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Magically Masterful

A little warning up front: this is going to be a long one. Not only because Skyrim , as the fifth and currently last game in the main Elder Scrolls-series, is probably the best-known role-playing game of the recent past. Though hits such as the fantastic The Witcher 3 or the no less amazing Baldur’s Gate 3 are slowly ousting the now 13-year-old game from the top spot, publisher Bethesda's constant re-releases ensure that the excursion to Skyrim is not forgotten quite so quickly.

No, Jeremy Soule's soundtrack should also, as usual for the series, burn itself into the collective memory of the gaming community - and represent the composer's last great work in the video game sector. In my review of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic , I had already talked about the allegations of sexual abuse against Soule that caused him to disappear from the scene. If you want to read more about my view on the subject of artists and artwork, check out my related About Cancel Culture.

With that out of the way, let's get straight to the soundtrack. This comprises a whopping 53 tracks and is therefore unusually extensive - unexpected, but definitely not unwelcome. The duration of just under 3.5 hours can be somewhat misleading. Because not only do we have, as with the predecessors, a few 'trivial' ambient pieces between all the masterpieces. No, there is also a 42-minute track called Skyrim Atmospheres with ... atmospheric fantasy world impressions, who would have thought?

In terms of quality, Soule was able to draw on the full potential and at least match the already great The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. While I also love the music of the predecessor and look back on it with even more nostalgia, it is, if you want to be mean, typical fantasy fare. Very high-quality fantasy fare, mind you, but somewhat stereotypical. The sound composition, the feeling, everything seems highly stylized and therefore artificial because it describes a fictional scenario.

Skyrim, however, manages to throw off this cloak of expectation by transporting us into the mundane. The score takes us, not unlike Unravel (Imperial Throne), high into Scandinavian-like (acoustic) regions. Sunbeams trace the outlines of the snow-covered mountains, while life takes place on the alpine pasture and down in the valley ... just like in the game. We see this image before our eyes while the score lulls us into an almost treacherous state of relaxation - and then the battle breaks out when a dragon appears in the sky. Dreamy idyll and fierce fight for survival are as close together in this soundtrack as was perhaps only the case in Gothic 3, when all hell broke loose because of a boar.

Unlike its direct predecessor, however, the battle tracks are less dramatic - or even more so. What sounds paradoxical can be explained quite well by tracks such as Blood and Steel and Watch the Skies Massive drums and deep brass announce the approaching danger, the battle seems 'barbaric', more raw than we get in Elder Scrolls . It is an almost primeval battle, man against beast, the fight for survival. This spectacle is accompanied by a choir whose male voices reinforce the archaic impression, while the high female counter-voices, like the Valkyries, elevate it to a spiritual level.

This discrepancy works excellently here, which is probably why Assassin’s Creed Valhalla uses a similar approach. In its quieter moments, however, the latter's score is nowhere near the quality with which Soule spoils us. Where Oblivion with pieces like Through the Valleys, Harvest Dawn and Watchman’s Ease to take us through carefree valleys, picturesque coastlines and densely populated towns, Skyrim introduces us to a magical and barren landscape characterized by natural beauty.

As I've already talked in my Top 50 best battle tracks in detail about One They Fear and the other battle accompaniments (Tooth and Claw, Death or Sovngarde) are literally in the same vein, I'd like to devote myself to the quieter, no less fantastic tracks at this point.

First and foremost, The Streets of Whiterun, which made it into my first Top 100 Video game tracks with its thoughtful piano melody. Since I play the piano myself, to a greater or lesser degree, pieces like this usually get a little closer to me than an exciting guitar solo can. However, the piano is not a soloist but, together with the strings and the choir, reaches heavenly spheres that always move me to tears. Hardly any other piece gives me such a homely feeling, this untouchable sense of security that I sink into while I look back on my days in Skyrim . This track is simply beautiful.

Similarly beautiful, but in a different way, is Ancient Stones. What describes the motif of return, of safety, in The Streets of Whiterun is here the spirit of adventure, the sheer endless expanse. Soule knows how to give this world a feeling of welcome, an invitation to stare and discover. Wonderful! Awake, is equally enticing, blazing towards us and announcing the start of our journey to the edge of heaven.

