Interview at beginning: EP = Ella Petersson (Presenter) HB = Håkan Björkman (Trombonist) JW = Jimmy Wilhelmsson (Game blogger) EP - Now we are joined by Håkan Björkman HB - Thanks for having me EP - And you are a Trombonist but don't play video games HB - You can put it like that. I play trombone but very little video games. But this was a very fun concert to play. Something I must say is, what I am most impressed by is the audience. How it interacted with the music and how focused and engaged it was. EP - Yes. How does differ from a usual concert? HB - Well, everyone is here for just this, and everyone know what the music is and the "recognition-factor" is very high among the audience so many are showing audible signs of wellbeing and joy 'Ohhh, now it's that tune'; and some almost cry, really, with real tears. EP - So that does not happen otherwise? HB - Sure, but then it's a greater mix of people in the audience. Here it was really a focused and aimed audience. And that was told by that they were very silent, very few caughs, but everyone was really well focused which affected us positively. JW - I have to tell you, I think it is fantastic that classical orchestras, or you who play classical orchestral music, play game music today. When game music composers 35-40 years ago was doing the oposite and game designers used it because they could not think of something else. JW - I have a wonderful story from a girl I interviewed. That was raised in the 80's with a dad that had all the Commodore stuff; because he was working with Commodore. She was playing a game with her brother called "Clowns" where you play as 2 clowns that are jumping on a seesaw. JW - When a clown miss and you "die" there is a small tune that goes like _humming_. JW - And then she got into music and became a music teacher and realized much later in life that it was Chopin's "Funeral March". So there is a lot of that, a lot of old music that have been borrowed by games and are only recognized as game music by generations. EP - Yes. I want to ask what challenge does it pose to you as a musician? HB - We have a responisbility to convey what the music is originally intended for. There is a lot of motifs, built in layers. It's delicate; for instance a solo violine together with a first oboe and then it builds layers with woodwind, french horn, percussion and then it culminates into "tutti" with everyone playing and you add a trumpet, trombone or tuba at the end and then you understand the adrenaline is at top. EP - But is it complicated for you as a musician? HB - Well, I remember we did that Megaman suite which required a lot of stamina. You had to play a lot, loud and for a long period of time. Not like, you play your bit and then wait and rest for the next. EP - So you have more to do in these kind of concerts than regular ones? HB - Yes, because we play a lot of suites and compressed compositions that Andreas Hedlund has done so nice arrangements of. JW - Do you have more to do becuase you are a trombonist? Or because it is more for everyone in general? EP - Yeah, I was thinking about that becuase it is a lot of brass, right? HB - It is more because when it is "blood and horrible things" or sad parts we are very active. But usually it is at the heroic themes where the trombone and trumpet have to work. Preferrably with a drum accompanying in the background that makes the player focus in the game. EP - I was thinking about this with the audience that you talked about; I go to a lot of classical music concerts. And there you don't applaud between the sets, should the classical audience be more like the gamer audience? HB - Yeah, I think you should be allowed to be spontaneous as a listener. It is for you we are playing. Not some mutual admiration or patting each others on the back. EP - So you can just applaud when your favorite set is on? HB - I think so, I don't think you should be ashamed for that if you feel like doing it. EP - You are playing in this concert that we are going to show. Do you have a favorite set? HB - Well, it was a lot of sets that week. A thick folder. What I found amusing was the titles; like Bloodborne and Assasins Creed. I thought, what is this music gonna be like. But a favorite, I think Megaman was very fun to play, and Zelda was very beautiful. JW - Are you going to play The Secret of Monkey Island? HB - Yeah it is there. JW - Oh, nice. HB - It was a raggae tune. Hard to sit still to. EP - Now we are going to listen to this, from Bergwaldhallen the concert Score.

how nice of them to have the presenters speak in elvish the whole time too

I'd pay so much money to see a full performance of Bloodborne's track.

Vocalist is incredible. She can transform her voice from a flat, minimal vibrato folk sound to full-on operatic in the final aria. Everything about this video, the orchestra, the production, the made-up language that everyone is speaking for some reason, is amazing.

If you have this broadcasted on your national public TV, you must be proud of your country.

The Bloodborne piece was out of this world.

Journey - I Was Born For This: 06:00 Assains Creed IV: Black Flag - Suite: 14:05 Amiga Medley: 19:30 Final Fantasy IX - Suite: 28:40 The Last Of Us - All Gone No Escape: 38:10 Super Mario Suite (17 different parts!) - 42:15 Bloodborne - Suite: 53:40 Megaman - Suite: 1:02:15 The Legend Of Zelda - Suite: 1:11:54 The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - The Dragonborn Comes - 1:31:05 Final Fantasy VI - Aria The Mezzo Carattere: 1:37:55 For those of us who can't use the links in the description.

