It must have been a long, long time when people come into concert halls to experience old concertos of well-celebrated classical geniuses like Bach and Beethoven. If there is no more nostalgic feeling to that scene, then people should try to recall it for the second or third time -- with video game tunes in the background.
As video games slowly turn into more than just entertainment and fun, a few band geeks and game developers teamed up to celebrate famous popular video games by offering a massive crowd of fans full orchestra-trumpets, harps and other classical instruments -- plus choirs and large video screens that synchronize with select games' most iconic tunes.
One of the masterminds behind the movement, producer Jason Michael Paul told CBS that he did not expect the great anticipation coming from fans during the symphonic concerts, saying that "some of his shows featuring video games have sold more tickets than the Luciano Pavarotti performances he has worked on."
Through these symphonic performances, fans are giving classical music another life as it tries to rebrand from a budding culture that seemingly favors hip-hop and popular music.
According to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), the growing popularity of this trend has "helped offset a decline in U.S. orchestra ticket sales." More so, Paul addressed that most of his shows on an international tour have been sold out. He estimated that during his Dallas show, every concert fans have bought 3,000 tickets, and each concertgoer has spent at least $10 on souvenirs.
The complex mix of classical music and video games showcased on every performance produces very deep and tender appreciation to the time when music demonstrated large productions and transcended stories through people's ears.
Plus, the presentation of game scenes through a large screen makes fans experience the music beyond their game consoles like never before. Truly, the music of some immaculately-honored video game franchises like "Zelda" and "Pokemon" comes into the platform, as their stories come to life.
"How is that different from Mahler's Second Symphony?," Amy Andersson asked, the music director and conductor for the "Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses, Master Quest" tour, in a CBS article. "Stylistically it's different. But humanly, it's the same thing. We're telling stories, we're touching hearts," she commented.
Meanwhile, producer Paul has culminated several different live concert that feature original arrangements of video game music from "Final Fantasy," "Castlevania," "Battlefield" and "Silent Hill," to name a few. More so, his most anticipated concert performance is the four-movement symphony showcased in "Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses," which mixes elements of at least six-title in Nintendo's Zelda franchise, reports The Huffington Post.
You can track the famous "Zelda" symphonic orchestra through this website.
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