For my ART322 mixed media course's final project, I created a medieval manuscript based off of the Song of Time from The Legend of Zelda. This was a part of a larger project. If you want to read further about how I turned this project into a record, click here.
The Temple of Time's music, which this project was based upon, which deeply impressed me as a teenager.
During my super senior year of college, I made the connection between the Temple of Time's music that I loved so dearly as a young geeky teenager, and the Gregorian Chant that had since impacted me in my walk with Christ. It occurred to me that the creators of The Legend of Zelda where clearly heavily inspired by Gregorian Chant when they composed the "Song of Time".
This is the "Salve Regina", an ancient hymn asking the Blessed Virgin Mary for her prayers, dating from the 12th century. It is remarkable similar in structure to the Song of Time from Zelda.
I was led to the conclusion that it was time to make the "Song of Time" more fully into what it was already; it was time to turn it into a real Gregorian Chant. I composed English lyrics, and sent them to a Latin instructor, my friend Mike Katelenich. He set to work making the song comprehensible to your average medieval Catholic monk.
Next, I consulted my inner-medieval monk for a day's time, and created a manuscript for the newly-composed chant. The lyrics and the notes were printed off of on a computer. In a classic arts-and-crafts move, I made the sheet look ancient by soaking it in coffee and throwing it in the oven. Finally, I set up a place to paint the decorative "A" and the surrounding grass and leaves, using paint colors that would be found in authentic medieval manuscripts (see below for a few of my inspirations). You can see the images of the manuscript in progress and the final result below as well.
Some of the inspiration I took. Medieval manuscripts are exceedingly beautiful, and large, as usually the monastery could only afford one book that the entire choir of monks would have shared.
The work of the manuscript in progress with the finished product, ready to be chanted, to the far-right.
Ultimately, this project was born out of my love for Zelda, but beyond that still, was done as an expression of thanksgiving to God for the impact He had made on my life through the music tradition of my Faith.
Of potential further interest:
Other popular media influenced by Gregorian Chant: