Symphonic Fantasies

Events, Japanese

Symphonic Odysseys and Uematsu come to London this Summer

February 10, 2017 | Shawn Sackenheim | Comments Off on Symphonic Odysseys and Uematsu come to London this Summer Share this

Merregnon Studios, the group behind the Square Enix-focused Final Symphony and Symphonic Fantasies concerts have announced that their 2011 sell-out concert, Symphonic Odysseys, is coming to London this Summer. Unlike their previous shows, Symphonic Odysseys is focused solely on the music of Nobuo Uematsu — from Blue Dragon to Lost Odyssey and naturally, Final Fantasy — and was last performed nearly a year ago in Paris.

Those who couldn’t make it to France in 2016 have a chance to see the show again on June 20th, 2017 at the Barbican Centre. Performed by the London Symphony Orchestra and conducted by Eckehard Stier (with the London Symphony Chorus, acclaimed pianist Mischa Cheung and a full kazoo fanfare), the arrangements come from the same team behind Final Symphony, Jonne Valtonen and Roger Wanamo. Uematsu himself will also be at the venue for a special ticketed, pre-concert Q&A session.

“Nobuo Uematsu has been a musical hero of mine for many years and it’s both a delight and a pleasure that we can celebrate his work with such an amazing concert in London,” said Symphonic Odysseys London producer, Thomas Böcker. “It’s always great to be back at the Barbican Centre, but I’m particularly excited that Uematsu-san can join us for what will be our 10th concert with the London Symphony Orchestra. Fans will not want to miss hearing Uematsu’s classic compositions, along with some of his less well known, but equally wonderful works too.”

Tickets go on sale February 10th with prices between £30 ($38) to £65 ($82). Tickets for the pre-concert talk with Nobuo Uematsu will also go on sale at the same time, priced at £10 ($13) each. Those interested can buy their tickets through the Symphonic Odysseys site or directly from the Barbican Centre. Below is the announced set list:

Opening Fanfare

The Final Fantasy Legend / Final Fantasy Legend 2

On Windy Meadows (from Final Fantasy XIV)

Waterside (from Blue Dragon)

Final Fantasy Concerto – For Piano and Orchestra

King’s Knight BGM – Pretty Day Out – (from King’s Knight)

Light of Silence (from Chrono Trigger)

Spreading Your Wings (from The Last Story)

Lost Odyssey Suite

If you can’t make the show or are just looking to relive Merregnon’s past performances check out Ryan’s recent article on the vinyl editions of both Final Symphony and Symphonic Fantasies from Laced Records.
Game Music

East meets West Live Stream Today At 2:05PM EST

November 24, 2012 | Audun Sorlie | 4 Comments Share this

The fantastic concert featuring Journey, Legend of Zelda, StarFox, Unlimited SaGa, Final Fantasy and Turrican II among others will be streaming live today worldwide on WDR4 radio. The concert took place last week Friday, and was another smash-hit sell out from Thomas Böcker, producer of Symphonic Fantasies and many other acclaimed concerts.

Be sure to tune in at WDR4 website at 2:05pm EST, and let us know what you think of the show afterwards!
Featured, Game Music

5 Quick Questions: Final Symphony (Thomas Böcker)

August 24, 2012 | Audun Sorlie | 6 Comments Share this

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Featured, Game Music, Reviews

Returning To Perfection: Symphonic Fantasies Tokyo (Review)

June 22, 2012 | Audun Sorlie | 7 Comments Share this

3 years ago, I sat anxiously waiting for the orchestra to appear from the sidelines. With a curious gaze towards the stage and the many surrounding me, the shared excitement was palpable, and whispers echoed in the Philharmonic Hall as the seated audience prepared to experience game music evolved. I was at Symphonic Fantasies in the Cologne Philharmonic Hall on September 12th, 2009, and on that night, with tears in my eyes, I experienced what is the greatest video game music symphony ever produced.

Since that day, many shows have come and gone, many concerts have been set up around the world, but the impact that Symphonic Fantasies had on the industry is undeniable; it changed the playing field entirely. Audiences wanted more, deeper arrangements, pure production designs, greater stories. Simple medleys did no longer suffice; Symphonic Fantasies proved that game music, like any music, can become something much greater by understanding its message, its intentions, its soul. But even with a subsequent CD release, the demand was high from the eager fans to experience the concert for themselves. It was therefore that Thomas Böcker took his production and team to Japan at the Tokyo Bunka Kaikan, and returned home to the birthplace of the orchestral game music concert and the Square Enix video games, to show that the concept had evolved, and the music which so many hold dear, has grown up to become something much larger. The result was 2 sold out shows in Japan, heralded in the press and by its peers as a true achievement not easily matched. It was due to this success, that the decision was made to once again provide fans around the world the opportunity to hear Symphonic Fantasies in the form of an album release.

