If you love video game music, like I do, you may be interested in this new Press Release stating that Josh Barron’s The ETHEReal String Project has just been released. This is a string (orchestrated) arrangement of many classic songs from video games, including a lot of RPG love. Many titles are of interest to me, so I’m relaying this release to our Operation Rainfall audience to see if anyone else is interested and to provide links if you are.
Logansport, Indiana – March 23, 2016 – Composer and arranger Josh Barron and the ETHEReal String Orchestra are pleased to present their groundbreaking orchestral arrangement album paying tribute to the beloved soundtracks of Final Fantasy, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Mass Effect 3, and more with The ETHEReal String Project. What started as a live collaboration over YouTube has grown and matured into a breathtakingly beautiful compilation of some of the best music from several renowned RPGs with a couple other surprises. The ETHEReal String Project is fully licensed and is available now on LOUDR:
The ETHEReal String Project on LOUDR
The ETHEReal String Project on iTunes
The ETHEReal String Project on Spotify
“The inspiration for this project stems from productions like Symphonic Fantasies and Final Symphony,” reflects Josh Barron. “I was fascinated with their robust, colorful orchestrations and felt like the music brought nostalgia to life. With the ETHEReal String Project, I arranged pieces that have never been arranged before and in styles that not only depart from the source, but also pulls one into nostalgia.”
The full track listing for The ETHEReal String Project is as follows:
01. Fang’s Theme (For String Orchestra) [from Final Fantasy XIII]
02. Secunda (For String Quintet and Piano) [from The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim]
03. Ancient Stones (For Quintet and Piano) [from The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim]
04. Trisection (For String Orchestra) [from Final Fantasy Tactics]
05. Eruyt Village (For String Orchestra and Piano) [from Final Fantasy XII]
06. I Was Lost Without You (For Strings and Piano) [from Mass Effect 3]
07. And Thus Fate Became Cruel (For String Orchestra) [from Heroes of Mana]
08. Eternity~Memories of Light and Waves (For String Orchestra & Piano) [from Final Fantasy X-2]
09. Honor, Sacrifice, Glory: Variations on Themes from Halo 2 (For Orchestra)
10. Still Alive (For String Orchestra) [from Mirror’s Edge]
11. Tactical Espionage Suite (For String Orchestra) [from Metal Gear Solid 2]
12. The Forest of Awakening (For String Orchestra and Piano) [Original]
13. Sulyya Springs (For Viola and Piano) [from Final Fantasy XIII]
The track list draws from titles developed both in the East and West alongside an original composition by Josh Barron. Multiple contributions are made by the talented performers and arrangers on the album who each have their own fan following on YouTube, making this a unique collaboration between artists around the globe. “With enough support from listeners, my next ETHEReal String album will feature arrangements from Yasunori Mitsuda’s career including Chrono Trigger, Chrono Cross, Xenogears, and even Shadow Hearts Covenant,” notes Barron. “Then it’s on to my Ori and the Blind Forest Symphony and possibly a Final Fantasy XII or Vagrant Story orchestral album, as I believe Hitoshi Sakimoto’s music is best when performed by live musicians.”
This is an exciting album to me, especially the inclusion of two of my favorite video game songs of all time, I Was Lost Without You (from Mass Effect 3), and Eternity – Memories of Light and Waves (from Final Fantasy X-2). And name dropping Yasunori Mitsuda and Hitoshi Sakimoto (my two favorite game composers) makes me excited for any future projects. If you would like a sample of the album, check out this video.