In contrast, Secunda (named after one of the two moons of the world of Tamriel) represents a form of pause for me: The harp, accompanied by the piano, adds an almost meditative spiritual level, like a quiet dance in the moonlight. Solitude follows a similar approach, but with its use of strings and vocals, it almost moves in the direction of regret. The orchestra rises up like a lament in the middle of the piece and reminds me of Howard Shore's work for The Lord of the Rings.

Nevertheless, Soule remains true to the style of the Elder Scrolls series: not least in the form of the familiar motif in the theme song Dragonborn, which he already introduced in Morrowind as Nerevar Rising (or Call of Magic) and continued in Reign of the Septims from Oblivion. The theme from the latter then reappears in Unbroken Road, while Wind Guide You is a reference to Minstrel's Lament (also from Oblivion). The Jerall Mountains in turn takes up the theme from Through the Valleys (Oblivion), which itself was a nod in the direction of Rise to Reality (or Silt Sunrise) from Morrowind.

In this way, the TES TES-DNA, which Soule established in 2002 with Morrowind , has continued right up to the latest installment of the main series. Whether this will carry on with the sixth part, rumored to be released sometime in 2028, remains unclear. After all, this has also been achieved with the mobile offshoot Blades (Inon Zur) and the MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online (Brad Derrick, Rik Schaffer), which continues to be supplied with expansions and high-quality music in equal measure.

So let's come to the conclusion: the soundtrack to The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is absolutely top class. This is not only due to the enchanting motifs and powerfully unrestrained action tracks, but also to the foresight in setting the music closer to reality. It simply never gets boring to immerse yourself in this auditory idyll that Soule conjures up with this album. Personally, I can sink every time one of the cautious notes is heard - only to jump up with a hair-raising chest at the next track and face the battle. A sight worth seeing for a score worth hearing!

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No.	Title	Artist(s)	Ratings
01	Dragonborn	Jeremy Soule	5
02	Awake	Jeremy Soule	5
03	From Past to Present	Jeremy Soule	4
04	Unbroken Road	Jeremy Soule	4
05	Ancient Stones	Jeremy Soule	5
06	The City Gates	Jeremy Soule	4
07	Silent Footsteps	Jeremy Soule	2
08	Dragonsreach	Jeremy Soule	4
09	Tooth and Claw	Jeremy Soule	4
10	Under an Ancient Sun	Jeremy Soule	3
11	Death or Sovngarde	Jeremy Soule	4
12	Masser	Jeremy Soule	3
13	Distant Horizons	Jeremy Soule	3
14	Dawn	Jeremy Soule	3
15	The Jerall Mountains	Jeremy Soule	3
16	Steel on Steel	Jeremy Soule	4
17	Secunda	Jeremy Soule	5
18	Imperial Throne	Jeremy Soule	4
19	Frostfall	Jeremy Soule	3
20	Night Without Stars	Jeremy Soule	2
21	Into Darkness	Jeremy Soule	1
22	Kyne's Peace	Jeremy Soule	3
23	Unbound	Jeremy Soule	2
24	Far Horizons	Jeremy Soule	4
25	A Winter's Tale	Jeremy Soule	3
26	The Bannered Mare	Jeremy Soule	4
27	The Streets of Whiterun	Jeremy Soule	5
28	One They Fear	Jeremy Soule	5
29	The White River	Jeremy Soule	4
30	Silence Unbroken	Jeremy Soule	1
31	Standing Stones	Jeremy Soule	4
32	Beneath the Ice	Jeremy Soule	2
33	Tundra	Jeremy Soule	4
34	Journey's End	Jeremy Soule	4
35	Before the Storm	Jeremy Soule	3
36	A Chance Meeting	Jeremy Soule	3
37	Out of the Cold	Jeremy Soule	3
38	Around the Fire	Jeremy Soule	4
39	Shadows and Echoes	Jeremy Soule	1
40	Caught Off Guard	Jeremy Soule	5
41	Aurora	Jeremy Soule	4
42	Blood and Steel	Jeremy Soule	5
43	Towers and Shadows	Jeremy Soule	3
44	Seven Thousand Steps	Jeremy Soule	2
45	Solitude	Jeremy Soule	5
46	Watch the Skies	Jeremy Soule	5
47	The Gathering Storm	Jeremy Soule	4
48	Sky Above, Voice Within	Jeremy Soule	4
49	Death in the Darkness	Jeremy Soule	2
50	Shattered Shields	Jeremy Soule	1
51	Sovngarde	Jeremy Soule	5
52	Wind Guide You	Jeremy Soule	4
53	Skyrim Atmospheres	Jeremy Soule	1