スウェーデンさん、素敵な演奏をありがとう♡ (Tack till alla svenskar för deras underbara föreställningar.♡) Hälsningar från Japan🇯🇵♡ ♥️🇸🇪🤝🇯🇵♥️

53:51 easily the most emotional piece of song of them all, the distressful way the violin plays, feels so dark and powerful. (Bloodborne - Suite)

Overall, this is the most professionally orchestrated and performed video game music I have ever heard. Bravo, Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra! Absolutely nailed it. And Sabina Zweiacker! What a wonderful, beautiful voice! She truly shines in everything she performs. My favorite pieces: Bloodborne (the thing is, I haven't even played the game, but hearing this I got goosebumps, fantastic music and performance), Zelda Suite and Skyrim.

I know I'm late to the party but oh man was that bloodborne performance nail biting in just the right way. Most incredible of all was the singer in my opinion. You could see the hair stand up on her body. The timid expression of hopelessness in her look. She became the music and it was outstanding. It made me cry to see her like that. Incredible performance by everyone.

Going from Mario into Bloodborne felt more emotionally jarring than coming off of my bipolar disorder meds.

She fucking aced the Dragons Tongue, surprised the place didn't fall down due to the thu'um

Holy crap that bloodborne suite was chilling.

Every comment I see is about the Bloodborne track and it puts a smile on my face.

I love that this was put on by Swedish public television! Thank you for supporting the arts, and for recognizing the art in video game music!

i saw the moon, the beasts and the blood...

Bloodborne Suite had me on the edge of my seat! Shivers and Goosebumps!!!

The bloodborne score was AMAZING!!

No way I could handle a concert like this in person. To many feels, to many tears. So good.

The Bloodborne suite is haunting yet, beautiful! I don't mind admitting and I don't know why but I almost teared up a little! I have no clue why!! Amazing!!!

We are born of the blood. Made men by the blood. Undone by the blood

That bloodborne theme was just pure art, menacing and powerful throughout the whole track, I love how it makes me feel uneasy and terrified.

Oh man, the Zelda Medley... I was born in '84 and my mom was opposed to video games, as a kid I was lucky to experience The Legend of Zelda: a Link to the Past one or two days at a friend's house. The game made a HUGE impact on me, though I only saw a few hours of it. I continued my live learning about classical music and of course playing video games. Many years later I find this concert on KZfaq. This Zelda Medley is the perfect realization of all those feelings I had as a kid, and much more, in the full way that a classical orchestra can achieve. Who that compares this medley to famous symphonies or concertos cannot admit that this medley provides the same breadth of human experience? I'm not sure that I can point to another piece that truly and greatly express the feeling of adventure, of wonder, so true to the original - all in such an exquisite expressive way, leveraging all the instruments of the orchestra! I also notice that the lead celloist, violinist, harp and of course ocarina/flute are women - it's so nice to see! The cello in particular I feel is so strong and deep here. I was born a man but so long have noticed that a lot of subtleties of sentiment are best realized by women. Well done - this is one the most memorable performances I've enjoyed in my life - I'm only 37 and have been to a lot of live classical concerts especially by the Gulbenkian Orchestra in Lisbon, Portugal. As a fan of videogames, I hope the medium continues to grow and inspire the best composers over the years. Cheers!

Came here for Skyrim. Left with a desire to buy Bloodborne.

This is how it's done. No awkward crowd banter, no flashy screens with footage, not choosing music from games simply because they are the most popular. Just a professional symphony playing the best video game music flawlessly. Take notes, Video Games Live.

Coming back everyday for the Bloodborne performance. Didn't even played that game.

By far the best rendition of The Dragonborn Comes I have ever heard in my life. Jeremy Soul himself would be proud of this, needless to say. Sabina, your voice is truly divine, I am not joking when I say, that if someone from say, 2000 years ago were to travel to our time and witness you singing this, they would truly believe that you are a Goddess, because this cannot possibly be a human creation. Absolute perfection, it simply couldnt be better.

Holy fucking shit the Bloodborne suite.

cried on the Skyrim one, and the Bloodborne part just gives me shivers all the way, it's fantastic

That Suite from Bloodborne killed me,great just great!

Charles Hazlewood deserves accolades for his conducting. Fantastic.

