© 2024 WSHU
NPR News & Classical Music
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
We received reports that some iPhone users with the latest version of iOS (v17.4) cannot play audio via the Grove Persistent Player.
While we work to fix the issue, we recommend downloading the WSHU app.

Gareth Coker's Music Makes Norse And Egyptian Mythology Come Alive

As the creators of Minecraft continue to expand deeper into the realms of mythology, composer Gareth Coker continues to add to his repertoire of exotic instruments and music of heroic times. His two recent soundtracks, for Norse and Egyptian Mythologies, gave him the opportunity to work with some incredible world instrumentalists. As he told me, it was the stories of the gods that provided much of the inspiration for his music.

Gareth was thrilled to have a chance to work once again with wind virtuoso Kristin Naigus, as well as work with other musicians who play some of the iconic instruments assosciated with other cultures, including Rachel Nesvig, who specializes in Norway's Hardanger Fiddle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbcLV-DDdT0">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbcLV-DDdT0

Working with the team at 4J Studios was a great experience because they provided plenty of builds of each expansion as well as some musical ideas. For Egyptian Mythology, Gareth says they suggested even going a little campy, à la The Mummy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yWz1aKXm1k">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yWz1aKXm1k

Gareth says the biggest suprise working on these two Mythology expansions was how dark the studio wanted to go with the music. This gave him lots of freedom to explore the epic power of the gods in each mythology. The soundtracks for both Mythologies are available through iTunes.

Gareth's music from Ori and the Blind Forest will be performed in concert at the Game Music Festival in Wroclow, Poland, on October 26 and 27, along with music from World of Warcraft, Diablo and many other games. He says he's hoping that after this successful performance, there will be plans to present the concert in the U.S. 

Episode tracklist

All tracks by Gareth Coker

Minecraft Norse Mythology: Alfheim

 Minecraft Egyptian Mythology: Alexandria

Minecraft Norse Mythology: Asgard

Minecraft Egyptian Mythology: The Great Pyramids; Heliolopolis; Renenutet & Mashkenet

Minecraft Norse Mythology: Folkvangr (feat. Rachel Nesvig, Hardanger fiddle); Valhalla; Jotrunheim

Minecraft Egyptian Mythology: Journey Through the Duat

Minecraft Norse Mythology: Hel

Minecraft Egytpian Mythology: Osiris; Abu Simbel (feat. Kristing Naigus, English horn)

Minecraft Norse Mythology: Midgard

Minecraft Egyptian Mythology: Hibis

Minecraft Norse Mythology: Einherjar

Follow Gareth onTwitter

Follow Kate onTwitter

Subscribe to Music Respawn in Apple Podcasts!

Thanks to Dick Roberts for production assisstance and

Greg O'Connor-Read, Top Dollar PR

Born in Madison, Wisconsin, Kate Remington joined WSHU in December of 2000, and she's been WSHU's Music Director since 2002.
Related Content