It's Time to Set The Sails

It’s Time to Set The Sails: I ripped of an unknown composer’s “Forest Theme” from Terra Incognita, a Net Yaroze demo game.

The motif for 'It's Time to Set The Sails' in musical notation.

Figure 1: Motif for It’s Time to Set The Sails

There isn’t really info on the composer of the soundtrack in Terra Incognita the Net Yaroze demo: (TeamFatal, 1997) The first half is a descending tetrachord bassline. This can be found as a ground bass to be improvised upon in numerous chaconnes and passacaglias. More than that I wanted to test the 2-up-3-down moti del basso (sequence) in the chorus or B-part or latter part of the song; it is heard in the 0:32 mark (see player below for playback). However, in the second step of the pattern, the vi scale-degree breaks the sequence (should be IV). I would call the sequence a bit of a chameleon: it could easily be replaced by a descending-fifths sequence, but it is “softer” in its movement, or perceived movement. In the 0:47 mark, that is the latter repetition of the B-section, I unfold it as a descending-fifths sequence. If I may contrast the word “soft” with the word “dynamical”, this time the bass acts in a more “dynamical” manner. Compare these to the 2-up-3-down sequence heard in Wherever The Wind Takes Me of in this same album, however, in that instance dorian modal harmony draws attention; I don’t find it a typical example of the bass movement. My theory is the sequence works in adventurous sea themes, prove me wrong. As 1-7-6-3 constitues the galant romanesca, I wonder what this 6-7-5-1 (in minor key) constitutes. I’ll accumulate evidence from the seas and throw it out in the open later on. It’s time to set the sails.

For playback (& if you like this album, consider buying it in BandCamp to support my art):

Here’s the recording session video of the piece:

References

TeamFatal. (1997). Forest Theme. In Terra Incognita. Net Yaroze.