Warcraft II Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness (1995) Composer: Glenn Stafford Arranger: Robert Garner Audio Editing: Zeynep Dilli, Josh Haas, Jimyo Lin, Jamin Morden, Lee Stearns, Scott Luxenberg, Elias Schwartzman Video Editing: Lee Stearns Music Director: Jamin Morden Choir Director: Jacob Coppage-Gross Arranger's Notes: The real-time strategy game “Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness” continued the story of a war between Orcs and Humans, in which the player could join either side to gather resources (gold, lumber, or oil), construct buildings, and train and deploy troops. The players could face off against the computer in AI-controlled scenarios in the main campaign of the game, or connect to this newfangled “Internet” thing to spar with human opponents in real-time via a dial-up connection on a variety of map settings. Since different strategies could result in games lasting anywhere between minutes and hours, composer Glenn Stafford designed much of the music to work as infinite loops. The soundtrack had to sustain interest without distracting from gameplay, requiring a consistent energy and catchy melodies. Stafford achieved this brilliantly, although bound within the technical limitations of the time. Both races’ themes use minor keys extensively. A military tone is usually present, along with tension and drive, to reinforce that there is much at stake. Human tracks feature strong melodic lines and harp arpeggios, while the Orc themes employ chromatic runs, trills, and turns, with the harpsichord adding tone color. Our arrangement is a medley of melodies from different stages of the game. Performers: Piccolo: Jess Bateman, Tamaira Jaszczak Flute 1: Mary Beck, Cheryl Carr Flute 2: Jessie Biele, Riley Zielinski, Jessica Robertson Oboe 1: Elise Favia Oboe 2: Emily Monahan Clarinet 1: Ben Ryer, Greg Orosz, Angela Small Clarinet 2: Nikko Nolasco, Chris Erickson Bass Clarinet: Yannick Joseph Alto Saxophone 1 & 2: Joe Wang Tenor Saxophone: Greg Danis, James Robertson Baritone Saxophone: Jacob Deaven Bassoon 1 & 2: Doug Eber Trumpet 1: Ryan Guidry Trumpet 2: Adam Zerance, Nathan Froelich Trumpet 3: Kyle Mesce Horn 1: Grace Worth, Jamin Morden Horn 2: Jamin Morden Horn 3: Josh Haas Horn 4: Andrew Mee Trombone 1: Iain Kierzewski, David Crisler Trombone 2: Brandon Harnish Tuba: Fabio Moreira Timpani: Julius Versoza Tam-tam, Bass Drum: Benjamin Downey Snare Drum: Scott Luxenberg Tubular Bells: Lee Stearns Piano: Jules Metcalf-Burton Theremin: Dominique Pelletier Soprano: Amanda Cavanagh, Meredith, Tracy Flanders, Sara Stearns, Mary Beck, Anne Marie Porter, Zeynep Dilli Alto: Robb Saffell, Ashleah Younker, Charlotte Johnson, Claire Hedgespeth, Danielle Bartolanzo, Jasmin Marcelo, Kai Diaz, Nicole Pennington, Shaunica Pridgen Tenor: Jimyo Lin, Kyle Jamolin, Jeff Fairbanks, David Werner, Anthony McMannis, Ian Martyn, Iain Kierzewksi, Purev Arslanbaatar Bass: Alex Booth, Benjamin Tousley, Corey Schon, Jacob Coppage-Gross, Leo Martyn, Matt Harker, Michael Ohr, Connor Worth, Adam Marinelli Violin 1: Chris Lee, Elias Schwartzman, Brittany Colette Lasley, Darrah Treleaven, Monika Ramnarayan, Cindy Zhang Violin 2: Chris Lee, Kyndra Wojciechowski, Lauren Barefoot, Curtis Mitchell, Darrah Treleaven Viola: Elias Schwartzman, Mishee Kearney, Darrah Treleaven Cello: Meaghan Berry, Diana Henry Contrabass: Les Doerfler, Dan Serino The Washington Metropolitan Gamer Symphony Orchestra (WMGSO) is a nonprofit community orchestra whose mission is to share video game music by putting on affordable, accessible concerts in the D.C. area. "WMGSO: The Album" and "WMGSO: The Album DLC" out now! https://wmgso.org/our-music/albums Support WMGSO: https://wmgso.org/donate​ WMGSO merchandise: https://www.cafepress.com/wmgso​ Follow WMGSO on social media! Website: https://wmgso.org/​ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MetroGSO/​ Twitter: https://twitter.com/wmgso​ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/washmetrogso/​ Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/wmgso

