Fans of the long-running series of Final Fantasy games can experience the music in a whole new way. Final Fantasy: A New World presents the game's beloved music in an intimate performance with an ensemble of just 11 musicians. I talked with arrangers and conductors Arnie Roth and his son, Eric, about their concerts in June at the Tilles Center at Long Island University, and the Connecticut premiere in Hartford at theWadsworth Atheneum.
Since the concerts don't include any visuals like giant screens behind the orchestra, Arnie says the music is even more powerful, and the intimate arrangements let the audience hear the melodies played by individual performers more clearly. Eric adds that they invite the audience to join from time to time as well, like during this performance of "One Winged Angel."
During its 29-year history, Final Fantasy fans have bonded with the characters, as well as with each other, playing together for years. In fact, Eric says many couples have proposed to each other during performances of the sentimental pieces that are part of the soundtracks!
Keeping up with the prolific composer Nobuo Uematsu can be a challenge, and the next project for Arnie and Eric will be creating arrangements for Final Fantasy XV, due out in September.
