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Classic FM to host weekly show on orchestral video game music
Final Fantasy. Skyrim. The Legend of Zelda. These and so many other video game franchises offer beautiful, sweeping scores for players to get lost in. Unfortunately, however, they're not always known or appreciated by people outside of the gaming community. Recognition is improving through live concerts and awards, but there's still a long way to go. The latest effort to champion and broaden its appeal is a new radio show on Classic FM. It'll be hosted by Jessica Curry, co-founder of British game studio The Chinese Room and composer of Everybody's Gone to the Rapture, and focus on symphonic video game music in particular.
All-classical music concert HD channel in the works
Poised to take advantage of the dearth of classical music television stations in the U.S., Unitel Classica is planning a worldwide classical channel formatted for HDTV. The German production company already supplies HD concerts via satellite in Europe on SES Astra, and the Classica standard definition opera and classical channel in several countries. The new channel will launch in Germany first in the fourth quarter, before potentially making the jump over here. With that much experience behind them, and the enthusiastic response to opera and classical broadcasts already available, Unitel should be ready to give the classical fans what they've been waiting for sometime in 2009.
Sarah Brightman meets Guild Wars
If you're a fan of music at all, you probably already know who Sarah Brightman is. Her voice transcends all genres, ranging from pop, rock, musical theatre, core classical and world music. Her career has spanned three decades and her name has become synonymous with the new "pop opera" style. Great, but what does any of this have to do with MMOs? If you check out the cover of her recent album, and you're a Guild Wars player, you may notice some similarities. Symphony, the latest release from Sarah Brightman, features artwork done by ArenaNet Art Director Daniel Dociu. Both the album and her website spotlight Guild Wars concept art, as well as original art created specifically for Symphony.
Symphonic Orchestra sounds like a nice game for music lovers
Kando Games is developing a title called Symphonic Orchestra for the Wii, DS, and PC. We're currently most excited about the Wii version, though, because the use of motion controls will turn the Wiimote into an excellent conductor's baton. Details on the game are sparse, but we do know that it will allow you to "play and learn" classical music. Tracks include pieces from Bizet's Carmen and Beethoven's 9th Symphony, to name a few. It may not be Wii Music, but Symphonic Orchestra might be the next best thing. As per usual, though, we'll just have to wait and see what develops.
Get serious with new DS Style screens
We're expecting a load of news when the Square Enix Party starts. For now, we've got new screens from the DS Style series, which is obviously too serious for parties. Specifically, new screens were released of Flower Blooming DS: Gardening Life, Shall We Listen to Classical Music on the DS?, and three World Walking map programs: Italy, France and Taiwan.We could kind of see picking up a DS map program instead of a guidebook when we go on vacation, since we tend to take the DS with us anyway. We are definitely feeling a strong urge to buy the classical music "game" as well, since it's being developed by iNiS. Smart move, Squeenix.
Inax's Satis Asteo Washlet toilet: pre-loaded with classical tunes
While there's certainly a market for techtoilets out there, Inax is apparently hoping that all interested john owners haven't already snapped up a Toto or Brondell, as its Satis Asteo Washlet doesn't do much to stand out. The musically inclined lavatory sports the obligatory SD slot, built-in stereo speakers, and an automatic lowering / lifting mechanism, but one interesting aspect of this iteration is the tunes that apparently come pre-loaded. While the translation is admittedly sketchy, Inax appears to have a number of classical pieces from the likes of Bach, Chopin, and Mendelsohn ready to rock, presumably to drown out less than pleasant ambient noises when you forget your own MP3-stocked SD card. Furthermore, the device can reportedly detect whether you'd prefer the lid up or down (saywha?) and the built-in nightlight should prevent any early morning surprises when sleepwalking into the restroom. Inax's latest toilets are available right now for those in Japan, and will set you back anywhere from ¥55,333 ($467) to ¥87,333 ($737), depending on model.[Via Core77]
DS Style details emerge-- screenshot-style
The first screenshots of Square Enix's DS Style series of nongames have shown up, and they look ... well, functional. The problem with nongames is that it's impossible to build hype for something that is used just for looking at a map of France, or teaching yourself yoga, even if the software in question is extremely well-designed.These screens answer the biggest question we had about the series: how could a game about listening to classical music possibly fill two screens meaningfully? The answer: dog animations and quizzing you on your feelings about the music.
Square Enix brings lifestyle titles to DS
Continuing its praiseworthy support for the Nintendo DS, Square Enix has announced DS Style, a new line of software for the casual gaming audience. According to the latest issue of Famitsu, the company is venturing away from its RPG franchises for a moment, focusing instead on leisure activities like yoga, classical music, and gardening. It might not sound as exciting as SRPG battles or Chocobo mini-games, but different strokes for different folks.Square Enix will also be releasing DS travel guides based on the popular World Walking tour book series in Japan. These guides will provide maps and other useful information for sightseers visiting countries like France or Thailand. Check past the post break for the full list of destination guides and verbose titles from Square Enix's DS Style lineup. [Via NeoGAF]
Chicago Sinfonietta arranges concerto for ringtones
It seems that ringtones of every frequency have skyrocketed up the list of popular pet peeves (at least in boardrooms and lecture halls), but the Chicago Sinfonietta went against the grain by kicking off its 20th anniversary season with a piece that would drive interviewers, ministers, professors, and less-than-understanding managers insane. David Baker, a music professor at Indiana University, crafted the "participatory Concertino for Cell Phones and Orchestra" after symphony director Paul Freeman conjured the idea of having attendees blast those monophonic jams on cue in order to create an abstract form of musical art. Utilizing colored signals resembling a stoplight, guests were armed and ready to emit whatever ringtone they pleased, and the cacophonic barrage of high-pitched beeps reportedly formed a euphonic medley that only an artist could appreciate. While we aren't sure if this newfangled form of music will ever hit the iTunes Music Store, catching it on Verizon's V CAST service might not be too far fetched.
