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Film Score

Film score

A film score is the background music in a film, generally specially written for the film and often used to heighten emotions provoked by the imagery on the screen or by the dialogue. In many instances, film scores are performed by orchestras, which vary in size from a small chamber ensemble to a large ensemble, often including a choir. The orchestra is either a studio orchestra, employed by the studio, or a performing orchestra such as the London Symphony Orchestra. However, TV, video games, and films with even smaller budgets, often utilize sampling technology to re-create the sound of an orchestra. This is generally much cheaper, although most film-makers try to avoid this. Some films do use popular music as the primary musical component, but an orchestral score is more often preferred. An orchestral score can be much more closely adapted to a film while popular music is based upon a strong and repetitive rhythm that is inflexible and cannot be easily adapted to a scene. Popular genres of music also tend to date quickly as styles rapidly evolve while orchestral music tends to age much more gracefully. Instead, popular music may be included for special occasions where more attention must be diverted to the music. In these cases, songs are usually not written specifically for the film (see soundtrack). After the film has been shot (or has completed some shooting), the composer is shown an unpolished "rough cut" of the film (or of the scenes partially finished), and talks to the director about what sort of music (styles, themes, etc.) should be used - this process is called "spotting." Sometimes the director will have added "temp music", already published pieces that are similar to what the director wants. Most film composers strongly dislike temp music, as directors often become acustom to it and push the composers to be imitators rather than creators. A popular example of this is when George Lucas used music from Hoslt's Mars, Bringer of War from his Planets Suite to temporarily provide music to the destruction of the Death Star in his 1977 film Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. Lucas wanted to use the music instead of score at that moment in the film. John Williams managed to talk Lucas out of it, but only by imitating Holst's music. On certain occasions, directors have become so attached to the temp score that they decided to use it and reject the score (like the Lucas/Williams example) custom made by a composer. The most famous case of this is Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey, where Kubrick opted for existing recordings of classical works rather than the score by Alex North which eventually got Kubrick sued by composer Gyorgy Ligeti. Once a composer has the film, he/she will then work on creating the score. Some films are then reedited to better fit the music. Instances of this include the collaborations between filmmaker Godfrey Reggio and composer Philip Glass, where over several years the score and film are edited multiple times to better suit each other. When the music has been composed and orchestrated, it is then performed by the orchestra or ensemble, often with the composer conducting. The orchestra performs in front of a large screen depicting the movie, and sometimes a series of clicks called a "click-track" that changes with meter and tempo is used, assisting the conductor to synchronize the orchestra with the film. Films often have different themes for important characters, events, ideas or objects, taking the idea from Wagner's use of leitmotif. These may be played in different variations depending on the situation they represent, scattered amongst incidental music. A famous example of this technique is John Williams' score for Star Wars Episode IV-VI, and the several themes assosiated with characters like Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, and Princess Leia (see Star Wars music for more details). Most films have between forty and seventy-five minutes of music. However, some films have very little or no music. Dogme 95 is one genre that has music only from within a film, such as from a radio or television (thus called "source music" because it comes from a source within the film's depiction). The artistic merits of film music are frequently debated. Some critics value it highly, pointing to music such as that written by Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Aaron Copland, Bernard Hermann, and others. Some even consider film music to be a defining genre of classical music in the late 20th century, if only because it is the brand of classical music heard more often than any other. In some cases, film themes have become accepted into the canon of classical music. These are mostly works from already noted composers who have done scores, for instance Sergei Prokofiev's score to Alexander Nevsky or Vaughan Williams' score to Scott of the Antarctic. Others see the great bulk of film music as meritless. They consider that much film music is derivative, borrowing heavily from previous works. Composers of film scores typically can produce about three or four per year. The most popular works by composers such as John Williams and Danny Elfman are still far from entering the accepted canon.

Notable film score composers

- David Arnold: Independence Day, Stargate, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough, Die Another Day
- John Barry: several James Bond films, Dances With Wolves, Zulu, Out of Africa, Born Free
- Elmer Bernstein: The Magnificent Seven, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Great Escape
- Roy Budd: Get Carter, The Wild Geese
- Patrick Doyle: Carlito's Way, Gosford Park, Bridget Jones' Diary, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Kenneth Branagh films such as Henry V
- Randy Edelman: The Last of the Mohicans, Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story, Gettysburg
- Danny Elfman: The Simpsons (theme), Beetlejuice, Batman, Big Fish, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Sleepy Hollow, Red Dragon, Edward Scissorhands and Spider-Man
- Brad Fiedel: The Terminator, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, True Lies
- Hugo Friedhofer: The Best Years of Our Lives, The Bishop's Wife, One-Eyed Jacks
- Philip Glass: The Fog of War, the Qatsi trilogy (Koyaanisqatsi, Powaqqatsi, Naqoyqatsi) Truman Show Bram Stokers Dracula and Thin Blue Line
- Elliot Goldenthal: Heat, A Time to Kill, Frida
- Jerry Goldsmith: many Star Trek scores, both film and TV; The Omen, Patton, Planet of the Apes
- Ron Goodwin: Where Eagles Dare, 633 Squadron, Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines
- Harry Gregson-Williams (occasionally with John Powell): The Rock, Armageddon, Shrek, Man on Fire, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, "Team America: World Police"
- Bernard Herrmann: Citizen Kane, Journey to the Center of the Earth, Mysterious Island, and many Alfred Hitchcock films, most famously Psycho, Vertigo and North by Northwest
- Joe Hisaishi: Nausicaä of the Valley of Wind, Laputa: The Castle in the Sky, Princess Mononoke, Sonatine, Hanabi, Spirited Away
- James Horner: Titanic, Legends of the Fall, Braveheart
- Maurice Jarre: Lawrence of Arabia, Dr Zhivago
- Trevor Jones: Cliffhanger, Deep Blue Sea, Mississippi Burning
- Michael Kamen: Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves, Band of Brothers (TV), X-Men, Lethal Weapon, Licence to Kill
- Bernhard Kaun: Frankenstein (1931), Return of Dr. X
- Erich Wolfgang Korngold: The Sea Hawk, The Adventures of Robin Hood
- Michel Legrand: Les parapluies de Cherbourg
- Albert Hay Malotte: Disney animations, The Big Fisherman
- Henry Mancini: Breakfast at Tiffany's and the Pink Panther movies
- Ennio Morricone: Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo, Peur sur la ville, The Untouchables, The Mission, The Thing, Once Upon a Time in the West
- John Murphy: Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch and 28 Days Later
- Alfred Newman: Wuthering Heights, How the West Was Won, The Greatest Story Ever Told, The King and I
- Thomas Newman: The Shawshank Redemption, American Beauty
- Randy Newman: The Natural, Toy Story
- James Newton Howard: Waterworld, Signs
- Jack Nitzsche: The Exorcist, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Starman, Stand by Me
- Michael Nyman: The Piano, Gattaca
- Basil Poledouris: Conan the Barbarian, RoboCop
- Rachel Portman: The Cider House Rules, Emma
- John Powell: Face/Off, Paycheck
- Sergei Prokofiev: Alexander Nevsky, Lieutenant Kije, Ivan the Terrible
- Heinz Roemheld: The Black Cat, Yankee Doodle Dandy (songs by George M. Cohan), Ruby Gentry
- Nino Rota: The Godfather, Romeo and Juliet, Otto e Mezzo
- Miklós Rózsa: Spellbound, Quo Vadis, Ben-Hur
- Camille Saint-Saëns, the first renowned classical composer to write for films
- Ryuichi Sakamoto: The Last Emperor, Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence
- Lalo Schifrin: Bullitt, Dirty Harry, Rush Hour, Tango, Mission: Impossible
- Howard Shore: The Lord of the Rings, Philadelphia, Se7en
- Alan Silvestri: Back to the Future, Forrest Gump
- Max Steiner: Gone with the Wind, King Kong
- Leith Stevens: Destination Moon, The War of the Worlds (1953), The Wild One
- Shigeru Umebayashi: Yumeji, In the Mood for Love, House of Flying Daggers, 2046
- Vangelis: Chariots of Fire, Blade Runner, 1492: Conquest of Paradise
- Franz Waxman: The Bride of Frankenstein, Objective Burma, Spirit of St. Louis
- John Williams: Star Wars series, Superman: The Movie, Schindler's List, Indiana Jones series, Jaws series, Hook, Harry Potter series
- Ralph Vaughan Williams: Scott of the Antarctic
- Hans Zimmer: The Rock, The Lion King, Driving Miss Daisy, Gladiator, Black Hawk Down, Mission: Impossible 2, Crimson Tide, Hannibal, The Last Samurai
- Ilayaraja: Mouna raagam,Idayathai Thirudathey,Dalapathi,Hey Ram,Lajja,Anjali (film),Sadma,Johnny,Muthalmariyadai
External links