Final Fantasy VII Symphonic Suite: Songs of the Lifestream Movement 5: One-Winged Angel By: Nobuo Uematsu, additional lyrics by Tetsuya Nomura/Taro Yamashita Arr. Zeynep Dilli For all that “One-Winged Angel” is associated with Sephiroth, our antagonist, it is not the actual character theme for Sephiroth. Motifs from that theme, “Those Chosen by the Planet,” do however appear in “One-Winged Angel,” the final boss battle theme of Final Fantasy VII. “One-Winged Angel” describes the “Safer Sephiroth” form, one of his forms during the final battle. As to the piece itself, there is simply no brief way to describe its sheer iconic stature, so we will not try. For “One-Winged Angel,” Uematsu cites Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971, particularly The Rite of Spring, 1913) and Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970, particularly “Purple Haze,” 1967) as influences. The Rite of Spring inspiration is immediately clear upon hearing the second section of that work, “The Auguries of Spring,” with its characteristic soundscape defined by “the augur chord” that Stravinsky loved very much: a major triad with a ninth dominant on top. The Hendrix inspiration is likewise clear in the opening chords and the feel of some of the phrases, which even with the initial, fully acoustic/symphonic orchestration, openly yearns for an electric guitar. To compose especially the opening of “Angel,” Uematsu used a jigsaw-puzzle method: He composed numerous eight-bar phrases and stitched them into an order that sounded good. Final Fantasy VII was the first Final Fantasy game to have direct prequels and sequels—same world, related or same characters—including a 2005 animated movie, Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, set two years after the events of the main game and dealing with the survivor’s guilt of the main character, Cloud. The movie features a final battle between Cloud and a returning Sephiroth, accompanied by a reworking of “One-Winged Angel.” In addition to new lyrics and completely new musical material in a middle sequence, the entire character of the piece has changed: Uematsu, who at the time played with his hard rock band Black Mages, has let his inner prog-rock musician fully come out to play with the addition of a keyboard, drum kit, and electric guitar and bass to the orchestration. As he himself considers this the definitive version of “One-Winged Angel,” so do we (but for the older material, we have retained the original lyrics, since they feel more iconic). The arrangement follows the exact structure of Advent’s “One-Winged Angel” and makes heavy use of the same harmonic motifs—ninth dissonances and tritones. The orchestration and instrumentation have some additional touches, such as more call-and-response in the first choral part; the full brass section as well as some woodwinds being deployed against the chorus and the rock band in the middle hard-rock section; furtive, very brief phrases contributing to the very gradual buildup in the coda; and one additional measure stretching the tension just that much more before the final explosive end. A special Thank You to the Prince George's Community College Center for the Performing Arts & Humanities Department for filming and streaming our concert. Video Producer: David Werner Video and Stream Coordinator: Jarel Jones Recording Audio Engineer: Josh Haas Video and Audio Editor: David Werner Additional Audio Assistance: Jimyo Lin, David Crisler, Scott Luxenberg The Washington Metropolitan Gamer Symphony Orchestra (WMGSO) is a nonprofit community orchestra whose mission is to share video game music by putting on affordable, accessible concerts in the D.C. area. "WMGSO: The Album" and "WMGSO: The Album DLC" out now! https://wmgso.org/albums Support WMGSO: https://www.wmgso.org/donate WMGSO merchandise: https://www.cafepress.com/wmgso​​ Follow WMGSO on social media! Website: https://www.wmgso.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MetroGSO/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/wmgso Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/washmetrogso Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/wmgso #videogamemusic #finalfantasymusic #ff7

