Highbrow Magazine - danny elfman https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/danny-elfman en An Homage to Classical Music and Its Influence on Film https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/24484-homage-classical-music-and-its-influence-film <div class="field field-name-field-cat field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/music" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Music</a></div></div></div><span class="submitted-by">Submitted by tara on Wed, 02/21/2024 - 16:23</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1classicalmusic.jpg?itok=syENBMHB"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1classicalmusic.jpg?itok=syENBMHB" width="407" height="480" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Any film is composed of multiple elements: from scripting to special effects, to costume design, and, of course, the all-essential music.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">The crux of the matter is: Music in many ways is just as, if not more important, than the spoken word in various media. When <a href="https://memory.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/html/silentfilms/silentfilms-about.html" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline">silent films</a> dominated the scene — from 1914 to 1929 — music literally replaced the spoken word, and was used to express the actors’ emotions and thoughts.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">When <a href="https://www.charliechaplin.com" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline">Charlie Chaplan</a> or <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000036/" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline">Buster Keaton</a> would fall, embarrass themselves, speak to the pretty girl, or save the day, these actions were accompanied by a score. Music was either created specifically for the movie or derived from existing music, often of the classical genre.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/1classicalmusic_depositphotos.jpg" /></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Even though we are long past the era of silent films, music still plays an important part in conveying emotional expression in films and other forms of media. Classical music is a hidden contributor to the plot and narrative of media, especially action-based films.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Obviously pop, rock, rap, rhythm and blues, and other more contemporary genres are also used frequently, and perhaps stereotypically. Pop might be regarded as more upbeat; rock might be considered as angry; while R&amp;B might be considered chill and laidback.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">However, even if the typical moviegoer doesn’t realize it, classical music has the same impact, despite the stereotypes that weigh it down. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/2classicalmusic.jpg" /></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ludwig-van-Beethoven" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline">Ludwig van Beethoven</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Johann-Sebastian-Bach" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline">Johann Sebastian Bach</a> and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Wolfgang-Amadeus-Mozart" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline">Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart</a> — some of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/list/10-classical-music-composers-to-know#:~:text=The%20three%20composers%20that%20consistently,some%20of%20the%20most%20significant" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline">most famous</a> classical composers — have created compelling, dramatic pieces that could rival any modern, beat-dropping song. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">These classical songs have helped set the tone of certain scenes in numerous movies throughout Hollywood history, and many viewers may not even realize that they populate scores of countless films.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">One classical piece in particular has lost its roots, and has been relegated to just a “theme” to a popular film: <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Richard-Strauss" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline">Richard Strauss'</a><u>s</u> <a href="https://youtu.be/Szdziw4tI9o?si=qciWiE23VnmcrMZJ" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline">"Also </a><a href="https://youtu.be/Szdziw4tI9o?si=qciWiE23VnmcrMZJ" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline">sprach</a><a href="https://youtu.be/Szdziw4tI9o?si=qciWiE23VnmcrMZJ" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline"> Zarathustra,"</a> or as it’s better known, the theme to <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062622/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_q_2001" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline"><em>2001: A Space Odyssey</em></a>.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/3classicalmusic.jpg" /></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Strauss’s piece is a perfect example for two reasons. One, this composition has been shrouded by the media it's used in, and has lost its original identity -- those who listen to it have no idea its origin is actually a great classical score.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Two, it serves as an example as to the breadth classical music can have when identifying key emotions and feelings. “Also sprach Zarathrustra” inspires awe, anticipation and adventure in listeners, as evident by the film it was originally used in, and in its latest iteration at the beginning of hit film <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1517268/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_1_tt_4_nm_3_q_Barbie" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline"><em>Barbie</em></a>.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">This emotional spurning also echoes the <a href="https://www.riphil.org/blog/the-story-behind-strauss-also-sprach-zarathustra" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline">original meaning of the piece</a>, which was inspired by <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Friedrich-Nietzsche" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline">Friedrich Nietzsche's</a> book, <a href="https://www.sparknotes.com/philosophy/zarathustra/summary/" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline"><em>Thus Spoke Zarathustra</em></a>. The story follows the journey of the character Zarathustra as he embarks on an adventure to find himself and return to his place of birth.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/4classicalmusic.jpg" /></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Classical music also lends itself to nonadventure genre films, such as horror and thriller-based media. <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000040/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_3_tt_0_nm_8_q_Stanley" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline">Stanley Kubrick</a>, the director of <em>2001: A Space Odyssey</em>, is well known for consistently using classical music in his films, including his horror masterpiece <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081505/?ref_=nm_flmg_t_3_dr" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline"><em>The Shining</em></a> and thriller <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120663/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_q_Eyes" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline"><em>Eyes Wide Shut</em></a>.