- [http://www.musicweb-international.com/film/index.htm Film Music on the Web]
- [http://www.soundtrackinfo.com/ The SoundtrackINFO project]
- [http://www.classicfm.com/index.cfm?nodeId=172&full_path=%24/classicfm/music/moviemasters/ Classic FM List of film composers]
- [http://www.soundtrack.net/ SoundtrackNet film music and soundtrack database]
- [http://www.imdb.com/Prolific/composers Most prolific composers]
- [http://www.filmscoremonthly.com Film Score Monthly magazine]
- [http://www.ifms-jfm.org The Journal of Film Music]
- [http://www.filmphilharmonie.de Website of the European FilmPhilharmonic], offering film music concerts (even as live movie accompaniment) Category:Film Category:Musical genres
- Category:Film scores

Emotion

:"Emotions" redirects here. For other senses of that word, see emotions (disambiguation). Emotions are essentially impulses that move an organism to action, originating automatic reaction behavior which has been perfected through evolution as a survival need. Davidoff (1980) defines emotion as a feeling that is expressed through physiological functions such as facial expressions, faster heartbeat, and behaviors such as aggression, crying, covering face with hands, and so on. Emotion is complex, and the term has no single universally accepted definition. Emotions are mental states that arise spontaneously, rather than through conscious effort. They are often accompanied by physiological changes; a feeling: the emotions of joy, sorrow, reverence, hate, and love. It is unclear whether animals or all human beings experience emotion. Emotions are physical expressions, often involuntary, related to feelings, perceptions or beliefs about elements, objects or relations between them, in reality or in the imagination. The study of emotions is part of psychology, neuroscience, and more recently artificial intelligence. According to Sloman (1981), emotions are cognitive processes. Some authors emphasize the difference between human emotions and the affective behavior of animals. Emotion is sometimes regarded as the antithesis of reason. This is reflected in common phrases like appeal to emotion or your emotions have taken over. Emotions can be undesired to the individual feeling them; s/he may wish to control but often cannot. Thus one of the most distinctive and perhaps challenging facts about human beings is this potential for entanglement or even opposition between will, emotion, and reason. Emotion as the subject of scientific research has multiple dimensions: behavioral, physiological, subjective, and cognitive. Sloman and others explain that the need to face a changing and unpredictable world makes emotions necessary for any intelligent system (natural or artificial) with multiple motives and limited capacities and resources. Current research on the neural circuitry of emotion suggests that emotion makes up an essential part of human decision-making, including long-term planning, and that the famous distinction made by Descartes between reason and emotion is not as clear as it seems. Some state that there is no empirical support for any generalization suggesting the antithesis between reason and emotion: indeed, anger or fear can often be thought of as a systematic response to observed facts. What can be noted, however, is that the human psyche possesses many possible reactions and perspectives in response to the internal and external world - often lying on a continuum— at one extreme lies pure intellectual logic (often called "cold"); at the other extreme is pure emotionally unresponsive to logical argument ("the heat of passion"). In any case, it is clear that the relation between logic and argument on the one hand and emotion on the other, is one which merits careful study. It has been noted by many that passion, emotion, or feeling can add backing to an argument, even one based primarily on reason - particularly regarding religion or ideology, areas of human thought which frequently demand an all-or-nothing rejection or acceptance, that is, the adoption of a comprehensive worldview partly backed by empirical argument and partly by feeling and passion. Moreover, it has been suggested by several researchers that typically there is no "pure" decision or thought, that is, no thought based "purely" on intellectual logic or "purely" on emotion - most decisions and cognitions are founded on a mixture of both.

Relation to cultural and social factors

It is not clear whether emotion is a purely human phenomenon, since animals seem to exhibit conditions which resemble emotional responses such as anger, fear or sadness, and some animals also exhibit similar neural phenomena to humans in tandem with possible emotional response. It has been hypothesized that emotions typical of human beings have evolved and changed in many ways since the species first emerged. Nonetheless, as noted above, it may well be the case that human and non-human animal emotional responses lie on a constant continuum, rather than being two completely distinct categories of human and animal. Much of what is said about emotions, as well as the history of what has been said about them, is conditioned by culture and even politics. That is to say specific emotional responses, as well as a group's interpretation of their significance, may be influenced by cultural norms of propriety. For instance, certain emotions such as love, hate, and the desire for vengeance are treated very differently in differing societies. This methodological relativity is entirely different from the question of whether emotions are universal or are culturally determined. Many researchers would agree that a vast proportion of human behavior, no matter how close to the lowest biological substrates - including sexual behavior, food consumption, feelings in response to physiological changes and responses to environmental conditions - are conditioned based on social surroundings and non-human environmental factors. Thus it is not difficult to defend the position that emotion is, to a high degree, dependent on social phenomena, expectations, norms, and conditioned behavior of the group in which an individual lives. Clearly, then, the influence of politics, religion, and socio-cultural customs can be easily traced or hypothesized, or perhaps not. Among many pertinent examples: behaviors or activities considered highly cruel in some societies may in fact provoke responses of enjoyment in others; or, sexual acts considered highly desirable in some cultures would provoke shame or disgust in others. Contrary to this view, Paul Ekman has shown that at least some facial expressions and their corresponding emotions are universal across human cultures and are not culturally determined. These universal emotions include anger, disgust, fear, joy, sadness and surprise.

