Oden+Nero

By: Peter Nero Dusty Garden Galaxy Composer: Mahito Yokota Performed by: Mario Galaxy Orchestra Time Period: Contemporary media type="youtube" key="HNqEfB6IYmE" height="315" width="420"

This piece, composed by Mahito Yokota, was recorded in a studio played by the Mario Galaxy Orchestra and is part of the video game title, Super Mario Galaxy. This song is played during a level called Dusty Garden Galaxy, a very bright and windy level with grassy planes, huge plants and large flower beds, which symbolizes the movement of the song. It was recorded in August 2007 and released on the Super Mario Galaxy: Original Soundtrack in January 2008. It won the "Best Design in Audio" from the U.K.'s //Edge Magazine//, a critic award from one of the world’s most respected gaming magazine.

Mahito Yokota, a Japanese composer at [|Nintendo's EAD Tokyo Studio], joined the Nintendo team in 2004, and is mostly known for composing the music played in Super Mario Galaxy. Yokota specializes in Latin-instrumental work, and synthesized music. Most of his orchestral works follow a rigid formula: a pronounced melody, followed by a reinforcement of said melody by several instruments, an understated intermission, and a reprisal of the initial melody. He began to work on writing pieces for the production of Super Mario Galaxy a year after he joined Nintendo.

Yokota struggled with the project as he focused on creating a Latin main theme at inspiration from previous scores in the Super Mario series and approval of game director Yoshiaki Koizumi. Sound director Koji Kondo dismissed the music because it sounded cute rather than cool, making Yokota feel a misunderstanding of the “character” of Mario games and was trying to imitate his own music. Close to quitting his job, Yokota decided upon an orchestral score after much contemplation, then approval of a recording budget.

The //Super Mario Galaxy// score was a large critical success. The music proved so delightful that Nintendo commemorated it with two soundtrack releases. Music from the game has also been featured at, “//PLAY! A Video Game Symphony,”// and, “//Games in Concert 3,”// 2 well known events where big symphonies play orchestrated video game music. As a result of the impression Yokota made here, he was also assigned to arrange several orchestral pieces for other video games.

The reason I chose this piece isn't only because I'm a fan of the game itself, but because during this level the song fits perfectly with the timing and the storyline. It creates imagery through the different layers creating a rich tone, heavy with harmonics. The melody itself is very smooth and flowing but because of the lower strings doing continuous 16th notes, it creates the upbeat feel to the melody, making it an exciting song. My favorite part would have to be where the harp comes in because it offers huge contrast. The full song itself is grand because of the accented first notes for the continuous 16th notes creating a rhythm of excitement but when the harp comes in, it seems to lower the tension creating a whole different feel to the song for that song. It goes back to being a grand song when then brass section returns. As the song comes to a close, all the instruments end in harmony, which makes it a great song throughout the whole piece.

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