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Kubrick used <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bela-Bartok" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline">Béla Bartók’s</a> <a href="https://youtu.be/Khao59UYqdo?si=vwhrK3hOq9M76AqZ" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline">“Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta”</a> throughout the film, especially during scenes that inspire fear, such as when Danny is rolling down the hotel hall toward the blood-filled elevators, and when Jack enters the ballroom.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Classical music has also been used as the basis for other horror genres, such as <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0947798/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_7_nm_1_q_Black%2520Swan" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline"><em>Black Swan</em></a>, a film that follows a ballerina battling with a curious mental state who is playing the Black Swan in <a href="https://www.sfballet.org/discover/backstage/the-story-of-swan-lake/" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline">"Swan Lake,"</a> the music for which was composed by <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Pyotr-Ilyich-Tchaikovsky" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline">Tchaikovsky</a>.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/5classicalmusic.jpg" /></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Not only does Tchaikovsky’s piece act as the driving force of the film’s plot and narrative, it also emphasizes the tension and despair the main character feels as she tries to embody the Black Swan – a case in which the film and music feed off of each other.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">While classical music, at times, lends itself well to highly emotive films, it can also be used to inspire fantasy.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">During <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0926084/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_3_tt_8_nm_0_q_Harry%2520Potter%2520and%2520the%2520Dea" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline"><em>Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1</em></a>, when the main characters — Harry, Hermione and Ron — reach a safehouse, there’s a brief scene where Hermione attempts to teach Ron how to play Beethoven’s “Für Elise.”</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Though Ron bumbles through her lesson, this song helps create a moment of safety and tenderness not only for the characters, but the audience too.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/6classicalmusic.jpg" /></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Even if classical music is not audible in films, it has continuously influenced multiple film score composers -- including <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002354/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_1_nm_7_q_John%2520Williams" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline">John Willams'</a> <em>Star Wars </em>score and <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000384/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline">Danny Elfman</a>, who is not only influenced by classical music, but has also <a href="https://blogs.loc.gov/loc/2023/05/danny-elfman-legendary-film-composer-debuts-classical-work-at-loc/#:~:text=One%20of%20those%20was%20into,Sergei%20Prokofiev%2C%20his%20true%20inspiration" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline">composed</a> great classical pieces. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Whether we can actually <em>hear</em> the classical cadences urging on the characters in films or not, the genre has thankfully not fallen prey to the stereotypes that surround it.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">If anything, classical music is one of the reasons we find certain movies so compelling – even if most of us do not realize it.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>Author Bio:</strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong><em>Ariana Powell is a contributing writer at</em> Highbrow Magazine.</strong></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>For Highbrow Magazine</strong></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong><em>Photo Credits: </em></strong><a href="https://depositphotos.com/stock-photography.html" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline"><strong><em>Depositphotos.com</em></strong></a><strong><em>; </em></strong><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Classical_music_composers_montage.JPG" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline"><strong><em>Wikimedia Commons</em></strong></a><strong><em>; </em></strong><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mozart_family_crop.jpg" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline"><strong><em>Wikipedia Commons</em></strong></a><strong><em>; </em></strong><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Beethoven.jpg" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline"><strong><em>Wikimedia Commons</em></strong></a><strong><em><u>; Linnaea Mallette (<a href="https://www.publicdomainpictures.net/en/view-image.php?image=522963&amp;picture=man-playing-violin">Public Domain Pictures</a>). </u></em></strong></span></span></p> <p> </p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/classical-music" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">classical music</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/classic-music-movies" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">classic music in movies</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/beethoven" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">beethoven</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/bach" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">bach</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/2001-space-odyssey" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">2001: a space odyssey</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/musical-scores" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">musical scores</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/movie-scores" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">movie scores</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/john-williams" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">john williams</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/danny-elfman" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">danny elfman</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/listening-music" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">listening to music</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tchaichovsky" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">tchaichovsky</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/composers" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">composers</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Ariana Powell</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pop