Theoretical traditions

According to Cornelius (1996), four main theoretical traditions have dominated research in emotions starting in the 1800's with Darwin's observations of emotion in man and animals. These traditions are not mutually exclusive and many researchers incorporate multiple perspectives in their work.
- The Darwinian perspective First articulated in the late 19th century by Charles Darwin, emotions evolved via natural expression and therefore have cross-culturally universal counterparts. Most research in this area has focused on physical displays of emotion including body language of animals and facial expressions in humans. Paul Ekman's work on basic emotions is representative of the Darwinian tradition.
- The Jamesian perspective William James in the 1800's believed that emotional experience is largely due to the experience of bodily changes. These changes might be visceral, postural, or facially expressive.
- The cognitive perspective Many researchers believe that thought and in particular cognitive appraisal of the environment is an underlying causal explanation for emotional processes.
- The social constructivist perspective Social constructivism emphasizes the importance of culture and context in understanding what occurs in society and constructing knowledge based on this understanding (Derry, 1999; McMahon, 1997). Much current research in emotion is based on the social constructivist view.
- The neurological tradition (Plutchik, 1980) This tradition draws on recent work on neurophysiology and neuroanatomy to explain the nature of emotions. LeDoux (1986) reviews relatively current knowledge on the neurophysiology of emotion.

Etymology

Etymologically, the word emotion is a composite formed from two Latin words. ex/out, outward + motio/movement, action, gesture. This classical formation refers to the immediate nature of emotion as experienced by humans and attributed in some cultures and ways of thinking to all living organisms, and by scientific community to any creature that exhibits complex response traits similar to what humans refer to as emotion.

Physical responses to emotion

The body frequently responds to Shame by warmth in the upper chest and face, Fear by a heightened heartbeat, increased "flinch" response, and increased muscle tension. Sadness by a feeling of tightness in the throat and eyes, and relaxation in the arms and legs. Desire can be accompanied by a dry throat and heavy breathing.

Computer models of emotion

A flurry of recent work in modeling emotional circuitry and recognition has come out of computer science, engineering, psychology and neuroscience (c.f. Fellous, Armony & LeDoux, 2002).
- See affective computing
- Neural network models of emotion recognition

References

- Cornelius, R. (1996). The science of emotion. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
- Damasio AR. (1994). "Descartes' Error." Penguin Putnam, New York, New York.
- Darwin, C. (1872). The Expression of Emotions in Man and Animals. This was originally published in 1872. It has been reprinted many times thereafter. See, e.g., London: Julian Friedmann Publishers, 1979 (with an introduction by S.J. Rachman.)
- Davidoff, Linda. 1980, 2a. Introducción a la Psicología, McGraw-Hill. México.
- Ekman P. (1999). "Facial Expressions" in Handbook of Cognition and Emotion. Dalgleish T & Power M, Eds. John Wiley & Sons Ltd. New York, New York.
- Fellous, J.M., Armony, J.L., & LeDoux, J.E. (2002). "Emotional Circuits and Computational Neuroscience" in 'The handbook of brain theory and neural networks' Second Edition. M.A. Arbib (editor), The MIT Press. [http://citeseer.ist.psu.edu/fellous02emotional.html]
- LeDoux, J.E. (1986). The neurobiology of emotion. Chap. 15 in J E. LeDoux & W. Hirst (Eds.) Mind and Brain: diologues in cognitive neuroscience. New York: Cambridge.
- Plutchik, R. (1980). A general psychoevolutionary theory of emotion. In R. Plutchik & H. Kellerman (Eds.), Emotion: Theory, research, and experience: Vol. 1. Theories of emotion (pp. 3-33). New York: Academic.
- Sloman, Aaron. 1981. Why Robots Will Have Emotions. University of Sussex. In proc.
- Wikipedia, La Enciclopedia Libre, es.Wikipedia.org/wiki/emoción, Redirigido a Emociónes, Junio 2005.

Emotion researchers

- William James
- Charles Darwin
- Ivan Pavlov
- James Papez
- Paul D. MacLean
- Sigmund Freud
- Carl Jung
- Carl Rogers
- Paul Ekman
- Antonio Damasio
- Robert Plutchik

Orchestra

An orchestra is a musical ensemble used most often in classical music. A small orchestra is called a chamber orchestra. A full size orchestra may sometimes be called a "symphony orchestra" or "philharmonic orchestra"; these prefixes do not indicate any difference either to the instrumental content or role of the orchestra, but can be useful to distinguish different orchestras based in the same city (for instance, the London Symphony Orchestra and the London Philharmonic Orchestra). A symphony orchestra will usually have over eighty musicians on its staff, in some cases over a hundred, but the number of musicians used in a performance varies according to the work being played. A leading chamber orchestra might be forty or fifty strong; some are much smaller than that. The typical symphony orchestra consists of four groups of musical instruments. In the order in which they appear on the score they are:
- the woodwinds (flutes, piccolos, oboes, cor anglais, clarinets, bass clarinets, bassoons, contrabassoons),
- the brass (horns, trumpets, trombones, bass trombones, tuba), and
- the percussion (timpani, snare drum, bass drum, celesta, piano, etc.)
- the strings (violins, violas, cellos, double basses). Other instruments are not standard members of the orchestra but are called to play when the orchestra performs a peice that has a part written for that instrument. For example, saxophones appear in a limited 19th and 20th century repertoire. While they are occasionally only featured solo instruments in these works, as in Maurice Ravel's orchestration of Pictures at an Exhibition, other pieces such as the same composer's Bolero contain writing for saxophones as members of the orchestral ensemble. In addition, the euphonium, sometimes called the tenor tuba, is featured in a few Romantic and 20th century works. Unless these instruments are played by members doubling with another instrument (for example, a trombone player changing to euphonium for a certain passage), orchestras will use freelance musicians to enable them to perform works which require instrumentalists which they do not have on staff. For instance, while most larger orchestras employ a harpist, those that don't or that require a second for a larger work will hire players who are not permanent members to play during those performances. Between the instrument groups and within each group of instruments, there is a generally accepted hierarchy of leadership. Every instrumental group (or section) has a principal (or soloist) who is generally responsible for playing solos within and leading the group. The violins are divided into two groups, first violin and second violin, and therefore have two principals. The principal first violin is called the concertmaster (or leader) and is considered the leader of not only the string section, but of the entire orchestra, subordinate only to the Conductor. The principal trombone is considered the leader of the low-brass (trombone, bass-trombone, tuba) section, while the principal trumpet is generally considered the leader of the entire brass section. Similarly, the principal oboe (or sometimes the principal flute) is considered the leader of the entire woodwind section. The horn, while technically a brass instrument, often acts in the role of both woodwind and brass. Most sections also have an Assistant principal (or Co-principal, or Associate principal), or in the case of the first violins, an Assistant concertmaster, who often plays a tutti part in addition to replacing the principal in his or her absence. A tutti (or section) player generally plays either a unique but non-solo part (in the case of winds, brass and percussion), or in unison with a group (in the case of the strings). Where a solo part is called for in a string section, for example in the violins, that part is invariably played by the section leader. In modern times, the musicians are usually directed by a conductor, although early orchestras did not have one, using instead the concertmaster or the harpsichordist playing the continuo for this role. Some modern orchestras also do without conductors, particularly smaller orchestras and those specialising in historically accurate performances of baroque music and earlier. The most frequently performed repertoire for a symphony orchestra is Western classical music or opera. However, orchestras are sometimes used in popular music.

