It’s always refreshing to see (and hear) a new reorchestration of an original Zelda soundtrack, especially with a classic like The Wind Waker. This one, in particular, is a fan album called The Wind Waker Orchestrated, and it’s pulled together by the talented Marcus Hedges.
The British composer created fan music inspired by other Zelda titles before, like Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask. He has also composed music for original games like Override 2, Century: Age of Ashes, and the more recent Ary and the Secret of Seasons. Marcus debuted his Wind Waker album last Friday in the ongoing celebration of Zelda’s 35th Anniversary this year.
Being a personal Wind Waker fan, I couldn’t resist my curiosity of sampling this album. I’m a selective connoisseur when it comes to the fanmade Zelda music sphere, but after listening to The Wind Waker Orchestrated, I can definitely say it’s worth lending an ear to. The bright, whimsical atmosphere is a welcome reinterpretation of the original music in this amazing title. Graceful maritime notes wrap mystery and intrigue around “The Legendary Hero,” the “Pirates” track is as fun as ever with its own unique twist in the percussion, and the choir vocals in the “Ganondorf Battle” is a detail I heartily approve of — something that I found sorely absent in Nintendo Orchestra’s rendition in the 25th Anniversary Symphony.
Marcus Hedges’ The Wind Waker Orchestrated contains about 11 tracks total. Fans can listen to it now with a subscription to Apple Music, Spotify, Bandcamp, and other digital music services. The Spotify version can be sampled for free prior to signing up.