field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Popular:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not popular</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-bot field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Bottom Slider:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">In Slider</div></div></div> Wed, 21 Feb 2024 21:23:57 +0000 tara 13046 at https://www.highbrowmagazine.com https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/24484-homage-classical-music-and-its-influence-film#comments Tune In: The Art of the Videogame Soundtrack https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/20007-tune-art-videogame-soundtrack <div class="field field-name-field-cat field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/music" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Music</a></div></div></div><span class="submitted-by">Submitted by tara on Fri, 06/10/2022 - 10:27</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/5videosoundtrack.jpg?itok=4-2uZCGY"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/5videosoundtrack.jpg?itok=4-2uZCGY" width="480" height="270" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Soundtracks are some of the most iconic tunes in pop culture. Think of the work of Danny Elfman or John Williams. Songs like the<em> Star Wars</em> theme are universally known, and all it takes is that first blasting note of the orchestra for the listener to imagine the yellow text crawling down from the top of the screen. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Impressive soundtracks like this have made a massive imprint on pop culture, becoming an integral part of how some of the most famous stories have been told. However, few would consider soundtracks as casual listening music. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Franchise fans may listen to the <em>Jurassic Park</em> opening, but these pieces are generally enjoyed as an accompaniment to the media for which they were created. Some films have pop music as significant parts of their soundtrack, such as <em>Top Gun,</em> with songs like “Danger Zone” and “Take My Breath Away.”</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">This has become a common trend lately, with films like the <em>Guardians of the Galaxy </em>franchise having their soundtracks composed mostly of licensed music -- however, unlike <em>Top Gun</em>, these songs weren’t made for the film. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Videogame music has also had its own massive influence on pop culture. Think of the instantly recognizable music from the first <em>Super Mario Brothers</em>, and the music from <em>Sonic the Hedgehog's</em> first level “Green Hill Zone.”</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Music in videogames has come a long way since the sometimes abrasive, albeit unique, sound of chiptune melodies. With the capacity for digital storage ever expanding, games now have fully produced and professionally recorded music to accompany them. Modern games often get the same treatment films do with full orchestral scores.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">This has led to some phenomenal music created specifically for games, music that really transcends its ties to videogames and stands on its own as enjoyable listening even for those who have little interest in the source material. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">A recent soundtrack that comes to mind are the tracks created for the “radio” in CD Projekt RED’s 2020 game <em>Cyberpunk 2077</em>. Often simplified to “Cyberpunk,” the game was a highly anticipated project based off of a tabletop role-playing game from 1988. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/2videosoundtrack_super_mario_bros-wikipedia.jpg" style="height:400px; width:292px" typeof="foaf:Image" /></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Part of the game’s soundtrack is composed of pop songs that have been created to be heard over the radio in game. When traveling in cars or just traversing around the world, players will hear fictional radio stations broadcasting music that was created specifically for the game. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">As a means of building the world, the game features music created by a wide variety of artists. While many of the real-world artists are presented under fictional band names, some notable artists who created and or performed music for Cyberpunk are: Refused, Run The Jewels, A$AP Rocky and Grimes. Grimes’s music is presented under the fictional popstar Lizzy Wizzy, a character she voices in the game. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">There are 31 songs, three volumes, of original radio music for Cyberpunk spanning genres, creating a wide variety of interesting songs. One standout -- “Resist and Disorder” by “The Cartesian Duelists” (real world artist: Rezodrone) -- blends electronic, hard rock and a driving industrial rhythm. The song feels heavy with an insanely catchy chorus that breaks up the sound before bringing it back down to the crunchy guitar riff that serves as the song’s base.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Like most of the songs on the “Cyberpunk” radio, the lyrics don’t feel constrained simply to the world of the game. Many of the punk and anti-corporate ideals expressed in the music seemn just as relevant to the real world, as they do the fictional sci-fi dystopia.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Someone who isn’t necessarily a fan of the source material, could thoroughly enjoy, and connect with, this music. Music in Cyberpunk isn’t held hostage to its medium. Most songs don’t refer to videogames or make allusions to fictional slang or terminology. This doesn’t stop the music from characterizing and building the game world in a believable way.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Arguably the greatest music in Cyberpunk is the music of the fictional band Samurai. Samurai is a key part of the story of <em>Cyberpunk 2077</em>, with one of the main characters, Johnny Silverhand (portrayed by Keanu Reeves), as a guitarist and lead singer of the group. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Samurai’s music is performed by real-world Swedish punk band Refused, and the songs are terrific. “The Ballad of Buck Ravers” is a punk song about a corporate office worker being pushed over the edge by mindless work that inevitably gets him nowhere. “Never Fade Away” is another song exploring the idea of love lost, but not forgotten. The song features a catchy chorus almost reminiscent of ‘80s classic rock, contrasting but still complementing the harder tone of the rest of the song. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">“Chippin’ in” is a hard rock song that plays with the double meaning of the gambling term with the transhumanist ideas of microchips and cybernetic implants, which serve as a key theme in cyberpunk. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/1keanureeves_anna_hanks-wikimedia.jpg" style="height:600px; width:419px" typeof="foaf:Image" /></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Cyberpunk’s radio music was made specifically as pop music, it was further from the traditional soundtrack in that sense; however, there are other games that emulate pop music as a part of their backing tracks and to great success.