History of the orchestra

In the 15th and 16th centuries in Italy the households of nobles had musicians to provide music for dancing and the court, however with the emergence of the theatre, particularly opera, in the early 17th century, music was increasingly written for groups of players in combination: which is the origin of orchestral playing. Opera originated in Italy, and Germany eagerly followed. Dresden, Munich and Hamburg successively built opera houses, and by the end of the 17th century opera flourished in England under Henry Purcell, and in France under Lully, who with the collaboration of Molière also greatly raised the status of the entertainments known as ballets, interspersed with instrumental and vocal music. In the 17th century and early 18th century instrumental groups were taken from all of the available talent. A composer such as Johann Sebastian Bach had control over almost all of the musical resources of a town, where as Handel would hire the best musicians available. This placed a premium on being able to rewrite music for whichever singers or musicians were best suited for a performance - Handel produced different versions of the Messiah oratorio almost every year. As nobility began to build retreats from towns, they began to hire standing bodies of musicians. Composers such as the young Joseph Haydn would have, then, a fixed body of instrumentalists to work with. At the same time, travelling virtuoso performers would write concerti which featured their skills, and travel from town to town, arranging concerts from whoever was there. The aristocratic orchestras worked together over long periods of time, making it possible for ensemble playing to improve over time. This change, from civic music making where the composer had some degree of time or control, to smaller court music making and one-off performance, placed a premium on music which was easy to learn, often with little or no rehearsal. The results were changes in musical style and emphasis on new techniques. Mannheim had one of the most famous orchestras of that time, where notated dynamics and phrasing, previously quite rare, became standard (see Mannheim school). It also attended a change in musical style from the complex counterpoint of the baroque period, to an emphasis on clear melody, homophonic textures, short phrases, and frequent cadences: a style which would later be defined as classical. Throughout the late 18th century composers would continue to have to assemble musicians for a performance, often called an "Academy", which would, naturally, feature their own compositions. In 1781, however, the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra was organized from the merchants concert society, and it began a trend towards the formation of civic orchestras which would accelerate into the 19th century. In 1818, Boston's Handel and Haydn Society was founded, in 1842 the New York Philharmonic and the Vienna Philharmonic were formed, and in 1858, the Hallé Orchestra was formed in Manchester. There had long been standing bodies of musicians around operas, but not for concert music: this situation changed in the early 19th century as part of the increasing emphasis in the composition of symphonies and other purely instrumental forms. This was encouraged by composer critics such as ETA Hoffman who declared that instrumental music was the "purest form" of music. The creation of standing orchestras also resulted in a professional framework where musicians could rehearse and perform the same works over and over again, leading to the concept of a repertoire in instrumental music. In the 1830s conductor François Antoine Habeneck, in order to perform the symphonies of Beethoven, which had not been heard in their entirety in Paris, began rehearsing a selected group of musicians. He developed techniques of rehearsing the strings separately, notating specifics of performance, and other techniques of cueing entrances which were spread across Europe. His rival and friend Hector Berlioz would adopt many of these innovations in his touring of Europe. This was paralleled by a rapid standardization of instruments. The invention of the piston or valve by Stolzel and Blilmel, both Silesians, in 1815, was the first in a series of innovations, including the use of valves for the flute by Theobald Boehm and the innovations of Adolphe Sax in the woodwinds. These advances would lead Hector Berlioz to write his famous book on instrumentation, which was the first systematic treatise on the use of instrumental sound as an expressive element of music. The effect of the invention of valves was felt at once: instrument-makers in all countries helped with each other in making use of the newly refined instruments and in bringing them to perfection; and the orchestra was before long enriched by a new family of valved instruments, variously known as tubas, or euphoniums and bombardons, having a chromatic scale and a full sonorous tone of great beauty and immense volume, forming a magnificent bass. This also made possible a more uniform playing of notes or intonation, which would lead to a more and more "smooth" orchestral sound which would peak in the 1950s with Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra and the conducting of Herbert von Karajan. During the transition to using these instruments, which made the performance of more difficult works easier, many composers, including Wagner and Berlioz, would demand the use of "natural" chromatic stops rather than the use of valves for their compositions. However, over time, use of the valved instruments became standard, indeed universal, until the revival of older instruments in the contemporary movement towards authentic performance (sometimes known as "historically informed performance"). New orchestral effects were possible now that standing orchestras had been formed, winds and brass had been expanded, and had an increasingly easy time playing in tune with each other: particularly the ability for composers to score for large masses of wind and brass which previously had been impractical. Works such as the Requiem of Berlioz would have been impossible to perform just a few decades earlier, with its demanding parts for twenty woodwinds, as well as a gigantic brass ensemble including six horns, eight trumpets, eight trombones, and three tubas. The next major expansion of symphonic practice came, ironically, from Wagner's Bayreuth orchestra, founded to play his musical dramas. Wagner needed to have a series of composers and notators for the complex scores which he wrote, and had a specific role for the conductor of an orchestra that he described in his influential work "On Conducting". This led to a revolution in orchestral practice, and set the style for orchestral performance for the next eighty years. Wagner's theories changed tempi, dynamics, bowing of string instruments and the role of principals in the orchestra. Conductors who studied his methods would go on to be influential themselves. As the early 20th century dawned, symphony orchestras were larger, better funded and better trained than ever before, and consequently composers could compose larger and more ambitious works for them. With the recording era beginning, the standard of performance reached a pinnacle, with many older conductors and composers remembering a time when simply "getting through" the music as best as possible was the standard. Since recordings could "fix" small errors in a particular studio performance, and reach people who would never have been able to travel to distant cities - the ability of listeners to compare performances across decades led to a renewed focus on particular conductors and on a high standard of orchestral execution. In the 1920s and 1930s economic and artistic considerations led to the formation of small concert societies, particularly those dedicated to the performance of music of the avant-garde, including Igor Stravinsky and Arnold Schoenberg. This tendency to start festival orchestras or dedicated groups would also be pursued in the creation of summer musical festivals, and orchestras for the performance of smaller works. Among the most influential of these was the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields under the baton of Sir Neville Marriner. With the advent of the early music movement, orchestras where players worked on execution of works in styles derived from the study of older treatises on playing became common. These include the London Classical Players under the direction of Sir Roger Norrington and the Academy of Ancient Music under Christopher Hogwood, among others. The late 20th century saw a crisis of funding and support for orchestras in the United States and, to a lesser extent, in Europe. The size and cost of a symphony orchestra, compared to the size of the base of supporters, became an issue which struck at the core of the institution. Along with the drastic falling off of revenues from recording, tied to no small extent to changes in the recording industry itself, a period of change began which has yet to reach its conclusion. Critics such as Norman Lebrecht were vocal in their diagnosis of the problem as the "jet set conductor" and the problems of orchestral repertory and management, while other music administrators such as Michael Tilson Thomas and Esa-Pekka Salonen argued that new music, new means of presenting it, and a renewed relationship with the community could revitalize the symphony orchestra.

