Page 32 - ARUBA TODAY

A32 FEATURE
Friday 16 June 2017
From bleeps of ‘Pong’ and ‘Mario,’ game music comes of age

By JOHN LEICESTER Game.”
Associated Press Noone, known herself for
PARIS (AP) — The elec- musical work on “World of
tronic bleeps and squawks Warcraft,” ‘’Overwatch”
of “Tetris,” ‘’Donkey Kong” and other games, says the
and other generation- technological limitations of
shaping games that you early consoles — tiny mem-
may never have thought ories, rudimentary chips,
of as musical are increas- crude sounds — forced
ingly likely to be playing composers “to distill their
at a philharmonic concert melodies down to the
hall near you. absolute kernels of what
From the “ping ... ping” of melodic content can be,
Atari’s 1972 ground-break- because they had to pro-
ing paddle game “Pong,” gram it note by note.”
the sounds, infectious dit- But simple often also means
ties and, with time, fully- memorable. Think “da-da-
formed orchestral scores da-duh” — the opening of
that are an essential part Ludwig van Beethoven’s
of the sensory thrill for gam- Fifth Symphony.
ers have formed a musical “That is part of the reason
universe. why this music has a place
With its own culture, sub- in people’s hearts and has
cultures and fans, game survived,” Noone says of
music now thrives alone, game tunes. “It speaks to
free from the consoles from people.”
which it came. In this June 1990 file photo, Tetris, an addictive brain-teasing video game, is shown as played on She says game music is
When audiences pack the Nintendo Entertainment System in New York. From bleeps of ‘Pong’ and ‘Mario,’ game music where movie music was 15
the Philharmonie de Paris’ comes of age. years ago:
concert halls this weekend Associated Press well on its way to being
to soak in the sounds of a completely accepted.
chamber orchestra and day. Their take on the tune million views on YouTube. “I predict that in 15 years’
the London Symphony Or- The heartbeat-like bass speaks to the sub-culture By 1985, the can’t-not-tap- time it will be a main staple
chestra performing game thump of Taito’s “Space In- of remixing game music, along-to-this theme of “Su- of the orchestral season,”
music and an homage to vaders” in 1978, which got with thousands of redos per Mario Bros.,” she says.
one of the industry’s stars, ever faster as the aliens de- uploaded by fans to sites the classic adventure of “This is crazy to think of:
“Final Fantasy” Japanese scended, caused sweaty like ocremix.org — dedi- plumber Mario and his Today, more young people
composer Nobuo Uemat- palms and was habit-form- cated, it says, “to the ap- brother Luigi, was bring- are listening to orchestral
su, they will have no but- ing. preciation and promotion ing fame for composer Koji music through the medium
tons to play with, no char- Namco’s “Pac-Man,” two of video game music as an Kondo, also known for his of their video game con-
acters to control. years later, whetted ap- art form.” work on “Legend of Zelda.” soles than have ever lis-
They’re coming for the mu- tened to orchestral music.”
sic and the nostalgia it trig- She still sometimes encoun-
gers: ters snobbism from orches-
of fun-filled hours spent on tras:
sofas with a Game Boy, “They saw ‘Pong’ once
Sonic the Hedgehog and and that’s video game
the evergreen Mario. music to them, you know?”
“When you’re playing a But “halfway through the
game you are living that first rehearsal, their attitude
music every day and it just has changed,” she adds.
gets into your DNA,” says “And then when they walk
Eimear Noone, the con- out on stage and the au-
ductor of Friday’s opening dience treats them like
two-hour show of 17 titles, they’re The Rolling Stones.”
including “Zelda,” ‘’Tomb This year marks the 30th
Raider,” ‘’Medal of Honor” anniversary of the first
and other favorites from game-music concert: The
the 1980s onward. Tokyo Strings Ensemble per-
“When people hear those formed “Dragon Quest” at
themes they are right back Tokyo’s Suntory Hall in Au-
there. And people get re- gust 1987.
ally emotional about it. Now there are six touring
I mean REALLY emotional. This May 22, 2009 file photo, shows the puzzle video game Tetris at Barcade in the Brooklyn sec- shows of symphonic game
tion of New York.
It’s incredible.” Associated Press music, Noone says.
Dating the birth of game “This is just the best way, the
music depends on how petites with an opening Based on the Russian folk Both are on the bill for the most fun way to introduce
one defines music. musical chirp . For fun, song “Korobeiniki,” the mu- “Retrogaming” concert in kids to the instruments of
Game music scholars — check out the 2013 remix sic of the 1984 game “Tet- Paris. Kondo was the first the orchestra,” she adds.
yes, they exist — point to by Dweezil Zappa, son of ris” has similarly undergone person Nintendo hired spe- “It may be the first time
key milestones on the path Frank, and game music umpteen remixes — cifically to compose music ever they are that close to
to the surround-sound ex- composer Tommy Tallari- including “Tetris Meets for its games, according to a cellist, and that’s really
travaganzas of games to- co. Metal,” with more than 2.2 the 2013 book, “Music and exciting for me.”q