Super Mario Sleigh Ride Sleigh Ride (song, 1948), Super Mario Bros. (1985), Super Mario World (1990) Composers: Leroy Anderson, Koji Kondo, The OneUps Arranger: Robert Garner Audio Editors: Jamin Morden, Lee Stearns, Joe Wang, Josh Haas, Jimyo Lin, Scott Luxenberg QA: Amanda Cavanagh, John Umble, Iain Kierzewski, Scott Luxenberg, and Stephen Wiley Video Editor: Lee Stearns Concert Producer: Iain Kierzewski Music Director: Jamin Morden Arranger's Notes: Way back in 2002, a video game music cover band called The OneUp Mushrooms (now known as The OneUps) submitted a piece called Super Mario’s "Sleigh Ride" to OverClocked ReMix. The song went public on Dec. 24, an early Christmas gift for the community. (You can listen to The OneUps Super Mario's Sleigh Ride at this link https://youtu.be/-22BUX1UnB4.) The jazz combo (alto sax, trumpet, keyboard, guitar, bass, and drums) merged video game music with Christmas carols, taking advantage of chord progression similarities between Leroy Anderson’s omnipresent “Sleigh Ride” and riffs from Koji Kondo’s various “Mario” soundtracks (specifically 1985’s “Super Mario Bros.” and 1990’s “Super Mario World”). This compilation for full orchestra, which has rattled around inside the arranger’s head for several years, uses the OneUps’ original as a template. Performers: Mary Beck, Flute 1 Jessie Biele, Flute 2 Jessica Robertson, Flute 2 Jessica Bateman, Piccolo Elise Favia, Oboe 1 and English Horn Jenn Ganss, Oboe 2 Angela Small, Clarinet 1 Ben Ryer, Clarinet 2 Yannick Joseph, Bass Clarinet Joe Wang, Alto Saxophone James Robertson, Tenor Saxophone Jacob Deaven, Baritone Saxophone Doug Eber, Bassoon 1 and 2 Kristi Engel, Bassoon 1 George Marshall, French Horn 1 Morgan Marshall, French Horn 2 Greg Wicks, French Horn 2 Jamin Morden, French Horn 3 Josh Haas, French Horn 4 and Recorders Adam Zerance, Trumpet 1 and 3 Patrick Cavanagh, Trumpet 2 Iain Kierzewski, Trombone 1 and 2 Vasu Kushalnagar, Bass Trombone Fabio Moreira, Tuba Lee Stearns, Xylophone and Whip Nadine Markham-Itteilag, Temple Blocks and Sleigh Bells Scott Luxenberg, Glockenspiel Benjamin Downey, Drum Set Julius Verzosa, Bass Guitar Jules Metcalf-Burton, Piano Chris "CTL" Lee, Violin 1 Monika Ramnarayan, Violin 1 Darrah Treleaven, Violin 1, 2 and Viola Sherwin Fong, Violin 2 Chris "CTL" Lee, Violin 2 Curtis Mitchell, Violin 2 John Umble, Violin 2 Emily DeCapite, Viola Mishee Kearney, Viola Meaghan Berry, Cello Joshua Colbert, Cello Diana Henry, Cello Dan Serino, Bass Soloists, in order of appearance: Jules Metcalf-Burton (piano), Joe Wang (alto saxophone), Darrah Treleaven (violin), Adam Zerance (trumpet), James Robertson (tenor saxophone), Yannick Joseph (bass clarinet), Elise Favia (oboe), Angela Small (clarinet), Josh Haas (recorders), and Nadine Markham-Itteilag (temple blocks). The Washington Metropolitan Gamer Symphony Orchestra (WMGSO) is a nonprofit community orchestra whose mission is to share video game music by putting on affordable, accessible concerts in the D.C. area. "WMGSO: The Album" and "WMGSO: The Album DLC" out now! https://wmgso.org/our-music/albums Support WMGSO: https://wmgso.org/donate WMGSO merchandise: https://www.cafepress.com/wmgso Follow WMGSO on social media! Website: https://wmgso.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MetroGSO/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/wmgso Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/washmetrogso/ Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/wmgso