A Conductorless Orchestra

The post-revolutionary Первый Симфонический Ансамбль (Pervyi Simfonicheskii Ansambl' - First Symphonic Ensemble) was formed in the USSR in 1922. The unusual aspect of the orchestra was that, believing that in the ideal Marxist state all men are equal, its members felt that there was no need to be led by the dictatorial baton of a conductor; instead they were led by a committee. Although it was a partial success, the principal difficulty with the concept was in changing tempo. The orchestra survived for ten years and had to be disbanded only when the individual talents began to rebel against the rigid control under which they were expected to play. Some ensembles, such as the Orpheus Ensemble, based in New York City, have had more success, although decisions are likely to be deferred to some sense of leadership within the ensemble (for example, the principal wind and string players). Others have returned to the tradition of a principal player, usually a violinist, being the artistic director and running rehearsals (such as the Australian Chamber Orchestra).

List of orchestras

This list contains orchestras with entries in the Wikipedia plus other particularly noted orchestras. There is also a summative list of notable orchestras worldwide. See the Orchestras category for entries that may not be included here.

Brazil

- São Paulo State Symphony Orchestra [http://www.osesp.art.br/ official site]

Canada

- Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra (also known as the CPO) [http://www.cpo-llive.com official site]
- CBC Radio Orchestra
- [http://www.edmontonsymphony.com/ Edmonton Symphony Orchestra] (official site)
- Montreal Symphony Orchestra (in French, Orchestre symphonique de Montréal) (also known as the OSM) [http://www.osm.ca official site]
- [http://www.kanatasymphony.ca/ Kanata Symphony Orchestra]] (official site)
- [http://www.manitobachamberorchestra.org/ Manitoba Chamber Orchestra] (official site)
- National Arts Centre Orchestra [http://www.nac-cna.ca/en/naco official site]
- [http://www.symphonynb.com/ Symphony New Brunswick] (official site)
- [http://www.nso-music.com/ Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra] (official site)
- [http://www.symphonynovascotia.ca/ Symphony Nova Scotia] (official site)
- [http://www.ottawasymphony.com Ottawa Symphony Orchestra] (also known as the OSO) (official site)
- [http://www.peisymphony.com/ Prince Edward Island Symphony Orchestra] (official site)
- Orchestre Symphonique de Québec [http://www.osq.qc.ca official site]
- [http://www.reginasymphonyorchestra.sk.ca/ Regina Symphony Orchestra] (official site)
- [http://www.rcmusic.ca/flash/Intro/playintro.html Royal Conservatory Orchestra] (official site)
- [http://www.saskatoonsymphony.org/ Saskatoon Symphony]] (official site)
- Toronto Philharmonia (formerly the North York Symphony) [http://www.torontophil.on.ca/ official site]
- Toronto Symphony Orchestra (also known as the TSO) [http://www.tso.on.ca official site]
- Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (also known as the VSO) [http://www.vancouversymphony.ca official site]
- [http://www.victoriasymphony.bc.ca/about/index.html Victoria Symphony Orchestra] (official site)
- Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra (also known as the WSO) [http://www.wso.mb.ca official site]

Czech Republic

- Czech Philharmonic Orchestra [http://www.ceskafilharmonie.cz official site]
- Prague Philharmonic Orchestra [http://www.praguephilharmonic.org official site]

France

- Orchestre du Conservatoire de Paris
- Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio-France [http://www.radiofrance.fr/chaines/orchestres/philharmonique/accueil/ official site]
- Orchestre National de France [http://www.radiofrance.fr/chaines/orchestres/national/accueil/ official site]
- Orchestre de Paris [http://www.orchestredeparis.com/ official site]
- Orchestre Lamoureux [http://www.orchestrelamoureux.com/index2.php official site]

Germany

- Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
- Dresden Staatskapelle
- Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra
- Münchner Philharmoniker [http://www.muenchnerphilharmoniker.de/ official site]
- Muchener Bach-Orcester
- Staatskapelle Berlin [http://www.staatsoper-berlin.org/en/fs_f1.htm official site]
- Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra
- Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra [http://www.br-online.de/kultur-szene/klassik_e/pages/so/ official site]

Israel

- Haifa Symphony Orchestra
- Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
- Israel Symphony Orchestra
- Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra
- Kibbutz Symphony Orchestra
- Rehovot Orchestra
- Rishon LeZion Orchestra

Italy

- Orchestra of La Scala
- Camerata de' Bardi

The Netherlands

- Concertgebouworkest
- Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra

Poland

- Polska Filharmonia Bałtycka

Russia

- St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra
- Russian National Orchestra

Scandinavia

- Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra [http://www.filharmonien.no official site] - Bergen, Norway
- Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra - Sweden
- Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra - Kristiansand, Norway
- Lahti Orchestra - Finland
- Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra - Oslo, Norway
- Stavanger Symphony Orchestra - Stavanger, Norway
- Trondheim Symphony Orchestra - Trondheim, Norway

