Issues: Complete the Composition section, by adding more info on Kingdom Hearts χ, Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 ReMIX, and Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 ReMIX, as well as on the versions found in Piano Collections Kingdom Hearts, add Re:Mind version of "Dearly Beloved".
Kingdom Hearts Dearly Beloved
Arranger
Yoko Shimomura
Composer
Yoko Shimormura
Length
1:13
Kingdom Hearts Dearly Beloved -Reprise-
Arranger
Yoko Shimomura
Composer
Yoko Shimomura
Length
1:20
Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories Dearly Beloved
Arranger
Yoko Shimomura
Composer
Yoko Shimomura
Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories Dearly Beloved
Arranger
Yoko Shimomura
Composer
Yoko Shimomura
Length
2:22
Kingdom Hearts II Dearly Beloved
Arranger
Yoko Shimomura
Composer
Yoko Shimomura
Length
2:22
Kingdom Hearts II Dearly Beloved -Reprise-
Arranger
Yoko Shimomura
Composer
Yoko Shimomura
Length
1:28
Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days Dearly Beloved
Arranger
Yoko Shimomura
Composer
Yoko Shimormua
Length
2:55
Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Dearly Beloved
Arranger
Yoko Shimomura
Composer
Yoko Shimomura
Length
5:24
Kingdom Hearts Re:coded Dearly Beloved
Arranger
Yoko Shimomura
Composer
Yoko Shimomura
Length
2:56
Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance Dearly Beloved
"Dearly Beloved" is the opening and main theme to all Kingdom Hearts games. Composed for the first game by Yoko Shimomura, a version of the piece has been featured in every Kingdom Hearts release to date.
It begins playing as soon as the game loads and plays over the opening Menu Screen in a loop. However, if one continues to listen to "Dearly Beloved" without pressing any of the buttons on the controller for approximately 10–15 seconds, the screen will open up to Opening Menu Cinematic or Demo Loop, which will play the orchestrated version of the Kingdom Hearts theme song.
"Dearly Beloved -Reprise-" is a version of "Dearly Beloved" that plays after the credits during The End.
In every game to date, "Dearly Beloved" plays while in the game's opening menu. "Dearly Beloved -Repise-" plays during the ending screen, The End, in every game, as well.
In Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance, "Dearly Beloved" plays during the cutscene "The Apprentice Practices".
In Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance, "Dearly Beloved" plays during the cutscene "Into Sora's Slumber."
Kingdom Hearts III
In Kingdom Hearts III, the secret ending "Yozora" features a unnamed variation of "Dearly Beloved".
Composition
"Dearly Beloved" contains two distinct melodies comprised out of identical chord structures, allowing them to be layered on top of each other. The second melody was first introduced in Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories.
In Kingdom Hearts, the main melody is performed as a piano solo with a synthesized choral background.
The reprise of Kingdom Hearts features a bell solo with pizzicato strings as support.
The Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories version contains the original melody played on the piano, along with the secondary melody played by a synthesizer.
The Kingdom Hearts II version transformed "Dearly Beloved" into a full orchestral piece, featuring a piano solo carrying the main melody and various woodwind solos building the secondary melody.
The reprise of the Kingdom Hearts II version contains both melodies, but played as a piano solo.
Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days contains a nearly identical version of the Kingdom Hearts II "Dearly Beloved" reprise, only this time it has the flute used in Roxas's theme.
Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep features a new orchestral arrangement of "Dearly Beloved", still featuring a piano as with the previous games but including a violin solo featuring a third theme exclusive to this game. Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep is the first game to change the chord structure of Dearly Beloved, albeit briefly.
Kingdom Hearts Re:coded contains a slightly faster version of the original Dearly Beloved theme. It features both the first and second melodies, with pizzicato string support.
Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance contains a version of "Dearly Beloved" that retains the original theme with pianos, violins, glockenspiel, and plucked violins, then the melody is played with flute and then has a slightly quicker, waltz-like part where a tambourine comes into play. Unlike other versions, it also switches between a 4/4 and 3/4 time signature - a reference to the "3D" in the title according to Yoko Shimomura.
The arrangement of Dearly Beloved in Kingdom Hearts III by Yoko Shimomura and Yui Morishita is a piano concerto. Tetsuya Nomura ordered it to be based on the Transcendental Études, a series of twelve compositions for piano by Franz Liszt. The melody in the introduction of the piece is different from any of the arrangements prior until it reaches the moment where it becomes its usual melody.[1]
Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory features an upbeat iteration of "Dearly Beloved" that retains the original theme played on piano and trumpets. This version takes influence from jazz.
"Link to All" and "Sacred Distance" from Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance centers around the main melodic theme from "Dearly Beloved".
In "Yozora", the secret ending for Kingdom Hearts III, featured an unnamed variation of "Dearly Beloved" with an somber piano melody added to the beginning before the main theme plays.
