Zelda Water Temple Piano Arrangement - Standing Waves

As the video and name suggest, this is a straightforward music-as-rippling-water impressionist piece based on the Water Temple theme from Ocarina of Time. It was requested by TobyEllisSongwriter earlier this year and is the fruit of several months of on-and-off work. If I've learned one thing about composition, it's that I can never anticipate how long it'll take to complete an arrangement!
I tried to play with texture, color, rhythm, repeated motifs, and varied tempo to recreate the undulating complexities of a confined pool of water. I wrote the script for the simple water visualization (meant to recall Fantasia somewhat) in MATLAB -- not the best tool for the job but it's the only programming environment in which I'm comfortable. :-P
Original composer: Koji Kondo.
Piano sound: Ivory Italian Grand II
I found the final Triforce emblem on Google images, but do not know the original artist.

[@bossel100]

if you told someone this one was a lost Debussy-piece, he would believe it i think, no matter he knows the original water temple music or not. very good!

[@RebeccaETripp]

I had that exact thought. Debussy or Rachmaninoff! Doc Nano is my favourite VGM arranger for this reason (tied with The Second Narrator).

[@SgtPepper1200]

Sounded excellent doc, I think I might just listen to this the next time I take on the water temple ;) keep it up!

[@TPRpiano]

genuinely breathtaking!

[@TobyEllisSongwriter]

thank you!!! and thanks for the mention! This really is fantastic! What a great Christmas present haha, cheers man :)

[@MoonwalkerWorshiper]

This is professional piano playing.

[@docnanomusic]

@20114D Ahhh, it's all coming together now. Thanks for the clarification! Now that you describe it, I do remember Okami coming out but I didn't have the chance to play it. Hopefully I will someday.

[@jessesmac]

Sounds like something out of Debussy's "Children's Corner." I love it!

[@docnanomusic]

@ProfessorSymphony I would totally dig that.

[@RebeccaETripp]

This is one of the most amazing thing's I've ever heard!

[@zeldafan0184]

@RebeccaETripp, this story is for you. *THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: A NEW HERO?* Maria Silvia Hansen has been an ordinary person who has fawned over Link as a child. Until one day... Maria was just wishing that she could meet the Hero of Time. She sighed to herself, "It'll never happen..." . Just then, a portal opens in front of her. She tilts her head in confusion and heads in without a moment's hesitation. She then says, "Where am I... this reminds me of something..." She then sees the legendary Hero of Time. "No... way!!", she exclaims as she blushes. Link nods and grabs her. "Hey!", Maria says. Link takes her to the Chamber of Sages. *TO BE CONTINUED... * *(HEY, HEY, HEY, Zelda Fans! Like what you see? Then sub to my channel! PLEASE NOTE: I WILL MAKE ANY VIDEOS YET! I'M STILL LIVING WITH MY PARENTS! THEY DO NOT WANT ME TO MAKE VIDEOS!!!!! Anywho... like it? Reply to me for some more! Thanks!!!)*

[@zeldafan0184]

I will *NOT* make any videos yet. Whoops.

[@bachaddict]

Thanks for tweeting it!

[@jessesmac]

And I didn't even see the comment below mine until I posted. You know what, mister? You are Debussy reincarnated. I swear.

[@nickkelley9204]

Morpha, Dark Link and Ganon disliked!

[@zeldafan0184]

TRUEEEE

[@pianoalex11]

You should make totally an album. Great arrangement, very nice. Check out my KZbin Channel for more Zelda Piano Music!

[@UmutKursawe]

This is so Debussy.....

[@Duhemsounds]

Written in late 2011 it still sounds awesome when beeing discovered in 2019, that's awesome That would be great you try to make the Forest, Fire, Shadow and Spirit Temples

[@docnanomusic]

@ChrigbyC I hope to eventually have sheets for all the "Impressions of Zelda" songs, including this one. I'm actually not happy with some of the middle of this arrangement, so I may put some final touches on it before finalizing the sheets.

