Aleš Lombergar

The following will sound far more cirtical than I intend. I enjoyed myself, though Nintendo’s marketing may have set my expectations too high.I found the music rather simplistic in contrast to more intricate and complex Final Fantasy orchestral series (e.g. Distant Worlds), especially with the so-called symphony . There was a pinch of cleverness in the arranging (I suppose you could call that being faithful ), but the score didn’t exploit what a full symphony can offer. In a way, the complexity of the Goddesses music reminded me of the Final Fantasy piano collections with occasional surprises but essentially a recapitulation. There were some great things going on, and, as you said, having a quality performing group really helps (in my case, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra). Having said that, I found the Zelda concert far better produced and visually coordinated than the Final Fantasy series.The Final Fantasy concerts may have spoiled me, as I frequently found myself annoyed with the lack of concert etiquette. With PLAY!, they intentionally encourage people to cheer and don’t take themselves seriously; with Distant Worlds, the audience maintains composure between sections and themes. But with Symphony of the Goddess, people whooped and hollered, as if to say Hey, I recognize that theme! rather than I love this part! (these are arrangements, not covers).This may have been the first concert for several people in the audience, and I’ve always felt that symphonic versions of video game music provide a great gateway to classical music. Symphony of the Goddesses is a fine tribute to the Zelda series overall, but there certainly are areas for improvement.