Distant Worlds

Featured, Game Music

My Final Fantasy: Distant Worlds Sydney Opera House Report

April 21, 2011 | Wes Chung | 2 Comments Share this

To call me jaded regarding live performances of Final Fantasy music would be like saying “One-Winged Angel” is vaguely popular with the fans. This would be the sixth time I’ve heard that tune live since 2004 and by two very different orchestras (and yes, that’s assuming Distant Worlds was going to play it… ah, who am I kidding?). Despite this, the moment I joined the crowd waiting outside the concert hall of the Sydney Opera House, I realized that for a lot of these people, this was the first time. I envied that I couldn’t quite feel the excitement that I saw in their faces.

Because I believed, deep-down, that the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, the ensemble choir Cantillation and Arnie Roth, conductor and Main Man of Distant Worlds, were going to bring their top game to Australia’s very first dedicated Final Fantasy concert. With Nobuo Uematsu in attendance, and both nights sold out, how could they not? And why was it “my” Final Fantasy? What exactly does that mean?

All shall be revealed, right after the jump. (more…)
Game Music

Fantasy Comes Home: Distant Worlds NYC Photos & Concert Impressions

April 14, 2011 | Joshua Kopstein | 3 Comments Share this

Photos: Emi Spicer

The music of the Final Fantasy series is not normally the kind of music I like to share with others. That is to say, my initial exposure to Nobuo Uematsu’s captivating scores was such an event that it gave me this neurotic feeling that I was getting my own personal concert; that this music would only be enjoyed by me, alone, in the comfort of my living room, as the soundtrack to the equally memorable interactive stories I experienced in my youth.

This is precisely what scares me about events like Distant Worlds — Seeing this intimate and once-personal love affair become an event, an all-inclusive happening that I must now “share” with others: The screaming fan girls. The cosplayers. And the under-dressed nerds who’ve clearly never been to an opera house that didn’t have chocobo tracks near the entrance.

But for all my stupid, jaded selfishness, I quickly found myself elated to be sitting in a 6th row orchestra seat at Distant Worlds, Final Fantasy‘s symphonic revue of videogame music, when it came to the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York City. Joining an orchestra led by Grammy award-winner Arnie Roth, guest instrumentals, opera singers and of course Nobuo Uematsu himself were some of the many surprises that defined this unconventional but memorable evening. Hit the jump for photos and impressions from the second night of Distant Worlds’ NYC debut.

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Featured, Game Music

Explore Your Own Distant Worlds: DVD Giveaway Contest!

March 30, 2011 | Jayson Napolitano | 52 Comments Share this

That’s right, our friends over at Distant Worlds have a present for one of our lucky readers. Debuting at this weekend’s performances in New York (they’re playing the BAM Howard Gillman Opera House on both April 1 and April 2) will be the localized version of their Distant Worlds: music from FINAL FANTASY Returning Home DVD that we reviewed a few months back. Those who attend will have the opportunity to purchase the North American version of the DVD for the first time as well as meet Nobuo Uematsu and hear two different set lists of music from Final Fantasy.

So what do you have to do to win? Simple! Comment here on this post, on our Facebook fan page, or shoot us an email at [email protected] with a brief message about your favorite arrangement in the Distant Worlds catalog, or tell us which track you think needs to be arranged for future shows. My personal pick? “Troian Beauty” from Final Fantasy IV, which I believe is one of Uematsu’s most beautiful compositions. Let us know what you think by Wednesday, April 6, 2011 at 11:59 PST, and we’ll pick a winner at random to win the newly released DVD.

While there will be only one winner, you can still check out the show in Atlanta, GA in May, Chicago, IL in June, Houston, TX in July along with stops in Australia, Poland, and England in 2011 to see the show and pick up the DVD. Check out the official Distant Worlds website for more details about their upcoming shows, tickets, and the DVD.

And good luck!
Game Music, Reviews

Returning Home to Your Home: Distant Worlds Japan Concert DVD/CD (Review)

January 17, 2011 | Jayson Napolitano | 3 Comments Share this

Wow, Square Enix had an incredible turn around on this one. You may remember our concert coverage of the Distant Worlds music from FINAL FANTASY Returning Home concert that took place in November 2010, but here we are in January with a full concert DVD and double CD release containing all the music from both evenings’ performances.