South Africa

- Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra

Switzerland

- Sinfonieorchester Basel
- Suisse Romande Orchestra

Turkey

- Presidential Symphony Orchestra - Ankara
- Bilkent Symphony Orchestra - Ankara
- Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra
- Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra
- Izmir State Symphony Orchestra
- Dokuz Eylul University Symphony Orchestra - Izmir
- Eskisehir Metropolitan Municipality Symphony Orchestra
- Anadolu Symphony Orchstra - Eskisehir
- Antalya State Symphony Orchestra
- Bursa State Symphony Orchestra
- Cukurova State Symphony Orchestra

United Kingdom

- Academy of Ancient Music
- Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
- Birmingham Contemporary Music Group
- Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
- BBC Concert Orchestra
- BBC National Orchestra of Wales
- BBC Philharmonic
- BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
- BBC Symphony Orchestra
- Camerata of London
- City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
- City of London Sinfonia
- English Chamber Orchestra
- Hallé Orchestra
- London Symphony Orchestra
- London Philharmonic Orchestra
- Manchester Camerata
- Northern Sinfonia
- Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
- Philharmonia
- Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
- Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
- Royal Scottish National Orchestra
- Scottish Chamber Orchestra
- Sheffield Symphony Orchestra
- Ulster Orchestra

United States

Other

- Flemish Radio Orchestra - Belgium

Other meanings

In ancient Greece the orchestra was the space between the auditorium and the proscenium (or stage), in which were stationed the chorus and the instrumentalists. This is how the modern orchestra got its name. In some theaters, the orchestra is the area of seats directly in front of the stage (called "primafila" or "platea"); the term more properly applies to the place in a theatre, or concert hall set apart for the musicians.

External links

- [http://www.mti.dmu.ac.uk/~ahugill/manual/ The Orchestra: A User's Manual] - A fairly concise overview, including detailed video interviews with players of each instrument and various resources
- [http://orcheseek.fc2web.com/ orcheseek] - professional orchestras' links of all over the world
- [http://artofthestates.org/cgi-bin/instsearch.pl?inst=ORCHESTRA Art of the States: Orchestra] works for orchestra by American composers

Sources

- ko:관현악단 ja:オーケストラ simple:Orchestra th:วงออร์เคสตรา

Musical ensemble

A musical ensemble is, by definition, a group of three or more musicians who gather to perform music. There are several denominations of ensembles according with their size and composition. The terms duet, trio, quartet, quintet, sextet, septet, octet, and nonet are used to describe groups of two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, and nine musicians, respectively. In classical music, these arrangements are commonly referred to as chamber music. A common quartet is the string quartet, composed of two violins, a viola and a violoncello. The most usual string quintet is similar to the string quartet, but with the viola duplicated. In some cases, though, it is the violoncello that is duplicated. See: String trio, String sextet, string . A piano quintet is usually a string quartet plus a piano. Another fairly common grouping in classical music is the wind quintet, usually consisting of flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon and horn. In jazz, a fairly standard trio line up would consist of a rhythm section of piano, bass and drums. A quartet would typically add a horn (the generic jazz name for saxophones and trumpets) while larger ensembles would add further instruments. The lineup of jazz ensembles can vary considerably. A group with more instruments is usually called an orchestra. A small orchestra is called a chamber orchestra. A symphony orchestra is a large body of several tens and often more that a hundred musicians, divided in groups of instruments: violins (I and II), violas, violoncellos, basses, woodwinds, brass, percussion, and sometimes more.There is a difference between Symphonic, Philharmonic, and similarly titled orchestras. These are names used to distinguish the nature of the musicians' job, and symphonic refers to professional musicians who work in the orchestra as a primary job, whereas philharmonic refers only to musicians who volunteer their time to the orchestra, and do not get paid for their participation in it. The difference between the terms is rooted in the Greek prefix philos (friend), and as applied in this context, it means friends of the orchestra. A Sinfonietta usually denotes a somewhat smaller orchestra (though still not a chamber orchestra), and the terms concert or pops orchestra usually mean an orchestra concentrating mainly on the light classical and more popular repertoire. In the 1900's, the Wind Symphony or Wind Ensemble became popular, especially in academic circles. A wind ensemble consists entirely of wind instruments and percussion instruments, but may also include stringed bass. Schools from elementary level onward often have some version of a wind ensemble, often known as a concert band. A string orchestra has only strings, i.e., violins, violas, violoncellos and basses. A choir is a group of voices. Sometimes the group of similar instruments in an orchestra are referred to as a choir. For example, the woodwind instruments of a symphony orchestra could be called the woodwind choir. A group that plays popular music is usually called a band.

Other Western musical ensembles

- Jug band
- Mexican Mariachi groups typically consist of:
- at least two violins
- two trumpets
- one Spanish guitar
- one vihuela (a high-pitched, five-string guitar)
- one Guitarrón (a small-scaled acoustic bass).

Non-Western musical ensembles

- A gamelan is an ensemble of Indonesian origin (usually Balinese or Javanese). There are dozens of varieties of gamelan ensembles with musicians playing metallophones, drums, flutes, bamboo and wooden marimbas and gongs.
- The Steelpan created in Trinidad and Tobago are the core components of percussion ensembles called Steelbands that play Calypso music. Category:Musical groups

London Symphony Orchestra

The London Symphony Orchestra (frequently abbreviated to LSO) is one of the major orchestras of the United Kingdom. Since 1982 it has been based in London's Barbican Centre. It was founded in 1904 as an independent, self governing organization, the first such orchestra in the U.K. It played its first concert on June 9 of that year, with Hans Richter conducting. He remained principal conductor until 1911, when Edward Elgar took over for a year. More recently, its principal conductors have included Pierre Monteux (1961-64), Istvan Kertesz (1965-68), André Previn (1968-79) and Claudio Abbado (1979-88). In 1988, the American Michael Tilson-Thomas took over, and in 1995, he was replaced by Sir Colin Davis, with Tilson Thomas becoming principal guest conductor. The LSO became the first British orchestra to play overseas when it went to Paris in 1906. The LSO was due to sail on the RMS Titanic for a concert in New York in April 12 but fortunately had to change the booking at the last minute. It was also the first to play in the United States, in 1912, and in 1973 it was the first to be invited to take part in the Salzburg Festival. It continues to make tours around the world. The LSO has long been considered the most extroverted of the London orchestras. There is an air of youthful high spirits to much of its music-making that is shown off in performances of such composers as Berlioz and Prokofiev. The LSO has often had internationally known players as wind soloists, including such stars as James Galway (flute), Gervase de Peyer (clarinet), and Barry Tuckwell (horn). Like most ensembles, the orchestra has a great ability to vary its sound, producing very different tone colors under such diverse conductors as Stokowski (with whom it made a series of memorable recordings), Boult, Horenstein, Solti, Previn, Szell, Abbado, Bernstein, and Barbirolli, not to mention Karl Böhm, who developed a close relationship with the orchestra late in his life. The LSO has also been famous for recording many motion picture scores through the decades, including all the Star Wars films (with Maurice Murphy playing the main trumpet theme in five of the films), Braveheart, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, and Superman. It has also performed on many pop recordings, including The Beatles' album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Other London-based orchestras include the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the English Chamber Orchestra, the Philharmonia and the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