Bloodborne suite is totally deep. make you feel your heart beating, and your breath change

This Legend of Zelda Suite made me speechless. A little tear drop with the ocarina

The Mega Man suite gets me every time. While the music from some of the more recent games like Skyrim and Bloodborne is impressive, these games were pretty much already orchestral sounding to begin with; that's why the interpretation of older games is more meaningful to me. Despite being simple midi sounds, the old games had tunes that still stuck in your head...hearing instrumental interpretations of these, let alone with a full orchestra, is always fun and inspiring. Time to go play some old games on my emulators and curse a lot, lol. Cheers!

How the hell have I never heard of this woman. She is bloody amazing!

wow i never realized how musical the Swedish language sounds....i find it quite pleasant to listen to!

Video game soundtracks, I would argue more so then any other form of media entertainment's soundtracks, provide the most compelling and emotional soundtracks. As we play as the game's character or characters, we experience the world in a far more personal way being involved with the actions and the outcomes. Music accompanies this so majestically in so many cases that it enhances our experiences with it. Just imagine, for a moment, how monumentally different games such as those in the "SoulsBorne" series would be without the rising songs accompanying dramatic, intense and often emotional boss fights. Or, almost unspeakably, the Legend of Zelda games without the iconic music from both the instruments and in game areas/boss fights there. So many different franchises, so many utterly breathtaking soundtracks that leave me reeling as much as any other in game experience. Truly a privilege to live during a period of such monumental composers and musicians. To be able to experience their work across a wide array of outlets, to benefit from their work. Not to forget the amazing work the game designers do to give the music an almost physical embodiment. We in the world who have both the privilege and indeed the desire to experience such things are very fortunate in a very "life's luxuries" sort of way, but its still very much the case. Thank you so much for uploading this, it was truly special. Hats off to the orchestra, though, that was really quite amazing.

Koji Kondo is an absolute genius.

This is such a gem to find in 2021

Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra needs to put this on Spotify!

Bloodborne is fantastic, liked the emotions of a singer

Holy shit that moment when the full Legend of Zelda theme FINALLY comes crashing in with full force at 1:27:20 after being teased for a few times before left goosebumps all over my body.

The best "video game " orchestra concert ever. If you wouldn't have told me it was game music, I could listen to the whole piece without a clue. Great work, excellent arrangements, professional, hope I'll see this orchestra playing someday.

A lot of video game orchestrations DESERVE shows like this. If we can get people like Hanz Zimmer and Danny Elfman to make music for games, I mean, come on, that's enough to make it worthy.

Summary of what they're saying in the beginning: Håkan: "One of the things I'm most impressed about is how positive the public has reacted to this music. They have been very engaged and concentrated in the music. Jimmy: "I think it's very cool that orchestras play game-music. *Proceeds to give example*" Håkan: "We are building up layers in the music until we go all out in the end" She's asking: "Is it complicated?" Håkan: "You have to play it very powerfully and requires a lot of stamina over a long period. It's very heroic." Håkan: "Don't really have any favorite piece. Thinks all the titles are very different / cool compared to traditional classical music. Like blood-born etc."

It's great when you see a conductor getting into it. And the zoom in's on the tiny cymbals made me smile....

I've watched this so many times. Gotta be the best orchestrated videogame music video out there.

For the Amiga Medley part, I would say: 19:33 It Came From the Desert - Greg Haggard, Jim Simmons (Ken Melville wrote the game, not the music for this one) 20:16 Monkey Island - Michael Land 22:07 Wings - Ken Melville 22:55 Flashback - Raphael Gesqua 24:20 Populous - Rob Hubbard 24:48 Turrican - Chris Huelsbeck

Best videogame concert I've ever heard !! Gosh ! ..... wouah... Bloodborne ending made me cry of dread.... such emotions.

That dungeon theme from the Legend of Zelda Suite was freaking fantastic!!! And Sabina Zweiacker is simply enchanting, especially with the Bloodborne song. Man, this is such a great orchestra!

All this is quite exquisite! But, for me, and after listening to many orchestral performances since I was born in '84, the Bloodborne theme is absolutely chilling to the bone and the Zelda medley supremely Majestic! When I was young, my mom wouldn't let me have a console, so I only got to experience Zelda 2: A Link to the Past (SNES game) on my PC lots of years later, emulated. This Zelda medley encapsulated all the sense of wonder and adventure in that music, but realized in such a deep way with all the orchestra and the interplay between the different instruments contributing to those feelings of wonder, adventure - everything is just so magical, enrapturing and captivating! A testament to the power of videogames and also Music and an orchestra that can bring these feelings to life with all the different instruments and players. And then as an adult, unshackled by anything, I had a PS4 and played Bloodborne, and then found this performance, that encapsulates so well that Universe and experience, the depth, the power, the darkness!... Such a great concert altogether - thanks for the share! Many years later, after growing to love Classical Music and listening to countless (live and at home) performances to Classical pieces, this Concert (in particular the Zelda medley) is particularly special in truly showing that videogames are not just a gratuitous childish things, but a media that can encompass all that humanity has learned before and bring froth in a new, interactive medium!

wow, this is just so amazing, especially the Bloodborne theme!