Having read Kai’s write-up, I was greatly looking forward to checking this out, and I think you’ll find a lot of surprises in the track list. In addition to world premiere arrangements, there are a slew of guest performers, all of whom perform wonderfully.

Check out our review of the Distant Worlds Returning Home concert DVD and CD after the jump. (more…)
Game Music

Distant Worlds Returns Home: Japan Concert Impressions

December 9, 2010 | Kai Oehler | 7 Comments Share this

In giving my impressions of the Distant Worlds: music from Final Fantasy Returning Home concert performed at the Tokyo International Forum this past month, I can’t help but notice the irony in the title: the advent of the Distant Worlds concert was in Stockholm, Sweden, in December 2007. What seems like a simple subtitle for its Japanese audience is noteworthy because it begs the question, “Can the origin country of the Final Fantasy series express any ownership over its defining features?” – Especially the masterful and internationally beloved works of Nobuo Uematsu?

I wasn’t a newcomer to the Distant Worlds concerts – actually, of all places my first opportunity to experience Distant Worlds was in the backwater state of Minnesota, USA. Using the ‘local’ talent of the fantastic Philharmonic and Macalester College Concert Choir, it offered an exuberant night of both fantastic music and appreciative – bordering on fanatic – fans, dressed up in cosplay of obscure characters (Final Fantasy VII’s Turks as well as Terra from Final Fantasy VI were personal faves). The charismatic, Grammy-winning conductor Arnie Roth seemed to relish the cheers and standing ovations. It was a celebration of the memories associated with each and every Final Fantasy – a borderless joy shared across the globe.

So in this backdrop of universal appreciation, does the ‘homecoming’ of Final Fantasy music to its birth country bear any more significance than a performance anywhere else? My personal view may even parallel the evolution of the series; despite its humble Famicom beginnings in Japan, the series is now owned by the world, as is its music.

Having said this, the Returning Home concert absolutely holds more significance – and dare say, appreciation – on a completely different level than its concert brethren elsewhere in the world.

Shutup already? Get on with the show! Fine, fine, have it your way… (more…)
Game Music, Reviews

Sneak a Peek at Square Enix’s Busy Future: Sampler CD Vol.5! (Review)

October 27, 2010 | Jayson Napolitano | 3 Comments Share this

It’s that time of year again. The Tokyo Game Show has come and gone, and Square Enix has once again treated fans to a preview of their upcoming soundtracks, and therefore, games, at the event. The release of these discs has become somewhat of a tradition, as this is the fifth volume of this sampler series, and the third of which we’ve covered on OSV (see Vol.3 and Vol.4).

This time around, we get a much wider selection of pieces, which shows that Square Enix has a lot planned in this coming year. While we’ve covered a few of the releases featured on this disc (Final Fantasy XIV Battle Tracks and Field Tracks are present, for example), the vast majority are still unreleased, and I know a lot of you are with me in wondering what some of these titles are about.

Hit the jump to dig into the Square Enix’s Music Sampler CD Vol.5! (more…)
Game Music

Susan Calloway: Beyond Distant Worlds and Into the Sun

September 2, 2010 | Jayson Napolitano | Comments Off on Susan Calloway: Beyond Distant Worlds and Into the Sun Share this

Given that most videogames do not feature vocal themes, it isn’t often that we interview vocalists on OSV. When games do feature vocal tracks, however, it’s usually done to make an impact, and Susan Calloway has had the opportunity to tackle some of the most popular vocal themes from videogames as a part of the Distant Worlds tour. I first came to know her for her amazing rendition of “Memoro de la Stono” from Final Fantasy XI, but she was also featured on the recent Distant Worlds II album, recording English versions of both “Melodies of Life” and “Suteki da ne.”

In our interview, we discuss not only her work on Distant Worlds, including how she came to be a part of the production and the level of artistic freedom she was given with the pieces she’s worked on, but we also touch on her more pop-oriented solo career. From playing live piano to singing pop, rock, and even some country sounding tunes on her latest Chasin the Sun EP, there’s a lot more to Susan Calloway than just Distant Worlds.

Find out what she’s all about in our interview after the jump. (more…)