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Dawnguard

Despite the huge number of mods and total conversions from the loyal fan community, which mean that Skyrim still looks good and offers tons of new content, a total of three official DLCs were also released, although only two of these were provided with new music tracks. Unfortunately, there are also no OSTs, which is why we have to make do with a gamerip for Dawnguard and Dragonborn.

In terms of content, Dawnguard revolves around a group of vampire hunters who have set themselves on the heels of the bloodsuckers. It is up to us to decide which of the two factions we want to join. In terms of both the story and the music, we are transported to musty castles and abandoned crypts, which sounds just as entertaining as it ultimately is. With just four tracks, the gamerip is listened to much faster than the adventure is played through.

Where Soule had a whole world open to him in the main game, the instanced detour into the world of the sun allergists offers little room for musical masterclass. In fact, only the piece by the eponymous Dawnguard, What’s Left of the Snow Elves / The Forgotten Vale, is worth mentioning, even though it ironically remains rather bloodless despite its soulful approach. The vampire counterpart Vampires of Clan Volkihar sounds like typical dungeon muff à la Oblivion, and the last two tracks Ancient Depths (Ambience) and Vampiric Depths (Ambience) are ambient. Too bad.

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No.	Title	Artist(s)	Ratings
01	What's Left of the Snow Elves / The Forgotten Vale	Jeremy Soule	3
02	Vampires of Clan Volkihar	Jeremy Soule	2
03	Ancient Depths (Ambience)	Jeremy Soule	1
04	Vampiric Depths (Ambience)	Jeremy Soule	1

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Dragonborn

The score for Dragonborn seems much more extensive. This DLC ships us off to a completely new region ... or rather a familiar one: The setting is the island of Solstheim, which is somewhat reminiscent of Morrowind, inhabited by the dark elves. This is not only evident in the visuals, but also in the music: 7 of the 14 tracks are taken directly from the OST for The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, which is why we are greeted by classics such as The Road Most Traveled, Blessing of Vivec and Silt Sunrise.

But there is also something new, which is fortunately much more exciting than what was on Dawnguard. Because this album is a gamerip, I'm not sure which title is the correct one, which is why I've simply noted both: Under Redoran Watch / Returning 400 Years Later, Telvanni Tower / Arriving in Solstheim and The Moesring Mountains / Dragonborn’s End are pleasantly soulful, Ashfall / Eldritch Depths nicely spherical and Apocrypha (Realm of Knowledge) eerie enough for a Daedra without drifting into the creepy. The rest, as I said, is already known from Morrowind . All in all, nice to have, but unfortunately there are no killer tracks like in the main game.

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No.	Title	Artist(s)	Ratings
01	Welcome, Outlander	Jeremy Soule	4
02	Under Redoran Watch / Returning 400 Years Later	Jeremy Soule	4
03	Ashfall / Eldritch Depths	Jeremy Soule	3
04	Telvanni Tower / Arriving in Solstheim	Jeremy Soule	4
05	The Moesring Mountains / Dragonborn's End	Jeremy Soule	4
06	Apocrypha (Realm of Knowledge)	Jeremy Soule	2
07	Apocrypha (Ambience)	Jeremy Soule	1
08	Over the Next Hill*	Jeremy Soule	3
09	Peaceful Waters*	Jeremy Soule	4
10	The Road Most Travelled*	Jeremy Soule	5
11	Blessing of Vivec*	Jeremy Soule	3
12	Silt Sunrise*	Jeremy Soule	4
13	Shed Your Travails*	Jeremy Soule	3
14	Caprice*	Jeremy Soule	4

*Track in the Original Soundtrack for The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind included