Year: 2010
Type: Original Soundtrack (OST)
Composer(s): Andreas Waldetoft
Number of tracks: 18

★★★★★

Victorious Empire

What may sound like the name of an unloved ex-girlfriend is actually a global strategy game from 2010: Victoria II. The sequel from the simulation pros at Paradox Entertainment and its predecessor, along with its recently released successor, Victoria 3, have not been played by me, but its complexity and attention to detail are of great value to me even without hands-on experience.

Even if in terms of strategy I find anything beyond "put money in here so you can get more money out later" too difficult, similar simulations like Europa Universalis, Hearts of Iron or Crusader Kings always make my fingers itch. After all, I also had a lot of fun with Stellaris, which also stems from Paradox, although in the end I was never able to make it to the big galactic supercupant.

However, if the soundtrack is an indicator of the quality of the game, we can give it a strong recommendation. After just a brief listen to the OST by Swedish composer Andreas Waldetoft, who was also responsible for the atmospheric space symphony in Stellaris , it becomes clear that we have struck gold - if you like classical chamber music.

This begins with the first track, For God and Queen, which is reminiscent of the UEFA anthem and progresses directly with a steady rhythm before the choirs sound. It gets louder, more euphoric, without getting out of step. This is not unbridled joy, but dignified, sublime bliss. The single violin playing music above the grandieur below it seems heavenly, divine. I love it!

Generally speaking, you have to have a soft spot for music from the Victorian era to get something out of this almost decadent pomp. When we hear classical waltzes in Johan's Waltz or Independence March presents us with segments of the marching song of the British grenadiers, it transports us directly to a time when ball gowns and lead bullets ruled the roost.

Unlike the Total War-series, Victoria II follows in the footsteps of Anno 1800 or the cinematic videos of the Civilization-games. In other words: harmony and euphoria instead of driving battle music. However, that doesn't mean that the OST is boring - on the contrary! Buckingham Palace clearly demonstrates this ambiguity by initially playing a melody with a single violin in a deliberate, almost modest manner. This solitude is soon accompanied by a few fellow musicians, but remains restrained until the orchestra enters. Now we are in the middle of a city, no, a ballroom. Hustle and bustle, something is happening everywhere. And then ... it's over. Once again, we are alone with the strings and look back on what we have experienced. Beautiful and contemplative.

Thankfully, the soundtrack maintains this standard of quality throughout, with none of the tracks disappointing. Now, it may seem ironic to say that the average consumer will be able to do more with this album than with most of the other scores on this site. Whereby 'can relate to' is probably the wrong choice of words. Perhaps rather 'recognize'. Because even if very few people listen to classical, let alone chamber music in their free time, Victoria II is also very close to most TV and series soundtracks due to this genre. Naturally, many of the pieces remind me not only of contemporary films and series such as The Crown and Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, but also of less obvious candidates such as The Rings of Power or Star Trek: Discovery. In the end, of course, everyone decides what they want to do with their lifetime. Here, however, I would say that listening in is a small must.

No.	Title	Artist(s)	Ratings
01	For God and Queen	Andreas Waldetoft	5
02	The Coronation	Andreas Waldetoft	4
03	Buckingham Palace	Andreas Waldetoft	5
04	Europe Anno 1850	Andreas Waldetoft	4
05	Johan's Waltz	Andreas Waldetoft	3
06	A Day at the Court	Andreas Waldetoft	3
07	New World Anthem	Andreas Waldetoft	4
08	Independence March	Andreas Waldetoft	4
09	Handel This	Andreas Waldetoft	4
10	Inventions	Andreas Waldetoft	4
11	Poverty	Andreas Waldetoft	4
12	Queens Scherzo	Andreas Waldetoft	4
13	Royal March	Andreas Waldetoft	4
14	Death of Prince Albert	Andreas Waldetoft	5
15	Countryside	Andreas Waldetoft	4
16	Russia 1917	Andreas Waldetoft	4
17	Winter	Andreas Waldetoft	5
18	Lament for the Queen	Andreas Waldetoft	4