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What style of music is the KQIV intro?

Started by Sir Perceval of Daventry, September 22, 2011, 04:07:08 PM

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Sir Perceval of Daventry

Just curious--Was wondering if there was any sort of real, historical music like the KQIV Intro Music...Like Baroque o something?

Blackthorne

I'd say neo-classical.  It's not as overly ornate as Baroque, which had lots of mixed counterpoint and plenty of 16th notes and trills!


Bt
"You've got to keep one eye looking over your shoulder
you know it's going to get harder and harder as you
get older - but in the end you'll pack up, fly down south, hide your head in the sand.  Just another sad old man, all alone and dying of cancer." - Dogs, Pink Floyd.

darthkiwi

#2
I'm taking the music from this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zj4gx-ORIfo

Do you mean the trumpet piece (which plays until 00:30) or the more folk-musicy piece (which plays from 00:30 to 1:10)?

Both remind me more of romantic music rather than classical music. Classical music, by the way, doesn't just mean "orchestral music": it specifically refers to a style of orchestral music which was prevalent between about 1760 and 1820. Mozart and Haydn are probably its most well-known practitioners.

While classical music does do away with much of the trills and counterpoint (ie. several melodies all interacting at once rather than one dominating melody) of baroque music, I still don't think it's that similar to the KQIV music. Classical music tends to be very measured and graceful, and tends to pride elegance and beauty above passion and emotion. That's not always true, of course: there are many classical pieces which are full of fire and brimstone or are brilliantly fun. But, as a genre, classical music tends to be pretty measured.

Romantic music (roughly 1820-1900) evolved out of classical music, however, and tends to be much more passionate. While classical music got rid of baroque counterpoint in favour of an overriding melody, Romantic music tried to make that melody passionate and meaningful, often sacrificing classical precision and elegance for a more emotional (but less refined) style of music.

I think the KQIV music is most like Romantic music. Compare:

Bach's violin concerto in E Major (an example of baroque): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SGdzbQAzoo

This is far too mathematical for KQIV; there are several melodies rather than just one, and all the melodies are very regular, whereas KQIV features music which is less steady, with a more uneven rhythm.

Mozart's 21st piano concerto (an example of classical): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=df-eLzao63I&feature=fvwrel

There's only one dominant melody but it's still elegant and measured, and definitely not as free as the trumpet piece or as folksy as the minor piece in KQIV.

However, look at these two examples of Romantic music:

The opening of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOZwfE-0kPg&feature=related

The wedding march from Wagner's Lohengrin: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWnWgQmODbs

The first piece demonstrates that aura of folk-song melodies that characterises the minor piece in KQIV; the second piece centres around the trumpet and gives that instrument a free and rapid melody similar to the trumpet piece. (Incidentally, yes, that is "Here Comes the Bride"; apparently it was originally written by Wagner and is part of that opera. Who knew?) Obviously the two pieces are not exact parallels of the KQIV ones, but I'd argue that's because KQIV's music was written on primitive computer technology by people who were no doubt talented but probably not genre-defining geniuses, whereas these Romantic pieces were written by two of the greatest composers who ever lived at a time when music had had centuries to develop and become rich and complex.

What's also interesting is that Romantic composers often looked back to earlier times and attempted to evoke those settings in their music, rather than composing the music for its own sake. Tchaikovsky took inspiration from Russian folk tales and folk music, and in Swan Lake attempted to create a sort of Russian medieval neverland. Wagner too spent almost all of his operatic career composing works based on Germanic myths and folk tales. King's Quest, too, uses the same sort of music to evoke the same sort of setting: a time that probably never existed but which has become highly romanticised until it bears little resemblance to its historical foundation, and becomes an idealised reflection of the values of the present (or at least the present artist).
Prince of the Aquitaine. Duke of York.

Knight errant and consort to Her Grace the Empress Deloria of the Holy Roman Empire, Queene of all Albion and Princess Palatine.

Blackthorne

While I do agree there is some Romanticism in the music, I suggested Neo-Classical, which is different than classical.  I felt it more pertained to the style of music composed for KQIV.   However, the program music of the Romantic Period probably more suggests a soundtrack to a game.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neo-classical_music


Bt
"You've got to keep one eye looking over your shoulder
you know it's going to get harder and harder as you
get older - but in the end you'll pack up, fly down south, hide your head in the sand.  Just another sad old man, all alone and dying of cancer." - Dogs, Pink Floyd.

darthkiwi

Ah, thanks - I assumed you were referring to the Classical period. I didn't know about the Neoclassical period, although I have actually seen the Rakes Progress (and thoroughly enjoyed it!).

As you say, Romantic music is probably remeniscent of the style of music found in game soundtracks, but I do agree with you that there's a Neoclassical influence there.
Prince of the Aquitaine. Duke of York.

Knight errant and consort to Her Grace the Empress Deloria of the Holy Roman Empire, Queene of all Albion and Princess Palatine.