First of all the venue was a good choice for a chamber music concert. Rackham Auditorium is a really beautiful space on the UM campus and is a place I've played several times. I snapped the above picture as the musicians were warming up and the concert was about to start. The auditorium seats about 1000, and my thought was that there were at least 800 or more in attendance, based on how filled it got. Many came in right at the last minute, so it looks a bit more empty in this photo than it was by the time the concert started.
There were no physical programs handed out, instead Eric Roth acted as MC, announcing the pieces and introducing the musicians from the stage, and he was also conductor for most of the numbers, unless it was a very small instrumental group like Troia, which was just cello and guitar, or for the piano solos played by Benyamin Nuss, who was exceptional and easily one of the highlights of the evening. Several of the pieces he played were from Final Fantasy Piano Collections that I myself have played, never in a concert, but just for study or fun on my own. His tempos were smoking and his playing was technically and expressively brilliant. Really delightful to hear him and I hope to again.
Overall, I enjoyed the experience. I wasn't sure at first how I felt about the concert being as intimate as it was; for a moment, I missed the big screens, projections, pyrotechnics, etc, from an event like Video Games Live. Another question I grappled with was whether or not I wanted the instruments to be mic'd. But that passed quickly and I enjoyed hearing these unamplified chamber performances. When I saw my students in attendance, they related the same thoughts of being glad to focus in on the aural aspect of the music.
Of course, I took notes on the concert. Below is the program list from the 10/28/16 concert in Ann Arbor.
FF VI- Decisive Battle
FF- Victory Theme
FF XI- Sarutabaruta
FF X- Battle (piano solo)
FF I- Town Theme
FF VIII- Fragments of Memories (string quartet)
FF XI- Selbina
FF IV- Troia (cello, guitar)
FF V- A New World
FF IX- Final Battle (piano solo)
Chocobo Medley
***Intermission***
FF I- Chaos Shrine
FF V- Home Sweet Home
FF IV- The Red Wings
FF XII- Ivalice Landscapes
Moogle Medley
FF IX- Danger in the Forest
FF VII- Those Who Fight (piano solo)
FF II- Rebel Army
FF X- Zanarkand
FF VIII- Force Your Way
Encore: FF VII- One Winged Angel
Before the concert, I was already wondering how the loops would end. This is one of the inherent problems of translating non-linear media into a concert setting, right? On a game soundtrack or in gameplay, the music simply loops until it fades out and the next track plays, or in a game, the player's action triggers a new audio situation. The ends of the pieces were sometimes handled by speeding up a bit toward a climax or by taking a small musical phrase and repeating it a few times at different dynamics to create a musical button. A few of these endings made Vince and/or I chuckle with the predictability, but I suppose there's no way around it.
I also left the event wanting to know more about Eric Roth. He was obviously instrumental in coordinating the concert and did a great job as MC. However, I wondered at times why he was conducting. For instance, he conducted the string quartet as they played Fragments of Memories, which struck me as unusual since string quartets are usually self-sufficient and led by the first violin. I would describe Mr. Roth's conducting at this event as perfunctory. He definitely brought the group in and set the tempo clearly (though the Chaos Shrine number had to restart because of an instrument playing at double time), but he never adjusted balance (for instance, the drums were far too over powering in the Red Wings), and never seemed to conduct phrases or expressively, merely beating time. Seeing that made me realize that he must've had a larger behind the scenes role than what was immediately evident in the concert. Indeed, when I check out his website, I see that he does the arranging for the group and I wonder if he also handles some of the administrative portions of the concert logistics. I didn't really think much about it, but Vince pointed out afterward that when Mr. Roth announced the players on stage he didn't know some of them, struggling to pronounce their names as he read them. Been there myself! But still, less than optimum, particularly when it's a small chamber group. Overall, though, I thought he served as a good guide through the event for folks who may not have been accustomed to attending a chamber music concert that was largely classical in format.
The event was just under two hours with intermission and a late start. And because it was the Friday before Halloween, ushers handed out candy on the way out! Yay Skittles! Vince and I both enjoyed it a lot and I'd definitely attend again if it comes through Ann Arbor in the future. Maybe I could even bring some of my students! For a big Final Fantasy fan like me, it was perfect, though when I consider a broader group of attendees, I'm struck by the fact that the diversity of music that plays at a concert with a wider range of genres and games would obviously attract more gamers.
Bottom line: If you love the music of Final Fantasy, you'll probably enjoy A New World if it comes close enough for you to attend! Check it out. And if you do so, I'd love to hear about your impression and experiences in the comments below.
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