Check out our recently launched Indiegogo campaign: http://wmgso.org/album Vamo' alla Flamenco Final Fantasy IX (2000) Composer: Nobuo Uematsu Arranger: Alexander I. Son & Daniel Serino Conductor: Jamin Morden Cover art by: Dan Lam Recorded at: Omega Studios Audio Production: Elias Schwartzman Video Director: David Werner Assistant Video Director: Lee Stearns Floor Director: Vee Kirtz Assistant Floor Director: Ashleah Younker Camera Operators: Dave Shirey & Jimyo Lin Video Editor: Lee Stearns A band of swashbuckling thieves, a grand performance, the clashing of swords, an elaborate ruse, a daring kidnapping of a princess, and a fiery song of passion to drive that action forward. Vamo’ alla Flamenco debuted in Final Fantasy IX during the staged performance by Zidane and the Tantalus Theater Troupe in their attempted kidnapping of Princess Garnet of Alexandria. The song incorporates a strong “Spanish” and flamenco feel while utilizing the chord structure of the traditional baroque tune La Folia. This unique tune has remained popular among fans, subsequently appearing in Final Fantasy XIV and XV. This arrangement presses upon that flamenco soul with its featuring of guitars and castanets, while also incorporating its baroque roots of strings and harpsichord. Violin: Cindy Zhang Andrew Wang Kai Diaz Sherwin Fong Jess Yuen Lauren Barefoot Viola: Claire Bradfuhrer Danielle Daines Victor Ontiveros Cello: Alex Le Floch Alex Son Contrabass: Isabel Martinez Guitar: Dan Serino Les Doerfler Harpsichord: Jacob Coppage-Gross Castanets: Julius Verzosa Soloists (in order of appearance): Alex Le Floch Dan Serino Cindy Zhang Alex Son The Washington Metropolitan Gamer Symphony Orchestra (WMGSO) is a nonprofit community orchestra whose mission is to share video game music by putting on affordable, accessible concerts in the D.C. area. "WMGSO: The Album" and "WMGSO: The Album DLC" out now! https://wmgso.org/albums Support WMGSO: https://www.wmgso.org/donate WMGSO merchandise: https://www.cafepress.com/wmgso​​ Follow WMGSO on social media! Website: https://www.wmgso.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MetroGSO/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/wmgso Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/washmetrogso Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/wmgso Thank you to the Maryland State Arts Council for providing us the grant that made this video possible.

The Promised Land Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children (2005), Final Fantasy VII: Remake (2020) Composer: Nobuo Uematsu Arranger: Chris Apple Original Artwork: Helena Wu https://www.instagram.com/helena_pocket/ Audio Editing: Zeynep Dilli and Jeff Fairbanks Video Editing: Jeff Fairbanks QA: Amanda Cavanagh and Robb Saffell Concert Producer: Iain Kierzewski Choir Director: Jacob Coppage-Gross Arranger's Notes: "Promised Land" initially appeared in Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, an animated movie which is a direct story sequel to the game Final Fantasy VII (1997). In Advent Children it is an a cappella piece which plays over a narrated prologue, as a child's voice explains what happened since the events of the game: It has been two years since AVALANCHE resisted against the Shinra Company exploiting the Lifestream, the life force of the planet, for energy; two years since Sephiroth made his bloody pilgrimage to the Northern Crater and tried to destroy the world. It has been two years since the people united to stop him, and yet no one seems to have found the prosperity they wanted. The Planet, their home, is still angry with them, and is causing an illness to ravage the communities of the world. This a cappella piece can be heard during the prologue of Advent Children, almost like a threnody for the world's suffering, lamenting a society that is still destitute and ailing. The lyrics are the voice of a people crying out, asking why they must still suffer, asking themselves why they are still clinging to and waiting for redemption on a land that has not forgiven them. In the first part of the Final Fantasy VII: Remake, released in 2020, "The Promised Land" appears as a wordless, somber track. The melody, predominantly in the lower strings, is supported by a piano in its lower range and higher flowing sounds invoking the planet's Lifestream. This piece features the WMGSO choir. Sopranos: Mary Beck Amanda Cavanagh Meredith Ari Detty Zeynep Dilli Tracy Flanders Jasmine Marcelo Kimmy Okada Anne Marie Porter Altos: Melissa Apter Claire Hedgespeth Tegan Hendrickson Charlotte