The theme of Cathar Village will always be a personal favorite of mine. Monster Hunter 4, and its predecessor Monster Hunter 4: Ultimate, hold a special place in my heart as a fond childhood game that I could easily spend all day playing. The crazy amount of time I put into the game (about 500 hours if I'm forced to admit) left me very familiar not only with the game but with its music as well. 

The soundtracks of all Monster Hunter games are quite unique in their instrumentation and style. Especially with the most recent edition, Monster Hunter: Rise, the music in each game evokes a traditional Japanese mood. This is done through many traditional instruments that I couldn't name such as unique flutes and drums. The more western instruments (namely strings) are also common throughout the soundtracks, but they do not change the overall mood of the game and instead enhance it greatly.

All that is to say, the original theme of Cathar (listen to it here) has a unique and folky sound to it. My job while orchestrating this piece was to keep that feel while transferring the content to a much more powerful group - a full orchestra. Taking this on was the final project for my first (and sadly only) orchestration class at CUI, and as such is my first real attempt at large-scale orchestration. I'm quite pleased with the way it turned out and only wish now for a possible reading session with an orchestra.

A small, fun fact - at letter F, measure 45 the 1st trumpet has a concert E. This note is surprising and out of place within its D minor chord context, functioning as the 9th/2nd of the chord. This note was actually originally entered as a typo - I had meant it to be a concert D which would be much simpler and more stable. However, when I heard the playback with the 'wrong' note I actually liked it a lot and left it in. I think it gives a really interesting sound to the end of the phrase and becomes a point of interest right before the repeat back to the beginning.

Cathar, also known as the Village Swaying in the Wind, is a very small village atop a high mountain range. It is precariously situated among cliffs and clouds alike and is dangerously close to Heaven's Mount - the home of the Shagaru Magala. Regardless of all of this, it is a homey, safe place to be and the folks there are kind and inviting. It may not seem like a place worthy of an orchestra, but further inspection might just leave you surprised.

Links to the individual parts can be found here.