Throné, the Thief/Osvald, the Scholar

Track 1-5: Throné, the Thief

Throné has one of the grimmer backgrounds of the eight travelers. Amid betrayal by those she thought she could trust and the need to kill her own parents, she embarks on a quest for freedom. In her music, I strove to express both her desiccated heart and her powerful desire to be free.

In concrete terms, this piece is built around a string ensemble, including violins and the like, but I intentionally kept the scale to a minimum.

Normally, the strings in OCTOPATH TRAVELER are played by an 8-6-4-3-2 ensemble. These numbers indicate the number of first violins, second violins, violas, cellos, and contrabasses, respectively. In other words, the ensemble usually has twenty-three players in all. However, Throné’s theme is performed by a 1-1-1-1-1 ensemble.

Reducing the number of instruments makes the individual timbral expression of each more perceptible. This in turn, makes it easier to hear that these instruments are played by drawing a bow across the strings. (With more instruments, this aspect becomes less perceptible, but conversely the instruments blend together into a new sound with a unique appeal of its own.) I wanted the player to hear Throné’s story in that hoarse, scratchy sound unique to stringed instruments.

In terms of performance, I had the players produce a hard, dry tone to express emotional desiccation.

There is a vague emptiness to the sound overall, but beyond that, the powerful melody and development convey the strength of will that drives Throné on.

Track 1-6: Osvald, the Scholar

Osvald is another character with a bona fide brutal backstory. He begins the game in prison, framed by a rival scholar of the magical arts for the murder of his beloved wife.

A burning desire for vengeance on the rival who killed his wife is what motivates Osvald’s journey. However, notwithstanding his occupation as a scholar, he is a huge man with a deep baritone voice, and I felt the a need to express these elements musically.

The first step was to adopt the cello as the main instrument. This choice was originally meant to convey the overwhelming sorrow Osvald bears within his massive frame, but I also think the cello perfectly matches the voice of Jouji Nakata, Osvald’s voice actor. (I’m fairly sure I didn’t know at the time that Nakata would be cast.)

To express Osvald’s longing for vengeance and implacable resolve, after the introduction, the initial melody is played in unison on the cello and in the bass register of the piano, with a timpani struck in unison as well.

Unison between melody and bass creates a powerful resonance, and the lack of true harmony allows a hollow, empty timbre that adds to the feel of desolation.

The refrain features a more passionate melody played on the cello, filling the theme with Osvald’s grief at the loss of the wife he loved.

The cello performance is courtesy of superplayer Masateru Nishikata (@vctpmasa), who can also play the trumpet at a professional level.

Translation: Matt Treyvaud