Koji Kondo once again worked his magic when composing the music for Twilight Princess. Much like previous Zelda installments, numerous songs from itssoundtrack have become staples of the series. Most were original compositions that fans have since replayed and remixed countless times over the years, but some were beautifully recomposed from classics, such as the “Meet Princess Zelda Theme” and the “Sacred Grove Theme.”
In this iconic soundtrack, there are songs that get your energy pumping, that evoke a tear or two, and most importantly help to immerse you in Hyrule and make you truly feel like you’re on an epic hero’s quest.
Unlike past Zelda installments, as soon as Link’s quest starts getting serious in Twilight Princess, he is not greeted with a heroic, up-tempo tune to get everyone’s adrenaline pumping. Rather, he is ushered into his journey with the distorted and disturbing, slightly off-key sounds of the Twilight world. It evokes a deep sense of discomfort and unease, letting the player know they’re in a twisted version of Hyrule, devoid of warmth and color.
It’s absolutely perfect. It’s quiet enough that you could hear a tree branch snap that exacerbates your anxiety, but it’s also discordant enough that it never fully lets you relax. It’s a perfect reflection of how Link’s journey begins unceremoniously and uncomfortably. And unfortunately for him, he will continue to be accompanied by the sounds of an otherworldly place in his ongoing fight for light throughout the game.
In complete contrast to the previous tune, this upbeat, bouncy song is one every Twilight Princess player will associate with cats, cats, and more cats. It’s almost out of place alongside the rest of Twilight Princess’s soundtrack, but it makes excellent use of classic Zelda motifs, as it borrows from the “Hyrule Field Theme” and is reminiscent of Gerudo Valley from Ocarina of Time due to its acoustic guitar.
With that Western vibe, you can just imagine Link swapping out his trademark green hat for a cowboy one and engaging in a stand-off with Twilight Princess’s two villains. There’s The Good (Link), The Bad (Ganondorf), and The Ugly (Zant), and this town ain’t big enough for the three of them.
While the “Twilight Theme” is designed to leave the player feeling disoriented and lost, the “Faron Woods Theme” of Link’s hometown is designed to evoke warmth and a sense of protection.
It’s such a beautiful composition, with a variety of soft sounds and stringed instruments that are gentle and unobtrusive, yet soothing and reassuring. It perfectly encapsulates Link’s idyllic life in the woods, one which is very difficult to leave behind.
There are a number of dynamic songs in Twilight Princess, which change depending on where the player is, what they’re doing, and what’s happening. The “Hyrule Castle Town Theme” is one great example. Each section of the town — Central Square, West Road, South Road, and East Road — has a slightly different variation of the main tune, with the Central Square having the most boisterous and “full” version.
It’s such a great way to reflect each area of the town, with the quieter versions being used for the less busy wings while the fuller one is used for the bustling heart of it. Aside from that nice touch, it’s also just a generally catchy tune with wholesome vibes. It offers reassurance that life and joy can still thrive even with Twilight lurking on the borders.
Not every melody associated with Hyrule Castle is uplifting, however. Once Link gains access to the inside of Hyrule Castle and ascends to face Ganondorf, he’s surrounded with a song that becomes progressively more sinister the higher he climbs. And it’s all-too familiar for Ocarina of Time fans. The tower’s tune seamlessly transitions into Ganondorf’s iconic theme, with foreboding trumpets and violins surmounting.
Then, there it is: his organ. It’s chilling. It’s such a flawless build-up to the wielder of the Triforce of Power, the King of Thieves, the Great King of Evil, the Emperor of the Dark Realm — and every other name he has gone by throughout Hyrule’s history.
Death Mountain is a recurring symbol of Link’s unshakable courage. He barely flinches in the face of a mountain that doesn’t sugarcoat its danger. He’s literally venturing into a place with “death” in its name. Twilight Princess’s “Death Mountain Theme” perfectly reflects his courage, with an unrelenting, marching-band style drumbeat and triumphant trumpets.
Parallel to Link’s inner strength is the mettle of the Goron race, which the “Death Mountain Theme” also encapsulates. The original “Goron City Theme” from Ocarina of Time has been blended perfectly into this new composition, and like the Gorons themselves, it has been pumped up. This tune lets the player know that the Gorons are a proud race who don’t just live in Death Mountain; they own it.
In contrast to the previous song, the “Sacred Grove Theme” is an elegant and soothing, yet mystical tune. What was once a playful melody has become soft, somber, and beautiful.
The Lost Woods is no longer a playground for Kokiri and Deku Scrubs — it’s a sacred path to the secret resting place of the Master Sword. There is one all-too playful Skull Kid still lurking among the shrouded foliage, though.
There’s no shortage of amazing boss battle music in the Zelda series, and the “Stallord Battle Theme” (during the second phase of the fight) is an excellent example.
Not only is this reminiscent of a crazy awesome fight in Twilight Princess —where Link is attached to a spinning top, leaping from wall to wall and striking a giant, flying skeleton-head down to the ground — but it’s also nostalgic for Ocarina of Time veterans. If you don’t also see King Dodongo rolling around a lava-filled room in your head while hearing this song, are you even a Zelda fan?
Did you know that it’s physically impossible to create a list based on Twilight Princess‘smusic and not include the “Malo Mart Theme” in the top 5? By Zelda law, this catchy song must be included on this list.
This tune is as brilliant as it is self-aware. From the fun melody, to the weird vocals, to the excessive yet unexpectedly perfect use of a whistle as an instrument, it knows its completely left-field for Zelda, but that’s exactly what Malo Mart is. It wants to be memorable; it wants to be a place that the player will happily return to for all their adventuring needs, if not just to dance together with the other patrons.
Midna’s Lament is undoubtedly in the top 10 most iconic songs from the Zelda series, let alone Twilight Princess. Its composition is simple yet exquisite, using a perfect combination of high and low notes to evoke a sense of grief in this tragic moment of the game.
The most spectacular aspect of this song is how few instruments it uses. It is for the most part a single piano — only occasionally does an orchestra of violins enter the melody, and they do so like a sudden overflow of sorrow. When the violins are absent, the lone piano feels so overwhelmingly melancholy, and when they’re present, they simply elevate what was already an incredibly emotional melody. It’s truly flawless.
Liz Burton-Hughes
Liz is the Assistant Columns Editor and Writer at Zelda Universe. If you see any articles about the Gerudo or Koroks, she's most likely the one who wrote them. She's probably writing about them somewhere right now. Liz is also in the process of trying to steal Beedle's heart from Hyrule.
by Liz Burton-Hughes on January 21, 2021
