Once upon a time, “composers” wrote only for Classical instruments. The greatest found ways of pushing their instruments — even violin pizzicato was once avant-garde extended technique.
Now, of course, composers are writing for film, digital media, multimedia, robotic guitars, cell phones, and yes, video games. While Hollywood movies have remained conservative in their taste for original music, games have become a new field for exploration.
So, while we’re on the topic of orchestral concerts of game music, I’m curious: what video game scores do you think are the most original and inspirational? 8-bit or 64-bit, I’ll compile your faves — email or comment here.
(Watch for an interview with composer Jesper Kyd soon; I’m editing it now. And if you write for games, by all means drop me a line!)