[@docnanomusic]

@ChrigbyC Thanks! I don't plan to stop anytime soon. :-)

[@ses110]

Beautiful. Also reminds me of Ravel's Une Barque sur L'Ocean

[@samuelkuhn4067]

This song really captures the impression of water. Which makes this such a great Water Temple theme recreation.

[@docnanomusic]

@8Amaterasu8 Yeah, it's the ivory Italian grand, definitely the fullest and most realistic piano sound I've used!

[@RyanZPianoGuy]

This kind of arranging is fantastic! Love the impressionistic influence

[@docnanomusic]

@greenjedi77 Thanks; yep, playing this myself, with all the quirks that entails!

[@Verdegrand]

i really like the texture in this. very interesting what you did with the original theme.

[@kingofthesharks]

wow i had actually been searching for a water temple piano cover since a few weeks ago, since I've always wanted to play it myself and there's no sheets out there (plus I'm not good learning by ear). But I didn't know the first arrangement posted on youtube would be impressionist. it's simply hypnotizing and creepy just like I remember the lonely & ancient water temple in the game. Splendid job

[@MalonAndEpona]

Your piano arrangements for Zelda music are quite amazing! ^_^ Do you think a downloadable version of this could be made available, please? Great work!

[@docnanomusic]

@daysunwind I know, the Ivory Italian Grand is unbelievable. I'm still learning how to tap its full potential, but with a good weighted keyboard it's a very convincing sound.

[@ChannelleCooper]

Wow! It really does sound like rippling water! :D Good job! I love love love this so much! It's gorgeous. :]

[@katiejones6325]

This composition never fails to relax me. Its my go to when ever I'm stressed. Thank you for this beautiful piece of art!

[@greenjedi77]

Nice. makes for pleasant background music whilst entertaining. Are you playing this yourself?

[@Stany]

J'aimerais tellement une partition pour ces arrangements. Ils sont fabuleux.

[@docnanomusic]

@beatrixbelle Haha, sorry, they're spoken for!

[@Arrow9100kj]

The arrangement is gorgeous! I get that beautiful 'Jeux Deau' vibe again *_*! And you use Matlab for the video? Great! You'll show me how to do that when you can then....I just use Matlab for process control simulation and its incredibly boring XD!

[@daigoro789]

man, this was so beautiful! i LOVE water motifs and you seem to have a knack for re-creating a feeling that is very difficult to capture, without going OTT with it :P man, this album is shaping up so nicely!

[@MsDudin]

I can't believe I haven't commented on this video yet - I listen to it all the time. It's one of my favorite piano pieces. Reminds me of Debussy, just like some of your other work. Which is a good thing because I adore Debussy:) Hands down best Zelda piano arrangement I've ever heard, keep up the great work!

[@Leygoes]

I loved all the musics and temple musics from OOT, but the water temple was probably my least favourite in-game temple music. But this....This blew me clean away (: Absolutely stunning! God bless you

[@docnanomusic]

Leygoes Thank you for the nice complement, and glad you enjoyed it!

[@javascriptkiddie2718]

+Leygoes listen to the half speed version

[@docnanomusic]

@elmangy Probably not, since I'm not familiar with it!

[@KnucklesE]

Wow! I love your compositions. You truly have a talent when it comes to making beautiful music.

[@docnanomusic]

@ChannelleCooper :D

[@kk_bubblegun8090]

I’ve heard so many video game covers but this is my absolute favorite. Beyond beautiful 💧

[@docnanomusic]

Thank you so much!

Very much inspiring, sir. I'm arrange vgm myself, and I can say I absolutely love yours. Very fresh, mantaining the original feeling, and with your amazing impressionist-esque feel.

[@elmangy]

do i hear okami? haha!

[@BearInfestedWaters]

EARGASM!!!!!!!!!!

[@Bandito_Calavera]

joder man!!! is amazing!!!