We recently had the pleasure of working with arranger David Peacock on the piano realms: azure album, a piano arrangement project paying tribute to water and water levels from across videogames. We wanted to take the opportunity to ask David a few questions about the album and his work in the videogame piano arrangement space. Feel free to listen to and learn more about piano realms: azure here.
On Which Tracks to Include and Potential Future Volumes
It was important to include tracks from games that I had already experienced and not try to force ones in just because they fit the concept, so there are probably a lot of water levels I didn’t consider or ignored because I had never played their game. I also had to be a little selective to not including too many pieces from specific composers (two tracks by Yasunori Mitsuda and three by Koji Kondo made it on the album as it is!) so maybe a Vol. 2 would be a great chance to add some of those, haha.
On Surprises Encountered While Arranging the Album
There’s always some sort of surprise translating what I imagine in my head onto the page because it never comes out exactly the way I think. There were some arrangements where I had an idea that I wanted to execute—and did get there eventually, but it took a lot more effort than I imagined it would. For instance, “Delfino Plaza” was quickly finished as a concept but required a lot of detail, making it feel as if meticulously drawing individual grains of sand. For “Cascades,” I knew I wanted to contrast this delicate, tiny voice with a huge, constant wall of sound that doesn’t decay the way a piano typically would, and that took a bit of reworking to get right.
On the Beloved “Aquatic Ambience”
Starting on this track, it was more freeing knowing that it had been arranged and covered so many different ways before; I’ve even arranged it for other instruments myself before! In this case, I explored a few different emotions and moods using the melodies to figure out how I wanted to transform the music; like as if being dragged through a rushing current, or laying on the water’s surface under the moonlight. Taking some of the most memorable parts and exploring how they can be reinterpreted helped solidify the sound and arrangement as it is now. I do think the videogame music police would have come for me if I had not included “Aquatic Ambience.”
On Arranging Game Music for Piano
I think if you love game music and the piano and you enjoy expressing it that way, then try it! There is such a range of style and approach within the game music piano scene from those who perform exact recreations, to genre-bending variations and mashups. For me, it definitely started from a place of passion as I had grown up experiencing game music, and then the early days of arrangements of game music, and seeing how the musicians creatively reinterpreted the original themes—occasionally noticing when elements of classical piano repertoire were deliberately injected into the arrangement, seeing this as an homage or sendup. I am fortunate that in the art form of games there is a long history of celebrating the music through arrangement and live performances, that I’m excited to continue to contribute to.
__
About David Peacock
David Peacock is a composer, arranger, and pianist specializing in video game music. His work bridges classical and contemporary styles, reimagining iconic game soundtracks with depth and artistry.
He has collaborated with renowned composers including Lena Raine, Jason Graves, Berlinist, Austin Wintory, Gareth Coker, and Disasterpeace, and his arrangements for Hollow Knight Piano Collections, Ori and the Blind Forest, and Undertale Piano Collections have been performed worldwide. His music has been featured by the London Philharmonia, Video Games Live, Videri String Quartet, and WDR Funkhausorchester, among others.
Based in Seattle, David continues to explore the intersection of interactive and orchestral music, crafting compelling arrangements and original works that resonate with both musicians and fans alike.
Listen to piano realms: azure: https://lnk.to/azurepiano
Learn more about David Peacock: https://www.daviddpeacock.com
Follow David Peacock: Instagram and YouTube
