushealey8777]

This Theme always takes me back to a special place, it makes me feel a way that is hard to recreate from any other piece of music.

[@adamuffoletto7869]

I love the way you presented your discussion in this video. Hearing the topic structure isolated from the rest of the piece first makes it much easier to hear your analysis, and later appreciate it in the context of the whole bar

[@DemianCorvus]

Thank you very much for this video! It puts things in perspective, specially when you consider how easily this was beautifully warped into Lorule Castle theme for A Link Between Worlds.

[@elijahkropf]

Man, I've been hoping you would cover some songs from my favorite childhood game. This video's analysis, as well as the overwhelming nostalgia, was just so enjoyable for me 😄

[@Stormkyleis]

Pretty slick editing in this episode!

[@bobfish1290]

This video was a banger like the ideas explained today was very easy to understand compared to a couple of your more recent videos. Also huge thankyous for giving the transcriptions for the game

[@wlovas]

So good I wish I could like it twice! Also, the transcriptions are amazing; thank you for an amazing 30th anniversary gift.

[@BluesM18A1]

Massive thanks for providing accurate transcriptions of the entire LttP soundtrack. Been meaning to take the time to pick apart the compositions and learn them by heart but that's been difficult as an amateur musician with only ears to rely on sometimes when trying to get material to analyze my favorite songs.

[@Peder7berg]

This is my all time favorite song in the Zelda-series! One of the first I learned on piano too. Thanks a lot for an interview analysis, a lot of things I’ve never thought of even though I’ve played a thousand times on the poano. Thank you also for the transcripts of all alttp-songs! They look phenomenal! :)

[@sandakureva]

This breakdown was freaking wild. I'm probably going to keep coming back to keep hitting pause to learn how this was all done. Great video.

[@pentax2551]

I don’t know much about reading sheet music or making music or music theory but I love watching your videos and for some reason keep coming back to this one!

[@catalina8836]

Im in love with hyrule castle theme. Thanks for the video

[@Skelthane]

There's such a bombastic movement between the different phrases in this song; it just flows, building tension to the release. Brilliant choice to examine.

[@Kithara1117]

Perhaps the greatest game of all time, and the soundtrack is no small part. Thanks for highlighting it!

[@SuprChckn]

I love that in this video, you play the piece/section that you're talking about after speaking about it; I feel like this really cements what you're saying and as some others have said, feels like higher production value. Keep producing wonderful content! Thank you!

[@xXpuddleduckXx]

I really like how you isolated the specific portion of the music you're referring to when making a point! As someone who doesn't know much about music theory, it makes it much easier to "latch on" to the ideas you present. Great video!

[@liquidsolids9415]

Great job, as usual. Thanks!

[@alexandrepiano9689]

Thank you for talking about Zelda's music ! I love them so much :D

[@melonenstrauch1306]

A Link to the Past was the first time I subconciously noticed the masterful craftsmanship that went into early videogame music. I can't say in words how much I love you for providing the transcriptions!

[@FarewellApollo]

The Castle theme is super underrated. It's one of my favs, thanks for covering it, man!

[@MrChocodemon]

You are such a wonderful human being. Transcribing the whole score and just making it available. I don't play instruments and cannot read sheet music, but I applaud you.

[@JoshGUITARofolo]

I love your content, man. Not only is it super educational and high quality, it’s also chill enough to relax and fall asleep to. Much love and respect. 🤙

[@rudehedgehog8710]

omg i got so excited when i saw this in my feed! i've always thought this was one of the best songs in all of zelda and it's great to see you break down exactly what makes it so amazing

[@cooldebt]

You might enjoy this by The Consouls (the guitar solo is so good) kzbin.info/www/bejne/jILReoWterZ4iJo

[@billyblueberry]

THANK YOU! I've played the opening of A Link to the Past over and over because this theme is INCREDIBLE. I never understood how it's not given the attention it deserves.

[@tai-imyr849]

Loved the split-second Zelda family metaphor explanation!

[@supbilly07]

Great video, thank you! Nothing will ever compare to when I got this game for Christmas as a 7-year old from my Nan. Never heard of it or knew what it was, as soon as I turned it on and was greeted with the intro, the falling rain, and then getting into the castle and hearing the rain still outside... WOW. As a little boy with a big imagination, I was transfixed and mesmerised. I've been a huge fan ever since and LTTP remains my most favourite video game ever.

[@jasonblalock4429]

Awesome! I've long thought this was the most underrated/overlooked major theme in the series, and it's so nice seeing it get some love.

[@cooldebt]

The Consouls give it some love here kzbin.info/www/bejne/jILReoWterZ4iJo

[@ninkstheultimate3376]

Every time I hear the music of any piece, after my first listen, my brain begins to point out these little details in the music. It feels like finding easter eggs in the piece, and shows me just how welll put together a piece is!

[@Inkyink]

Consider me riled up. Spectacular song, spectacular video

[@EightBitRam]

I really appreciate you dropping all of these transcriptions for free! I am practicing my piano and DAW skills so the composing process will go smoother for my upcoming game title. Legend of Zelda has always been my favorite franchise of all time, and a Link to the Past really drove a lot of that love for the music in games! Lets hope I can learn a thing or two by using these as my practice transcripts. Thank you 8-bit Music Theory, and Happy 30th Anniversary LoZ!

[@kadenstewart7761]

So I’ve been trying to do a jazz arrangement of Zelda’s Lullaby and I LOVE YOU FOR UPLOADING THAT.