But is it worth the purchase a second time around? Find out after the jump! (more…)
Game Music

Presence of Perfection: Symphonic Fantasies Stockholm Report

June 13, 2012 | Audun Sorlie | 2 Comments Share this

In 2009, the most beautiful video game symphony was performed in the cultural meeting place of Germany, Cologne. Fans from all over the world rushed to the Cologne Philharmonic Hall in excitement and anticipation of what was touted as the very best orchestrated video game concert of all time, based on the timeless works over the years by Square Enix, showcasing their greatest titles throughout their history in suites of unparalleled beauty and splendor. On September 12th, 2009, the day finally arrived when the world experienced Symphonic Fantasies, the greatest video game symphony of all time.

The legacy that Symphonic Fantasies left behind shook the industry by its core. No longer was the idea of video game music performed by an orchestra enough, the concept evolved and the emotions, the stories and the essence of each game was emphasized to bring the true nature of the game’s soul and heart out for the listener to feel, embrace and cherish. It is now 3 years since the event took place in Cologne, bringing all corners of the world together in a philharmonic hall, and as the concept has kept on growing, so has Symphonic Fantasies in the memories of those who heard it, and the anticipation and demand increasing, with fans eager to experience for themselves what the sell out audience in Cologne spoke so much of after 2009. After the incredible success in Tokyo for their January shows, the team ventured to Stockholm, Sweden in order to showcase just exactly why so many fans from around the world have spoken of its magnificence.

Check out the report from event after the jump. (more…)
Game Music

Symphonic Fantasies Returns In Summer Of 2012!

March 27, 2012 | Audun Sorlie | 1 Comment Share this

Symphonic Fantasies set the benchmark for what a symphonic game music concert should be. On September 12th 2009, the audience were not only hearing their most beloved game music pieces performed by an orchestra, but transported into the world in which the games represented, with landscapes built on emotion and the memories in the hearts of the listener being transcended by an all new experience, with the music becoming alive in a way no other concert before it had ever been able to accomplish. Fantasies managed to bridge the world of classical music and video games purely through music, and the production which Team Merregnon carefully crafted has traveled around the world with the award winning CD released in 2010. With the incredible success of concert and the CD recording, Symphonic Fantasies traveled to Tokyo in January of 2012, marking the first time a fully European video game symphony production has taken place in Japan.

Now, Symphonic Fantasies is returning home to Europe for another round, promising again to bring the full beauty of Valtonen and Wanamo’s arrangement to life once again, revisiting the worlds of Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts, Secret of Mana and Chrono Trigger/Cross. The first concerts will take place in Cologne on the 5th and 6th of July, with Niklas Willén conducting the WDR Radio Orchestra and the WDR Radio Choir. On June 9th, Fantasies will for the first time come to Stockholm, Sweden, with Andreas Hanson conducting the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra and Katarina Choir.

Tickets for the Stockholm show is at sale at Konserthuset.se, while the Cologne show, as expected, is sold out. Be sure to check back on OSV for more news and information on Symphonic Fantasies 2012!
Featured, Game Music

Oh, This Is Nintendo!! LEGENDS Live Report

June 8, 2011 | Audun Sorlie | 9 Comments Share this

In many ways, this event was my favorite of the ones I have attended, it combined what I loved about Symphonic Shades with its diversity in style along the prestige and importance that Symphonic Fantasies offered. Most importantly, they dared to be a bit different and gave us exclusive takes on so many familiar songs, takes that will never fade in our memories due to being so different. It was a dream come true and a true gift to my life that I could be in attendance, one that I will always cherish and remember.

Back in September of 2010, this was my closing thoughts on Symphonic Legends, the Nintendo themed symphonic concert that took place in Cologne by the same team that has given us Symphonic Shades and Fantasies. Symphonic Legends was a musical treasure and dreamlike evening filled with some of the greatest selection of video game music, and now it was time to grace the city of Stockholm with the event just in time to celebrate the arrival of summer. But this was more than just a reprise…

Read about LEGENDS after the jump! (more…)