[News] Symphonic Game Music Concert 2010: Official Thread of Joy and Faintings

There was a little news but to be honest I'm disappointed that it's still a secret who gets the focus this time. "We're going to send out a news instantly we have the permission of all participants." was the answer to my (ironic) question whether they wait for all tickets being sold.

However, the news I mentioned above says following:

* Niklas Willén, the new lead conductor of the WDR Radio Orchestra, will conduct Symphonic Legends
* Benyamin Nuss and Rony Barrak will be back
* From next year on there will be two game music concerts done by WDR

There's nowhere I can't reach.

I have already posted it on CetraConnection (where people are also eagerly awaiting the announcement of details) but, well, relevant here as well:

The State Choir Latvija, which some of you may know from the marvelous soundtrack of Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, will be the choir for this year's main concert. I'm absolutely stoked to hear their live performance!

Originally Posted by Hamu-Sumo

"We're going to send out a news instantly we have the permission of all participants." was the answer to my (ironic) question whether they wait for all tickets being sold.

I kind of expected a second concert to be announced after the first event sold out, along with the musical focus as it is guaranteed ticket pusher. Judging from the original news at the official website and how it was changed from "Details" zu "Erste Details", I guess they were expecting to be able to announce it in February but couldn't make it for the reasons you mentioned above. The answer you received, of course, raises the question what "participants" refers to. If it is game publishers, then a company-centric concert is unlikely.

My only hope is that the program won't be held back as long as last year, it just seemed unreasonable. I still think Symphonic Shades was perfect in terms of information policy. All compositions to be performed were known by April 2008. It may not be possible for each concert that early (as seen above...), but I still prefer to know the titles as soon as possible. Also, the Fifth Symphonic Game Music Concert had one genuine surprise in that the performance by Michiru Yamane came totally out of the blue. Her performance was so enjoyable partly because nobody expected it at all: the only "surprise" announced was the one prepared by Takenobu Mitsuyoshi, his piano and vocal solo. Another great one was the encore in Symphonic Fantasies. Totally unexpected.

I would love to see both of these aspects, early announcements and genuine surprises (if there are any planned), combined for future events. Because one certainly can't deny there is a considerable amount of hype among fans of the series and...what better way to keep it going than fan service.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

I picked up my tickets today at a friend who lives just across the border in Germany (saved on mailing costs). I still cannot believe it, and have to pinch myself. I thought for sure that either I wasn't going at all, or else I'd be stuck wtih the worst seats in the house, but to get such good seats after all... *happy sigh* Now I'm just gonna hope for some really great announcements. Last year's concert was Perfect, it'll be hard for them to top it, IMHO. Of course, if they were to get, say, Masashi Hamauzu, I might just have to kiss the ground on which TPTB walk. *grin*

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

SEMO has exclusively revealed that the concert will commemorate a variety of Nintendo franchises, including Mario and Zelda, in an interview with Winfried Fechner:

Square Enix Music Online :: Interview with WDR Radio Orchestra Manager Winfried Fechner Part 1 (March 2010)

More in a second interview shortly.

I was speaking idiomatically.

It's out! Finally! And it's Nintendo what so many supposed. And hell, I really can't wait to the second part! 2011 concert, arrangers, Symphonic Fantasies CD! That's something above awesome!

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Thanks for the interview!
It doesn't really come off as a surprise but I'm still more excited than ever right now.
It's going to be interesting to see what titles they choose.

I'm a bit unfamiliar with Nintendo music even though I played so much DKC2 and Links Awakening back in the day, but there's still enough time to pick up a Nintendo CD or two.

How ya doing, buddy?

The most interesting thing there will be the Metroid stuff. From Zelda and Mario the tunes chosen will most likely be the ones already played-out.

Too bad it turns out I can't really afford going there. Nashle!

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Am happy with the Nintendo news, but not nearly as familiar with the music (except for Mario). Looks like I've got some catching up to do in that area the coming months!

