Video Games With Classical Music
I'll be the first to say it: Video games were my introduction to classical music.
I've always had a weird relationship with classical music. In retrospect, I wish I had the patience to get into it as a kid, when all I wanted to do on the piano was play Mario music; but as I am now, I like neither how academia approaches it (and by extension, how it approaches the rest of music from a mainly classical perspective), nor how the general public perceives it.
Video games often land the sweet spot for me because of this. Since they're not put on an unworthy pedestal as high art, they get to take the music and play a little game of Death of the Author with it... often having a lot of really sincere fun with it. Taiko no Tatsujin's arrangements in particular are inspirational for me, but I want to document uses of classical music here in general, regardless of how much creative liberties they take.
Suggestions always welcome!
This list is a massive work-in-progress in need of more proper organizing, labelling and distinction between arrangement and reinterpretation.
See also:
https://www.backloggd.com/u/ludzu/list/soundtracks-with-a-notable-amt-of-interpretations-of-classical-songsstandards/
Games not included (no IGDB listing):
Victorious Nine
Unverified/Misc:
Crazy Balloon
DX-Ball
http://www.vgmpf.com/Wiki/index.php?title=Flight_of_the_Bumblebee
https://www.grospixels.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?topic=14664&forum=17&start=0
http://www.vgmpf.com/Wiki/index.php?title=Category:Public_Domain_Songs
http://www.vgmpf.com/Wiki/index.php?title=Tor%C3%A9ador_Song
I've always had a weird relationship with classical music. In retrospect, I wish I had the patience to get into it as a kid, when all I wanted to do on the piano was play Mario music; but as I am now, I like neither how academia approaches it (and by extension, how it approaches the rest of music from a mainly classical perspective), nor how the general public perceives it.
Video games often land the sweet spot for me because of this. Since they're not put on an unworthy pedestal as high art, they get to take the music and play a little game of Death of the Author with it... often having a lot of really sincere fun with it. Taiko no Tatsujin's arrangements in particular are inspirational for me, but I want to document uses of classical music here in general, regardless of how much creative liberties they take.
Suggestions always welcome!
This list is a massive work-in-progress in need of more proper organizing, labelling and distinction between arrangement and reinterpretation.
See also:
https://www.backloggd.com/u/ludzu/list/soundtracks-with-a-notable-amt-of-interpretations-of-classical-songsstandards/
Games not included (no IGDB listing):
Victorious Nine
Unverified/Misc:
Crazy Balloon
DX-Ball
http://www.vgmpf.com/Wiki/index.php?title=Flight_of_the_Bumblebee
https://www.grospixels.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?topic=14664&forum=17&start=0
http://www.vgmpf.com/Wiki/index.php?title=Category:Public_Domain_Songs
http://www.vgmpf.com/Wiki/index.php?title=Tor%C3%A9ador_Song
78 Games
14 Comments
Fantasia for Sega Mega Drive has a lot of laughably awful classical music arrangements https://youtu.be/wLaz0uYD_Z0
https://youtu.be/SAKnFcFZ7ps
https://youtu.be/SAKnFcFZ7ps
Sayonara Wild Hearts opens with a synth rendition of Clair de Lune!
Peggle (and maybe the sequel - I haven't played it) plays Ode to Joy when you clear a level
Untitled Goose Game uses six of Debussy's Preludes. I know two of them are No.5: Bruyeres and No. 12: Minstrels, but I don't know the other four.
Also, in Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise the Clinic minigame has a few interesting versions of classical tracks in it: Ode To Joy - Beethoven, Orpheus in the Underworld - Jacques Offenbach, Symphony No. 9 - Dvorak, and Turkish March - Mozart. (Interestingly, but not related to this list, that minigame also uses versions of a few children's songs from around the world)
And several of the Hitman games have used Ave Maria.
Also, in Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise the Clinic minigame has a few interesting versions of classical tracks in it: Ode To Joy - Beethoven, Orpheus in the Underworld - Jacques Offenbach, Symphony No. 9 - Dvorak, and Turkish March - Mozart. (Interestingly, but not related to this list, that minigame also uses versions of a few children's songs from around the world)
And several of the Hitman games have used Ave Maria.
Both Killer is Dead and Asura’s Wrath use Dvorak’s New World Symphony. I can’t remember if Killer is Dead has the standard version but it definitely has a music box arrangement, at least.
off the top of my head: resident evil 1, its remake, and the lost in nightmares dlc for resident evil 5 all have moonlight sonata, moon remix rpg adventure has clair de lune. also goose game uses six different preludes by debussy, not just one piece.
and there's a bunch more but to save some time, i actually made a similar list to this, limited to soundtracks with at least 3 classical/jazz/etc songs, bc there are so many games that have one classical tune in them. feel free to look at it and steal some that apply, i'm definitely doing the same for a few from this https://www.backloggd.com/u/ludzu/list/soundtracks-with-a-notable-amt-of-interpretations-of-classical-songsstandards
and there's a bunch more but to save some time, i actually made a similar list to this, limited to soundtracks with at least 3 classical/jazz/etc songs, bc there are so many games that have one classical tune in them. feel free to look at it and steal some that apply, i'm definitely doing the same for a few from this https://www.backloggd.com/u/ludzu/list/soundtracks-with-a-notable-amt-of-interpretations-of-classical-songsstandards
the Fantasia world in Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance uses classical music like the film and it's pretty sweet
Got a few suggestions off the top of my head:
Breath of Fire 4 - Pavane for a Dead Princess by Ravel (plays during one iconic scene)
Antarctic Adventure - Skater's Waltz by Waldteufel (plays during the stages)
Rings of Power - a very abridged version of Bach's D minor Toccata (Temple theme)
Megaman Legends - Final boss' theme is Bach's G minor Fugue
Fatal Fury - Wolfgang Krauser's theme in Fatal Fury 2 is the Dies Irae from Mozart's Requiem, in Real Bout Fatal Fury his theme is the Lacrimosa from the same Requiem
Breath of Fire 4 - Pavane for a Dead Princess by Ravel (plays during one iconic scene)
Antarctic Adventure - Skater's Waltz by Waldteufel (plays during the stages)
Rings of Power - a very abridged version of Bach's D minor Toccata (Temple theme)
Megaman Legends - Final boss' theme is Bach's G minor Fugue
Fatal Fury - Wolfgang Krauser's theme in Fatal Fury 2 is the Dies Irae from Mozart's Requiem, in Real Bout Fatal Fury his theme is the Lacrimosa from the same Requiem
ULTRAKILL has Clair de Lune btw
Peggle has Ode to Joy in it.
I really didn't want to be that guy but danganronpa v3 also has clair de lune
The Evil Within 1 and 2 have Clair de lune as well
turdl3
3 years ago