External link

- [http://www.lso.co.uk/ Home page] Category:London orchestras ja:ロンドン交響楽団

Video game

:This article is about computer and video games. For the magazine see Computer and Video Games (magazine). Technically, a computer game is a game composed of a computer-controlled virtual universe that players may interact with in order to achieve a goal (or set of goals). A video game is a computer game where a video display is the primary feedback device. Since nearly all computer games use some sort of visual display, these terms are usually considered interchangeable, and are frequently used as umbrella terms for interactive game software. The phrase interactive entertainment is the formal reference to computer and video games. To avoid ambiguity, this game software is referred to as "computer and video games" throughout this article. However, in common usage, "computer game" refers more specifically to games played on a personal computer, while "video game" (or "videogame") actually refers to both, and "[console name] game" refers specifically to games played on a particular console.
- For specific information regarding "computer games", see personal computer game.
- For specific information regarding "console games", see console game. console game) is held every year in Los Angeles. New projects are shown every year.]]

History

The first primitive computer and video games were developed in the 1950s and 1960s and ran on platforms such as oscilloscopes, university mainframes and EDSAC computers. Arcade games were developed in the 1970s and led to the so-called "Golden Age of Arcade Games". One of the most well-known of these games is Pong. The 1970s also saw the release of the first home video game consoles. The late 1970s to early 1980s brought about the improvement of home consoles and the release of the Atari 2600, Intellivision and Colecovision. The video game crash of 1983, however, produced a dark age in the market that was not filled until the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) reached North America in 1985. The last two decades of game history have been marked by separate markets for games on video game consoles, home computers and handhelds. See the article on Console wars for additional information on that facet of game history.

The future of console gaming

The end of 2005 and first and second quarters of 2006 will see the next generation of console gaming in the form of continuing advances in processor technology, graphics technology, design innovation, and even platform specific gaming community infrastructure. Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft are all participating in this coming year's "technology race". The second generation Microsoft offering, the Xbox 360, will be powered by a multi-core CPU, the PlayStation 3 will be powered by Cell processor technology, and the Nintendo Revolution will allow the gamer to interact with the game via a wireless motion sensing controller, although full technical specifications are yet to be revealed.

Gameplay

Main article: Gameplay In computer and video gaming, gameplay (sometimes called "Game mechanics") is a general term that describes player interaction with a game. It includes direct interaction, such as controls and interface, but also design aspects of the game, such as levels. Although the use of this term is often disputed, as it is considered too vague for the range of concepts it describes, it is currently the most commonly used and accepted term for this purpose when describing video games.

Genres

Main article: Computer and video game genres Games, like most other forms of media, may be categorized into genres based on gameplay, atmosphere, and various other factors. Any individual gamer is likely to favor some types of gameplay over others, these are refered to as video game genres. The most common genres in use today include platformers, adventure, role-playing games (RPGs), first person shooters (FPS), third person shooter (sometimes called shoot 'em ups), sports, racing, fighting (sometimes called beat 'em ups), action (although this term is abused), puzzle, simulation, and real time strategy (RTS), to name a few. It is rare that a game will fall purely into one genre, most games are a combination of two or more genres (e.g action/RPG). Although most genres have 2D counterparts, they are for the most part considered entirely different genres because of the differences in the way 2D and 3D games are played (e.g. Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario 64). The increase in the popularity of online gaming has also resulted in new sub-genres being formed, such as the massively multiplayer online role-playing game.

Gaming platforms

massively multiplayer online role-playing game Today there are many different devices that games may be played on. Personal computers, consoles, handheld systems, and arcade machines are all common. There is an extremely thin line between games played on the computer and those on the console, which is a standardized computer with little or no setup. Many games intended for computer are now just as prevalent on consoles, both of which have many of the same titles. This is due to the fact that video game consoles have drastically increased in computing power and capabilities over the last few years to the point that they can handle games that were formerly only playable with comparatively higher-end computers. During the last generation of gaming, most major computer game releases have coincided with the release of console versions, and titles initially developed for a single platform are often ported to others if they prove to be successful.

Personal Computer

Main article: Personal Computer Games Personal computer games are commonly referred to as "computer games" or "PC games". They are played on the personal computer with standard computer interface devices such as the keyboard and mouse, or additional peripherals, such as joysticks. Video feedback is received by the user through the computer screen, sound through speakers or headphones. Computer games are often more powerful than console games because of early market releases of their external architecture and graphics cards. The most popular genres of Computer games are First-Person Shooters, Real-Time Strategy, Simulations, and MMOGs, given the long-standing nature of Internet access and online play. First Person Shooters benefit highly from using the keyboard and mouse to give very fine control over player movement that is still not matched on the consoles. Today, most PC games require the Windows operating system to be installed on the computer. There is, however, a continuing movement to get the most popular games to run under the Mac and Linux operating systems. According to the Entertainment Software Association, console games have outsold computer games roughly four units to one in 2003 and 2004 [http://theesa.com/facts/sales_genre_data.php]. For more information, see sales. One possible explanation for the declining sales of personal computer games in relation to that of consoles can be found within the PC itself: a computer must meet certain minimum requirements (listed on retail box of the title) such as CPU speed, memory, video card memory, hard drive space, operating system, Internet connection speed (for online games) and other criteria. Without the proper hardware, the game may perform poorly or not run at all.

Internet

Main article: Internet gaming Online Games are those which either require or benefit from a connection to the Internet to play. Online gaming began with PC games, but has over time expanded to include most moder consoles. It is now a key feature of modern games, with the inclusion of Internet connectivity in consoles such as the PlayStation 2 and Xbox, and in mobile/cellular phones. Online games need to allow several people to play at the same time, so not all genres are suitable; the most popular genres include MMORPG's, FPS's, racing/driving games, strategy games, and sports titles. The Internet is also host to thousands of small Flash and Java games, named after the programming language in which they are written. These games generally do not share the same magnitude of development costs, depth, or seriousness of PC and console games, and are generally quick to complete by comparison. Some of these games, such as Runescape, however, have expanded far beyond this, and can often be considered on the same level as "mainstream" PC games.

Console

Main article: Console games Console games are played video game console, a specialized computer specifically designed to play games of a certain format. The player usually interacts with the game through a controller, and video and sound are typically delivered to the player via a television, although most modern consoles support additional outputs, such as surround sound setups. Consoles themselves branched off from personal computers around two decades ago, a fact which is still evident not only in the name, but also in many of the peripherals available for many consoles, like the keyboard and mouse peripherals released for the Sony PlayStation 2 and the Sega Dreamcast.