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Revelation of three arrangers, three performers, and discussion of the original fanfare here:

Square Enix Music Online :: Interview with WDR Radio Orchestra Manager Winfried Fechner Part 2 (March 2010)

Looking forward to seeing what Valtonen and Nuss have planned for the fanfare. Apparently lighter than last year's given the topic of the concert.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Mmm, string arrangement of Secret of Mana? Performed earlier this month? Anybody got a recording?

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Sad to hear Mr. Fechner is retiring. He's a very likable and passionate man.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

I have died and gone to VGM heaven, surely. Uematsu in concert, three days after my 30th birthday. A better present I cannot possibly imagine! I MUST must must get tickets for this!!!!
edited to add: oops, hadn't seen the new thread yet. Sowwy.

I was speaking idiomatically.

It's also great to hear that a Symphonic Fantasies CD is official in the works but I wonder whether the disc will be purchasable in Japan only so that everyone else have to import it... (like drammatica)

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Shiro Hamaguchi and Hayato Matsuo co-arranging the concert, that's pretty big news (easily overlooked).
I just noticed that the tickets sold out on March 19, about time to release the huge announcements :P

Even after two successful concerts and the third and fourth announced I can't really believe this is all taking place in Cologne. Thanks, WDR!

FELIPE NO

Considering Hamaguchi's work on the piano arrangement for the FF series and the fact that Benyamin Nuss is again performing, we can hopefully expect some fine piano-arranged segments in the concert *dream*

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

And who could be the surprise arranger? Kondo himself?

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Apparently the third arranger is Masashi Hamauzu! Now if only he'd actually come to the concert, too... that'd just make my year!

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Sorry, no news, just wanted to say I 99.9 % certain won't be going to this concert, after all. We were supposed to go to Florida on a three-week vacation this weekend, but the Icelandic volcano ash cloud killed our vacation plans, as our flights were cancelled. We've now rescheduled for September. Am pretty disappointed, but am a LOT more disappointed about not being in Florida right now, and if I have the choice between Nintendo music and Florida... yeah. :-P
No matter, what, though, I will go to the Uematsu concert next year!!!

Now have two tickets for very good seats which won't be used. I wonder if they'll take them back, or if I can resell them? I think the concert is sold out, so surely someone would be interested...

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Yeah, let Hamauzu-san be a special guest - that would really be awesome. Need to get this huge FF13 booklet signed

Anyway, are there already plans for the "usual" meeting before and after the concert?

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by Thomas Böcker

The WDR is a public-broadcasting institution, in fact one of the biggest in Europe. If one of the ensembles, such as the WDR Radio Orchestra, is doing a production, policy is that it must be broadcast on radio.

Whoever decided on that policy should be sent a bouquet. A big one. Probably also some food.

That said, Symphonic Legends will see another live video and radio broadcast.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by Prime Blue

Whoever decided on that policy should be sent a bouquet. A big one. Probably also some food.

So you will send that to every German radio tax payer?

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

I'm guessing everybody here already has tickets / great seats, but I just put my two tickets up for auction on eBay Germany. Just hope I can break even. *snifs* It still hurts, not going, after I got so lucky getting hold of those two tickets at such a late time, but on the upside, my volcanic-ash-cloud-delayed holidays are now fast approaching, so that's some comfort.

FELIPE NO

Uuuuh, the forum is really dead besides the weekly music contest, huh? However, in less than 10 days Symphonic Legends will occur so we get more and more the most important news.

First, the concert program is out at SEMO and the official site. Two highlights are a piano arrangement of Donkey Kong Country's "Aquatic Ambience" and a 30 minutes nonstop arrangement for Zelda.

Second, the live broadcast will support 5.1 surround sound!

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Awesome!

Unfortunately, I'll be abroad on September 23, would be really cool if someone saved the livestream and uploaded it somewhere.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Was this recorded? Sounds amazing!

There's nowhere I can't reach.