The Nashville Symphony performed The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses – Master Quest recently at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center with conductor Vinay Parameswaran. The symphony played to a packed house, and the patrons were privileged to experience a magical melodious journey through the 28 years of musical excellence that the Legend of Zelda video game series has established.
Nintendo has a long history of composing captivating and memorable music for their video games. The Legend of Zelda series is especially known for having whimsical music that guides your adventure from beginning to end. The Nashville Symphony provided just that, and I was delightfully mesmerized. The symphony started our journey with the Legend of Zelda theme music and captured me with sounds of booming triumph. I was instantly transported back to the best moments of my childhood. The music was accompanied with video clips projected from the various games in high definition on a giant screen. I felt as though I was revisiting an old and dear friend that was about to charm me with tales from when we were younger and eager to explore the world.
After the introduction melody, the master of ceremonies walked out onto the stage and announced the line up of songs for the evening. The songs hailed from the most popular entries of the series of Zelda games. The ‘Ocarina of Time,’ ‘Majora’s Mask,’ and ‘A Link Between Worlds’ were brought to vibrant and stunning life on screen through rhythmic melodies. The songs were either specifically from a setting, such as ‘Gerudo Valley.’ Or, they were a compilation of songs like the ‘Boss Battle’ melody. I was amazed at how the Nashville Symphony was able to draw out strong emotions that I felt toward the Legend of Zelda series. There were connections on so many levels that I can barely sum up my experience as magnificent.
The music connected separate entries in the Legend of Zelda series. The visuals linked the music to the collection of games from which they drew. Finally, the whole experience was able to unite the audience to the marvelous adventure that is the Legend of Zelda. Both old and new fans of these games were able to literally experience the evolution of this +20 year old series in one night. That sort of occurrence is something that most music lovers or video game fans can only dream of. I was elated to have been in the room to hear the Nashville Symphony bring that dream to life. For music fans, for Legend of Zelda fans, and for fans of both, the Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses — Master Quest was excellent in every way. The Nashville Symphony was able to present the most entertaining fusion of music and video games, my two favorite hobbies, into one. I feel as though I was able to experience a piece of musical history.