Handheld

Main article: Handheld video games Handheld games are played on handheld game consoles, such as the Nintendo Gameboy, Nintendo DS, and Sony PSP. Handheld consoles act as their own controllers, which the player uses to interact with the game, as well as having in-built display and audio output devices. Because they are designed to be played on the go, they are usually small enough to fit into an average pocket (the virtual boy is an exception to this), but due to their small size, haldheld consoles have reduced processing power compared to larger consoles, meaning that games are shorter, and until the release of the DS, were limited to 2D.

Mobile Phone

Main article: Mobile/Cellular Phone Games Most mobile phones now have games built into them, and others are available for download, or can be bought for a small amount of money. These games are more restricted than traditional handheld games, and usually play more like arcade games.

Arcade

Main article: Arcade Games Arcade games, traditionally, are "coin-operated games", played on a standalone device originally leased to commercial entertainment venues. These are programmed, equipped, and decorated for a specific game, consisting of a video display, a set of controls, and the coin slot. Controls are similar to those available for many consoles (albeit usually as peripherals) and range from the classic joystick and buttons, to light guns, to pads on the ground that sense pressure. Arcade games that are no longer profitable to lease can be purchased by private individuals, many of whom then explore the game dynamics by altering the programs. This term has now expanded to include any game that has more direct action, with fewer long term objectives and, for the most part, shorter in-game levels.

Popularity

:What rock and roll was to the youth of the Sixties, gaming is to the youth of today. — Killol Bhuta, brand manager, Ford Motor Company [http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Features/articleId=107487] The popularity of computer and video games, as a whole, has been increasing steadily ever since the 1984-1987 dropoff caused by the video game crash of 1983, and the popularity appears to be continuing to increase. The average age of the video game player is now 29 [http://biz.gamedaily.com/features.asp?article_id=8540&filter=myturn], belying the myth that video games are largely a diversion for teenagers.

Sales

teenager) with a large selection of games for several major consoles]] The four largest markets for computer and video games are the United States, Japan, Canada and the United Kingdom. Other significant markets include Spain, Germany, South Korea, France, and Italy. China is not considered a significant market, most likely because an estimated 95% of video games sold in the country are pirated. [http://slate.msn.com/id/2116629/] Sales of different types of games vary widely between these markets due to local preferences. Japanese consumers avoid computer games and instead buy video games, with a strong preference for games created in Japan, that run on Japanese consoles. In South Korea, computer games are preferred, especially MMORPG games and real-time strategy games; there are over 20,000 PC bang Internet cafes where computer games can be played for an hourly charge. The NPD Group tracks computer and video game sales in the United States. It reported that as of 2004:
- Console and portable software sales: $6.2 billion, up 8% from 2003 [http://gameinfowire.com/news.asp?nid=5650]
- Console and portable hardware and accessory sales: $3.7 billion, down 35% from 2003 [http://gameinfowire.com/news.asp?nid=5650]
- PC game sales: $1.1 billion, down 2% from 2003 [http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/01/28/news_6117438.html] These figures are sales in dollars, not units; unit shipments for each category were higher than the dollar sales numbers indicate, as more software and hardware was sold at reduced prices compared to 2003. Retail PC game sales have been declining slightly each year since about 1998, but this fact should be taken with a grain of salt: the retail sales numbers from NPD do not include sales from online downloads, nor subscription revenue for games like MMORPGs. There is a commonly repeated, mistaken belief that video game sales now exceed the revenues of the movie industry. This is untrue; in the United States, video game sales have exceeded the movies' total box office revenue each year since about 1996, but the movie studios trounce the video game publishers when the movies' "ancillary revenue" is counted, meaning sales of DVDs, sales to foreign distributors, and sales to cable TV, satellite TV, and broadcast television networks. The game and film industries are also becoming increasingly intertwined, with companies like Sony having significant stakes in both. A large number of summer blockbuster films spawn a companion game, often launching at the same time in order to share the marketing costs.

Computer and video games in the broader culture

Computer games are huge business worldwide. Take for example South Korea. Developers there boast MMORPGs such as Lineage and Ragnarok Online with millions of subscribers and a third of the world's MMOG revenue. StarCraft gosu (expert players) are celebrities in a game that some have called the country's national sport. The success of computer and online gaming there is usually credited to South Korea's push for broadband Internet connections in the home and earlier bans on Japanese products (these restrictions were removed by the late 1990s). Numerous websites and publications devoted solely to games have been created, including Official Xbox Magazine, Nintendo Power, Official Playstation Magazine, GamePro, GameSpot, GameSpy, IGN and GameFAQs. Video gaming now ingrained in popular culture in the United States. Many T-shirts are available that directly reference video games, such as one with a picture of an NES controller with the text 'Know Your Roots.' Also, video games have also become a major part in cross marketing platforms, such as in Pokémon or Yu-Gi-Oh, where a child can watch the television show, buy the trading cards, and play the various video games available. Video game properties have had mixed success when migrating to the movies. One of the first films based on a video game property was The Wizard, which some criticized as a 90-minute ad for Super Mario Brothers 3. In the mid-90s, films for Super Mario Brothers, Street Fighter, Wing Commander and Mortal Kombat were released. Reviews have generally been poor. Despite the ultimately poor performance of these movies, many studios still want to turn big games into movies, hoping that the popularity of the game will help the movie. However, after the initial bunch, many projects materialized that were never finished, but the success of films like Lara Croft: Tomb Raider has led to more films materializing. Doom, a game which film makers were trying to cross over since the mid '90s, finally hit theatres 12 years after its initial release. John Woo is also producing a movie on the popular Nintendo game Metroid. There is still debate in the movie industry on whether video games can consistently be turned into good, profitable movies. Films like Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, which has received mixed responses from audiences, with some saying it is a great movie, and others saying it is a very bad movie with excellent computer-generated imagery, but ultimately flopped in the box office, and

Film score

Notable film score composers

External links

Emotion

Relation to cultural and social factors

Theoretical traditions

Etymology

Physical responses to emotion

Computer models of emotion

References

Emotion researchers

See also

Orchestra

History of the orchestra

A Conductorless Orchestra

List of orchestras

Australia

Austria

Asia

Brazil

Canada

Czech Republic

France

Germany

Israel

Italy

The Netherlands

Poland

Russia

Scandinavia

South Africa

Switzerland

Turkey

United Kingdom

United States

Other

See also

Other meanings

External links

Sources

Musical ensemble

Other Western musical ensembles

Non-Western musical ensembles

London Symphony Orchestra

External link

Video game

History

The future of console gaming

Gameplay

Genres

Gaming platforms

Personal Computer

Internet

Console

Handheld

Mobile Phone

Arcade

Popularity

Sales

Computer and video games in the broader culture