The electronic bleeps and squawks of “Tetris”, “Donkey Kong” and other generation-shaping games that you may never have thought of as musical are increasingly being recognised as classics in their own right.
From the “ping ... ping” of Atari’s 1972 groundbreaking paddle game “Pong,” the sounds, infectious ditties and, with time, fully-formed orchestral scores that are an essential part of the sensory thrill for gamers have formed a musical universe. With its own culture, sub-cultures and fans, game music now thrives alone, free from the consoles from which it came.
Fans are expected to pack the Philharmonie de Paris’ concert halls this weekend to soak in the sounds of a chamber orchestra and the London Symphony Orchestra performing game music in homage to one of the industry’s stars, “Final Fantasy” Japanese composer Nobuo Uematsu.
They’re coming for the music and the nostalgia it triggers: of fun-filled hours spent on sofas with a Game Boy, Sonic the Hedgehog and the evergreen Mario.
“When you’re playing a game you are living that music every day and it just gets into your DNA,” says Eimear Noone, the conductor a two-hour show of 17 titles, including “Zelda”, “Tomb Raider” and “Medal of Honor”.