Moonlight Canyon (theme)
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"Moonlight Canyon" is a stage theme from Kirby and the Forgotten Land that plays in the latter half of the stage of the same name. It was composed by Yuki Shimooka.[1]
Composition[edit]
"Moonlight Canyon" is a country-styled piece in D Dorian mode and 4/4. It has a brief intro that presents the main melody, one that is quite similar to "A New Wind for Tomorrow". The first section begins with this melody played by an accordion twice. Following it is a more lyrical major motif with stepwise motion up and down, played by a violin with orchestra bells and a flute. The original motif soon returns in the strings as the theme nears its climax. The second section presents a modulation to F Dorian mode and a tutti playing the main motif. Once this plays twice, the second motif returns with the accordion in F major. The strings bring back the first motif once more and back to D Dorian. A quiet transition plays, and its final bar reveals the "Mid-Boss Battle" theme.
The following sections are for the most part the same as the first two, differing in instrumentation and minor phrasing. The instruments from the first section swap roles and have an extra string counterpoint in the third. The transition to the fourth section features the primary motif rather than a scale passage. In this section, the second motif is played by a guitar, adding to its sweet character. Finally, rather than "Mid-Boss Battle", the transition to the beginning features a faint nostalgic whistle with the melody of "Running Through the New World". The track then loops.
Trivia[edit]
- "Moonlight Canyon" is Shinya Kumazaki's favorite theme composed by Yuki Shimooka for Kirby and the Forgotten Land.[2]
- The specific accordion instrument featured in this track comes from the HALion software suite, and was also used by Jun Ishikawa in "Sandy Wilds" from Kirby's Return to Dream Land. The same instrument was also used in Kirby Mass Attack, where it was featured in "Meadow Breeze"; Shogo Sakai sampled it from his Yamaha MOTIF-RACK ES sound module.[3]
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese | ムーンライトキャニオン Mūnraito Kyanion |
Moonlight Canyon |
| Traditional Chinese | 月光峽谷 Yuèguāng Xiágǔ |
Moonlight Canyon |
| Simplified Chinese | 月光峡谷 Yuèguāng Xiágǔ | |
| Dutch | Maanlichtkloof | Moonlight canyon |
| French | Canyon au clair de lune | Canyon under the moonlight |
| German | Mondscheinkluft | Moonlight chasm |
| Italian | Canyon Chiardiluna | Moonlight Canyon |
| Korean | 문라이트 캐니언 Munraiteu Kaenieon |
Moonlight Canyon |
| Spanish | Cañón Luz de Luna | Moonlight Canyon |