Johnson Emily Monahan Robb Saffell Michelle Sloan Holly Wu Ashleah Younker Tenors: Jeff Fairbanks Kyle Jamolin Jimyo Lin Anthony McMannis David Werner Sheldon Zamora-Soon Basses: Jacob Coppage-Gross Matt Harker Adam Marinelli Connor Worth Mark Shrout Michael Ohr Stephen Wiley The Washington Metropolitan Gamer Symphony Orchestra (WMGSO) is a nonprofit community orchestra whose mission is to share video game music by putting on affordable, accessible concerts in the D.C. area. "WMGSO: The Album" and "WMGSO: The Album DLC" out now! https://wmgso.org/our-music/albums Support WMGSO: https://wmgso.org/donate​​ WMGSO merchandise: https://www.cafepress.com/wmgso​​ Follow WMGSO on social media! Website: https://wmgso.org/​​ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MetroGSO/​​ Twitter: https://twitter.com/wmgso​​ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/washmetrogso/​​ Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/wmgso

Liberi Fatali - Final Fantasy VIII (1999) By: Nobuo Uematsu Lyrics by: Taro Yamashita & Kazushige Nojima Arr. Josh Haas Final Fantasy VIII has a dramatic, iconic opening cinematic with a matching soundtrack: With flashes of out-of-context story bits, “Liberi Fatali”—”Fated Children”—grabs your attention immediately and holds you in thrall for the entire ride. The title refers to the game’s main characters—students of a renowned military academy who find themselves embroiled in complex political intrigue and...time travel? The repeating lyrics throughout the tune (“FITHOS - LUSEC - WECOS - VINOSEC”) are not real words, but an anagram of two main themes in the game: “Succession of Witches” and “Love.” The piece is a compact, streamlined three-minute gem, as directed and impactful as a thrown spear, and has earned its place in concert repertoires many times over. A series of momentum-building ostinatos follow one another, and no thematic statement overstays its welcome. Famously, the piece does not end on a resolution, but with a chord that leaves the tonal center uncertain, as the screen first crashes into black, then dissolves into the words “Final Fantasy VIII” with the cover design—a young couple embracing, or…is he holding her up as she’s collapsing? This non-resolution is of course appropriate: This is where our story begins. Please press “Start.” Audio Recorder: Josh Haas Audio Editor: Elias Schwartzman Video Editor: David Werner Graphics: Brana Rose Recorded video provided by the Prince George's Community College Center for the Performing Arts #finalfantasymusic #videogamemusic #finalfantasyviii

Coronation/Baba Yetu Civilization IV (2005) Composer: Christopher Tin Arranger: Alex Song Audio recording: Jimyo Lin Video editor: Avi Bardack Photographs: Ken Rubin Photography https://kenrubinphotography.com/ Music Director: Nigel Horne Choir Director: Jacob Coppage-Gross Arranger notes: In the genre-defining Civilization series, players guide civilizations from prehistoric times to the space age, with different possible paths of development to victory. True to the series' nature as a celebration of human cultures, the music incorporates historic music from around the world as well as original compositions. Christopher Tin, who came on board as composer for Civilization IV, was nominated for and won a Grammy Award for "Baba Yetu," the main theme song - making this the first video game piece to win a Grammy. This arrangement combines "Baba Yetu," whose lyrics are a Swahili adaptation of the Lord's Prayer, with "Coronation," the music from the introductory video to the game. The rising cheer and excitement in "Coronation" gives way to the unbridled joy of "Baba Yetu," a piece pulsing with all the potential of a civilization rising from the soil and poised on the brink of the future. "Baba Yetu" features Kyle Jamolin as the tenor soloist and Tracy Flanders as the alto soloist. This performance was recorded live on November 9, 2019 as part of WMGSO's "Mountain Scaling, Dungeon Crawling" concert at the Montgomery College Cultural Arts Center in Silver Spring, MD. The Washington Metropolitan Gamer Symphony Orchestra (WMGSO) is a nonprofit community orchestra whose mission is to share video game music by putting on affordable, accessible concerts in the D.C. area. "WMGSO: The Album" and "WMGSO: The Album DLC" out now! https://wmgso.org/our-music/albums Support WMGSO: https://wmgso.org/donate WMGSO merchandise: https://www.cafepress.com/wmgso Follow WMGSO on social media! Website: https://wmgso.