Opera Singer Reacts: Ludwig, The Holy Blade

This is still one of my favorite videos on the channel.

Fromsoft should do live concerts. Just Imagine hearing things like this played live.

“There’s no way you could head bang to classical music!!!!🤓” The piece in question:

That phase transition (with properly timed music) is still one of the most legendary things I’ve ever experienced blind in my life playing video games

Your experience as an opera singer really adds a whole new level of analysis and perspective on these tracks that I've never seen anyone else look into to this extent, excellent analysis as always!

Ludwig’s music is so poetic when compared to his fight. Like someone else in the comments said, you hear about him, but when you meet him you aren’t met with disappointment, but disgust. Like “This is the great hero they talked about? But… Look what he is now?” you’re fighting this horrific monster, and finally when he falls, he gains his humanity by seeing his once lost weapon, and you finally see what the legends were talking about. You see the legendary Ludwig, but not by physical form, but his powerful demanding voice, albeit between winnie’s and neighs, his tall stature standing proud, despite him looking horrifying, and his weapon he holds confidently and elegantly, despite it not quite fitting in with his appearance. You know that this is the Ludwig you were told about. It doesn’t look like him, but you know, from the way he presents himself, that this was the legend, and no matter how far from grace he’s fallen he’s regained his sanity that he was denied for so long that he deserves. The absolutely best part is the gameplay elements, how serrated weapons did more damage as he’s considered a beast enemy, but in his second phase, amidst his newfound composure and respect for his opponent (you) that he once tried to devour, they no longer work. It’s like the game is saying “The monster you once fought was killed by Ludwig, and now you fight not just a man, but a legend.” The second phase music is so good, I’m sure everyone knows how the fight turns into a mad waltz, but I always imagine the more poetic aspect is the hunter in this struggle against this massive creature, fighting with extreme intensity, and as a hunter you see him as a beast, nothing more. He’s another animal to be put down. But like I said before, once he becomes the holy blade, the song turns from struggle to dance, as in the hunter realizes he’s no longer facing the same opponent, and instead of putting down an animal, it’s like both Ludwig and the hunter silently agree with “Let’s finish this properly.” Fromsoftware is so fucking good. Sorry about the huge rant there, I love bloodborne so much.

I was listening to this while i driving and i literally lost it yelling “THE LORE IS THERE OMG!” when Marco started translating the chorus

You know a track is god tier when Marco takes off his glasses lol

It's just like what internet-famous Maxor said "How the fuck do Japanese composers write better symphonies than the continent that invented them?!" Edit; Ok guys, calm the fuck down. Max0r even showed in his video that he genuinely doesn't believe that video games are better than actual symphonies.

Ludwig was the first of the Church's Hunters and created his own army of holy warriors. Idk if you remember this from your playthrough, but after you beat him you can talk to his dying head and he asks if his Church Hunters became the honorable warriors he wanted them to be, so you get a choice to lie and let him die in peace...or tell him the truth and he wails in despair as he goes out.

Ludwig is mentioned constantly throughout Bloodbornes lore so us finding him in his monstrous state is such an interesting feeling. Then the phase transition hits and he's suddenly this larger then life force to be reckoned with pulling out the freaking Moonlight Greatsword. The track accentuates this perfectly and makes Ludwig one of the most memorable bosses in the SoulsBorne genre.

Holy moly! Your the first person I’ve ever seen analyze the Latin lyrics in this song. Amazing to see a normally overlooked factor get it’s time in the spotlight!

I remember playing the The Old Hunters DLC the day before Thanksgiving in 2015. My brother came over and we were getting food ready for the next day and playing Bloodborne on two separate consoles, side by side on two different TVs. We stayed up all night exploring it. I got to Ludwig first and when I got to phase 2 the first time (took me a few attempts) I was so blown away by the music I just stood there and he killed me. My brother was like , “Bro, what were you doing?” I responded “Did you hear that music?” He was like, “I wanted to keep listening but you got killed 😫😫” That’s a good memory. Stay up.

This is one of the few bosses where the music truly elevates it from great to incredible, being musical storytelling at its finest. It mirrors the 3/4 to 6/8 descent into madness of Laurence’s theme, with phase 2 becoming a mad waltz. Phase 1 builds up to this perfectly: I CANNOT get enough of the spot where it releases tension with the low note and strings. From an objective standpoint I really would have to put this and Laurence at the top of From’s songs

watching this dude dance to the ost is one of the greatest things i've seen

I always thought of the cello as his real self that is trapped and deafened in a cacophony of the voices in his head from becoming blood starved while obsessing over his blade. And the moment he finds his sword (the part where the voices start shouting until silence) he finally becomes clear in mind, and becomes himself again... Silencing all the voices and he is now fully focused at the task in front of him; the hunter that he must defeat; forcing all the voices to follow HIS lead; to not be drowned out. Tldr; i always thought the music was a reflection of his state of mind.

Phase 2 really has a lot of his old nobility creeping through. He goes from rabid beast to fallen knight

No one: Marco: ‘casually flexes his latin’ Also Marco: ‘casually jams out again’

"Ah you were at my side all along. My true mentor. My guiding moonlight!" One of gaming's greatest moments. Every single aspect of this fight is masterful beyond believe, the art direction, the sound design, the music the combat mechanics and the story significance. I wonder if FromSoftware will ever be able to top this.

i still love this video.