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Atlus’ Persona series has a long history of soundtracks, with the most recent entry into the series <em>Persona 5</em> having some of the best music yet. <em>Persona 5</em> has what would best be described as jazzy tunes with lyrics beautifully sung by the Japanese vocalist Lyn. Her vocals combined with the incredible combination of heavy bass lines, synth and string accents make for some tracks that are unforgettable. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">The songs perfectly capture the vibe of a lounge singer in a smoky jazz bar. The silky vocals and catchy melody in a song like “Last Surprise” and “Life Will Change are enjoyable, even for people who don't like videogames. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Being a fan of punk and hard rock myself, the soundtrack for a game like <em>Persona 5</em> is hardly the kind of music I would identify with my general music tastes. However, this soundtrack’s quality transcends genre preferences altogether. While not every track is accessible as casual listening (it still is a soundtrack after all), there are an outstanding number of terrific tracks to choose from.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">The Devil May Cry series is another franchise that blends pop elements into its backing tracks. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Devil May Cry has a heavy emphasis on hard rock -- relevant to the over-the-top action and character of its main protagonist, accented with electronic elements. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">The songs that really steal the show in the Devil May Cry games are the battle tracks that play during combat encounters in the game. The fifth game’s battle tracks stand out as they achieve unique sounds from the songs in the rest of the franchise, as well as helping to provide insight into the characters they play for.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">“Devil Trigger” is the battle theme for one of the game’s three protagonists Nero. “Devil Trigger” stands in stark contrast to the series norm with a sound that can almost be described as EDM. The song has an explosive, energetic attitude to it that matches the chaotic action associated with Nero’s fighting style. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">The female vocalist gives the piece an overall pop feel; however, under the surface, a solid hard rock base accompanied with hard rock backup vocals is reminiscent of songs from earlier games in the franchise. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/3videosoundtrack_rice_digital_dot_co_uk.jpg" style="height:400px; width:282px" typeof="foaf:Image" /></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">The best song from <em>Devil May Cry 5</em> is “Bury The Light,” which is the battle track for longtime series antagonist Vergil, who was released as a playable character in conjunction with the special edition of the game in 2020. <a href="https://twitter.com/composercasey/status/1308203035856760833?lang=en" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline" target="_blank">The song topped the Apple music soundtrack chart in september 2020 and ranked #7 of all September 2020 when it was released</a>.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">“Bury the Light” is an epic orchestral metal song. The song accents its heavy metal core with electronic and orchestral elements, such as its electric violin opening. The lyrics are sung by Victor Borba, and capture the character of Vergil, a man (half demon) on a quest for power that has gone too far to be stopped. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Narratives and themes aside, a lot of videogame music is all about fun. While there’s an almost infinite supply of music that deserves to be recognized, that's an ambitious task for this article. However, I think the point stands that there is a lot of terrific art created around the world, much of it overlooked in the mainstream. If nothing else, I compel you to listen to something you normally wouldn’t, videogame or not --  maybe you’ll find something new worth appreciating.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><strong><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Author Bio:</span></span></strong></p> <p><em><strong><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Garrett Hartman is a contributing writer at </span></span></strong></em><strong><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Highbrow Magazine.</span></span></strong></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>For Highbrow Magazine</strong></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>Image Sources:</strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><em>--Super Mario Bros. (</em><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Super_Mario_Bros._box.png" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline"><em>Wikipedia</em></a><em>, Creative Commons)</em></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><em>--Anna Hanks (</em><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Keanu_Reeves_2013_(10615146086)_(cropped).jpg" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline"><em>Wikimedia</em></a><em>, Creative Commons)</em></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><em>--Rice Digital (</em><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Persona_5_cover_art.jpg" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline"><em>Wikipedia</em></a><em>, Creative Commons)</em></span></span></p> <p> </p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/danny-elfman" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">danny elfman</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/john-williams" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">john williams</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/movie-soundtracks" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">movie soundtracks</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/star-wars" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Star Wars</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/videogames" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">videogames</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/videogame-soundtrack" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">videogame soundtrack</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/cyberpunk-2077" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">cyberpunk 2077</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/persona-5" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">persona 5</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/devil-trigger" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">devil trigger</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/playing-video-games" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">playing video games</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Garrett Hartman</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pop field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Popular:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not popular</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-bot field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Bottom Slider:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">In Slider</div></div></div> Fri, 10 Jun 2022 14:27:16 +0000 tara 11137 at https://www.highbrowmagazine.com https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/20007-tune-art-videogame-soundtrack#comments