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MetroGSO/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/wmgso Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/washmetrogso/ Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/wmgso

Final Fantasy VII Symphonic Suite: Songs of the Lifestream Movement 4: Aerith's Theme By: Nobuo Uematsu Arr. Jamin Morden, Lyrics by Zeynep Dilli Standing against Shinra, and against the true antagonist (who hates Shinra just as much, for good reasons), is the last Ancient. The emotional and narrative context of “Aerith’s Theme” is inseparable from its impact as a piece of music. Even after 25 years, we would hate to spoil anything, so while we will attempt to avoid spoilers here, discerning readers will probably be able to put two and two together. The arrangement is organized into three distinct sections. The first is based on “Aerith’s Theme” as heard when we first meet her. The music is gentle, a little ethereal, and mysterious, not unlike Aerith herself—though it’s worth remembering that she has a great deal more personality than just “healer gal.” The overall feel occasionally expands into louder, more triumphant sections, but generally speaking, reflects the quiet mystery of the girl we just met. The second section is based on the actual track “Aerith’s Theme,” which may be one of the most powerful pieces of video game music ever composed due to its place in the overarching narrative. Suffice to say, its context is tragic. The original PlayStation version, through creative orchestration and use of synths, elicits both the beauty of the introductory theme as well as a raw, sharp grief. The arrangement features moments of other themes and motifs, symbolizing the other people impacted by the tragedy. The final section is inspired by the Adagietto from Gustav Mahler’s 5th Symphony. Delicate harp arpeggios underscore a quiet, contemplative version punctuated at times by short, anguished outbursts from the strings. Woodwind soloists carry the tune, holding onto each motif as long as possible, unwilling to let go. There is one final, desperate plea from the winds and strings, before section by section, person by person, the music settles at last into acceptance. This theme represents the first time this arranger (who played Final Fantasy VII at a very young age) was compelled to complete a game solely to see justice done. He felt he had to do something, and luckily, the player is given the opportunity to do so at the very end of the game. Even more luckily, here in this suite we will get the chance right away. A special Thank You to the Prince George's Community College Center for the Performing Arts & Humanities Department for filming and streaming our concert. Video Producer: David Werner Video and Stream Coordinator: Jarel Jones Recording Audio Engineer: Josh Haas Video and Audio Editor: David Werner Additional Audio Assistance: Jimyo Lin, David Crisler, Scott Luxenberg The Washington Metropolitan Gamer Symphony Orchestra (WMGSO) is a nonprofit community orchestra whose mission is to share video game music by putting on affordable, accessible concerts in the D.C. area. "WMGSO: The Album" and "WMGSO: The Album DLC" out now! https://wmgso.org/albums Support WMGSO: https://www.wmgso.org/donate WMGSO merchandise: https://www.cafepress.com/wmgso​​ Follow WMGSO on social media! Website: https://www.wmgso.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MetroGSO/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/wmgso Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/washmetrogso Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/wmgso #videogamemusic #finalfantasymusic #ff7