“Hidden Tears” was originally designed as an a capella choir piece, but because it lost so much in transition to MIDI I added string accompaniment to the 2nd half and filled out the choir (to try and make it sound more full).  For a MIDI choral number I’m impressed with how well the harmony is preserved.  I wish the piece had a little more dynamic and tempo variation – to make it more realistic and “humanized” – but effects like that are all but impossible to properly translate into MIDI.

I’m not sure where a piece like this would best fit in a video game; the great balance between major and minor chords makes it inspirational but reserved, leaving a lot of options open.  The emotion of the piece is striking (again, a by-product of the simplicity of the arrangement) and if I ever get the means to record a real choir doing the original version, you can bet it will show up here first…

(Originally posted on THIS 1.0 on 24 Apr 2005)