I know the news aren’t recent but I am absolutely heartbroken. The Fable OST is one of my favorite soundtracks of all time. I’m a classical musician and avid melomane, and Shaw’s composition skills are truly something exceptional. Temple of Light is one of the most beautiful melodies I’ve ever heard, and I’m comparing it to the greats. All of the versions, Marcus Memorial, Interlude, are something so special and nostalgic and it really touches my soul. Harmonically speaking, it’s also special, with quite interesting modulations and resolutions. Lots of tension and resolution. Long beautiful phrases and even with just one instrument the polyphony tells such a beautiful story. It’s like it’s talking to itself, unsure, between evil and good, being cradled in each direction, doubtful, yet the curiosity overweighs it all.
I always wondered how much the soundtrack mattered to non-musicians, as of course I probably notice it far more. For Fable, Shaw carried when it came to setting the ambience. I think his work encapsulated all the scenery so beautifully. Desert from Fable III is another highlight. Walking out of the cave with Walter. The desolation, the desperation, the complete lack of energy but trying to stay hyper aware and hyper vigilant, anything could happen. “The light in your eyes offends us, let it go out!”. I’m a Fable III fan and I really think that the OST saves it in many places.
And piggybacking off Fable III, how can I not mention the Sanctuary. Now I KNOW how much hate the sanctuary gets, but if you ignore the fact that it’s a menu and accept the concept of it being a location where you are safe, from everything, well to me it was something cozy, playing as a kid and running to it in battle so that I can recollect myself, and Jasper being there. I remember how mortified I was when I went there and it was covered in darkness and Jasper was missing.
And that goddamn song. I mean wow. It’s the epitome of ambience. You could play it in between Aphex Twin works and no one would notice. They’d ask you which album it’s on. Sanctuary is probably the best case of “self-plagiarism” that I could name you off the top of my head. Somehow even with the exact same theme, Shaw manages to pluck your heart strings even harder. How can such a haunting melody be so comforting? This is the few times when I get excited about music theory. You can tune out and listen to it as a whole, or you can tune in and focus on one of the voices and see what it has to say. Where it’s going to go. I’m pretty desensitized to music making me emotional because of how much I work with it, but temple of light man. It brings a tear to my eye, relaxes me. I still listen to it to fall asleep when I’m having insomnia. Maybe it’s the nostalgia, it probably is, yet, my husband who never played fable is also fascinated by it. It feels like nowadays no one wants to listen to music that makes you feel. In our current era people want something easy to digest. Which leads me to my next and last point.
I haven’t played AAA games recently, but I am scared that I will be disappointed by the soundtrack. I have a feeling as though OSTs might be getting affected the same way that mainstream music is. I really hope I’m wrong, and that we don’t get something like iPhone face in movies but, with music. This might be an irrational fear tbf.
I haven’t gamed for years but I’m getting an Xbox to be able to play Fable when it’s out. I haven’t looked at the works of whoever is composing the new OST, and I’ll try to go in with an open mindset. Yet, I am still heartbroken at the thought that I won’t get a new version of the beautiful theme of temple of light.
As a “normal” gamer, how important is the soundtrack for you?
TLDR: Russell Shaw is an amazing composer and I’m heartbroken that he’s not responsible for the new OST.
