The Legend of Zelda Symphony of the Goddesses: Piano Solos
Q**.
Perhaps the Greatest Zelda Arrangements for Piano
This is the Zelda book I've been dreaming of for years. These four pieces are taken from the Symphony of the Goddess traveling symphony which accompanied the release of Skyward Sword. Each piece is in the form of a symphonic movement, moving through various different themes from a Zelda game. The tracks are on the audio CD which came with early copies of the game. If you are unfamiliar with the pieces, it may be good to check out the live orchestra versions first to get an idea of what these are.First, the book is very nice. The binding is stiff, but secure. The score looks beautiful. The full color artwork pages are stunning.I am picky with piano arrangements. As a classical pianist, I am often disappointed in arrangements which don't mesh well with the piano as an instruments. That said, I happily endorse this book. Playing this music is delightful. There are many moments which perfectly capture the orchestrated versions. The only potential drawback, in my opinion, is that a few ornaments have been simplified; yet, the notes left out are easy enough to add by ear if this is an issue.As for difficulty, I will not try to describe it with generic terms. In my opinion, the music was not arranged specifically to be easy or difficult. Rather, it was arranged to convey the underlying music. In case difficulty level is a concern, I'll walk through some of the more challenging parts of the Wind Waker piece. Some passages have tricky articulation switching rapidly between staccato notes and slurs. A few passages have two voices played by the same hand, sometimes a 6th or 7th apart. Sometimes the left hand carries the melody or both hands play equally important lines. The key signatures range from 5 flats to 7 sharps. There is an enormous dynamic range. (That's what makes it so fun!) Some chords are fairly large. The time signature is generally straightforward, but there is a brief 7/4 passage. I don't mean this to be intimidating, many parts are quite simple! And above all else, I believe this would be very fun to play even if it takes a little longer to master than other arrangements available. I only include this discussion in case a new pianist is looking for a Zelda book.This book is a gem, definitely worth any Zelda fan's attention.
A**N
Great collection, not necessarily for beginners
One of my favorites things about playing the piano is playing songs that I love from movies, TV, or video games. This is a great compilation of Zelda songs arranged into different movements. I’d recommend it if you love the music of the Legend of Zelda series, but it’s worth noting that beginners will more likely than not have trouble playing through this book. Though, it’s definitely something worth working toward skill wise.
S**W
Exceptional Zelda Arrangements!
These arrangements are really exceptional. I love piano arrangements of game music, but I've often found some of the Zelda piano and guitar books & arrangements to be a bit repetitive, especially the main theme and Gannondorf stuff. These arrangements, however, are much more in line with the types of arrangements found in the "Final Fantasy Piano Collections" books, if you are familiar with those. Except, in this book each arrangement is a medley of the music from one entire game or overarching theme, rather than arrangements of individual Zelda songs. I do agree with other reviewers who state there is a little too much Gannondorf in this book, which is (also in my opinion) the least interesting musically. However, the arrangement of Twilight Princess is absolutely breathtaking. Time of the Falling Rain is also worth particular mention for being an exceptionally good arrangement. If you are even looking for Zelda piano arrangements at all, this is definitely one of the best. Of course, as with any arrangement or medley, it may be missing your personal favorite motif, but that's not any reason to give this less than 5 stars. No, it doesn't include EVERY motif from EVERY Zelda game, but what is here is really great. I would say difficulty ranges from intermediate to advanced.
A**X
Seems like decent music, but focuses on the Symphony rather than the original melodies
These arrangements seem decent. I'm a novice so I haven't managed to get far into it yet. When I started to play the "Time of the Falling Rain" series (based on A Link to the Past) I was struck with how oddly this arrangement sounded. I looked up a recording of the live symphony on Youtube and got my answer. These arrangements appear to be based on the symphony concert arrangements rather than the original pieces from the games. They try to capture the orchestra instruments into a solo piano and it can come off a bit awkward.This all might be obvious, but I wanted to point it out. Try listening to the orchestra versions a bit before buying. What you hear there is more or less what this book tried to capture.
R**N
Exactly what I expected
It is a 5-movement symphony for piano spanning Ocarina of Time, the Wind Waker, and Twilight Princess. Each movement has about 12 melodies each within it. It's 78 pages long and the pages are tear resistant.
R**R
It is what it says it is.
Its a nice piano book. Soft cover is standard for a soft cover.Nothing against this product, but every time I buy a sheet music book, I always wish it was spiral bound. It would be way easier to prop up and read, and you wouldn't have to break the spine.
K**M
Loved the Concert and love this book!
This is probably the best rendition of an orchestral movement written for solo piano (for the Zelda series that is...). But i will say, there are many pieces that vary in difficulty. I cant wait to learn them, but im sure it will take a lot of time and practice! I would recommend this to a more intermediate/advanced pianist as it requires quite a bit of technique due to it being converted from a full orchestra. I am a little dissapointed with the condition it was sent though...There are some scratches on the back and a few chips of paint off on the cover, as well as some smear lines on the sheet music itself. This doesn't take away from the experience though and is only a minor problem. I would give it a 9/10 overall.
J**G
... a gift but either than that it was a great buy. The pages and art are wonderful
Product arrived curled and I had to flatten it with some weights as it was a gift but either than that it was a great buy. The pages and art are wonderful.
A**.
La rapidez
Todo bien y rapido
A**I
Excellent product
Beautiful pieces for a more intermediate pianist
F**N
Passt
Wie bestellt
D**E
Usé
On dirait qu'il n'est pas neuf, traces d'usures blanches sur la couverture noire, sur la tranche et sur la 4eme de couverture.. Déçue.
L**S
Confusing for a beginner
As someone that wants to self-teach myself how to read sheet music, this was probably not the best book to start with.Saying that, it acts as a goal for what I want to achieve so in the end a great purchase!My only warning is that the songs aren't really separated in the way that I thought they would be - instead it is written as one long song (with sections labelled as songs)
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