Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses conductor talks favorite songs, conveying mood

A portion of a Geekster interview with conductor Amy Anderson...

G: ...music has been a profound element in the Legend of Zelda games, in some even being a major plot point due to music having an fundamental effect on the characters. One of the best examples is the Song of Healing from Majora’s Mask, with which you help dying souls pass into the next realm while at the same time receiving a transforming mask filled with their spirit. Do you feel the scores manage to reflect the different moods and themes of the games and if so, can you please spare a few examples?

AA: The Song of Healing is one of my favorite songs and yes, the score definitely reflects the moods and themes. The use of the delicate flute, harps and piano give the Song of Healing a tender and transparent quality and reflects the emotions of the heart. The composers and orchestrators use instruments that have been traditionally linked to certain emotions. For instance, Link plays the Ocarina, which was drawn from Tamino playing the flute in the Mozart opera The Magic Flute. Harps have been associated with certain spiritual qualities since the time of the ancient Greeks, and using them in particular places in Zelda allow them to work their emotional magic on us. The music of Ganondorf is expressed in Zelda by the use of heavy full brass, percussion and an almost violent and unpredictable compositional style. I often get goosebumps when I hear his theme. It is very creepy music!