1:32:48 WOW that pitch was perfect

There's something ethereal about hearing "I Was Born for This" live. Games like Journey don't have the action-heavy and intense sequences that games like Bloodborne has, but their music really does strike at your soul.

Always cry like a child when I listen to the opera theme from FF6 (last song). Must be one of the best video game songs ever...

Quality video game scores, along with quality film scores, are the opera of our time.

Bloodborne... Just amazing

Fem år senare och jag återkommer fortfarande till den här inspelningen för episk spelmusik 👏

i was listening to this while finishing bloodborne and the bloodborne part came in on the final try against the moon presence. YES!

Is it just me, or is Sabina able to adapt her own singing style to fit the song? In the first suite, she sings with an almost celtic or tribal tone, but totally adopts a beautiful authentic opera tone in the final song. Extremely accomplished vocalist!! Simply outstanding!!

The Dragonborn Comes & Aria The Mezzo Carattere: pure shivers. She so good.

Sabina, the moment you started singing in the ff6 segment, I immediately shed a tear. Your voice and singing are PERFECT for this piece. Bravo......

The score from SKYRIM when performed here,its just..... I lack words.... I litterally started crying. The hairs on my arms stood up...! It just mooved me so much.! Music hold so much power.!

This concert is like a hidden jewel here on youtube :) I can listen to it over and over again. It desevers much more views! Oh and also, I just love the Swedish language. Even though I don't understand it at all, everytime I hear Swedish men talk, it sounds so warmhearted and gentleman-like^^ (hope that doesn't sound too weird o.o)

28:40 Of 100 nobles watching 100 were impressed. Queen Brahne was also impressed.

Everybody's all Skyrim, Bloodborne, Legend of Zelda, Megaman... I watched because of Final Fantasy IXs Medley. Beautiful.

Today marks the 2 year anniversary of the second of two SCORE concerts with the Swedish Radio Symphony and Sabina Zweiacker in Berwaldhallen, Stockholm 2015. That was the night that this performance was filmed and later broadcasted on Swedish television. Next week, we're back at the scene of the crime. A handful of tickets still left! - Orvar Safstrom / producer SCORE

This is probably the most amazing orchestrated iteration of video game music I've ever heard.

It's kinda funny how they performed a happy-go-lucky Mario suite, then did the dreadfully amazing Bloodborne suite.

in highschool i payed the sax and piano/keyboard/bells. once, we played a song that featured an ocarina, and i was thrilled and stunned when the director assigned me to play the part, which had several solos. He said that i was who he trusted to learn a new instrument in the relatively short time (granted we were all young). it was great honor to me and one ive never forgotten.

The Last Of Us - All Gone No Escape: 38:10 This makes me sad, flashbacks to the game running for the elevator. The last of us. Such an amazing game.

MY GOD, 123:40, when the piano kicks in, CHILLS. Memories of my childhood in my basement, all alone, playing through Zelda on NES, making PAGES after PAGES of paper maps, nightmares of the difficult dungeons and that song, but I made it through and beat them all in the end. I literally was haunted in my sleep because of those dungeons and that song is of my struggle. I completed Zelda on NES though, at like age 11. :)

This was incredibly amazing!!! The performance was truly flawless. The sound is incredible, and the choice of tracks, while not your typical set-list, is very interesting. Definitely aimed for people who really love video game music and enjoy it beyond the most recognizable ones. That Bloodborne suite, magnificent!!!

To think that i have watched this video like 1-2 times a week for the last 3 years and in two days im going to go to see their new consert live.

that megaman suite was nostalgic AF... well with Skyrim, FF VI, and Zelda, the tears was flowing like waterfalls as well...

that bloodborne song.. so damn good

Bloodborne was SO good.... I'm just speechless, wonderful.

Her range is incredible.

Sabina is awesome, but I really wanted a choir of burly men singing the Dragon Born theme. But then I kind of always want a choir of burly men.

Music is the language we all understand. Absolutely wonderful job guys.

bloodborne gave me legit chills

They're all into it - totally. But I love watching the top violin solos getting into it. They GETTING INTO IT! So cool. I thought a tune or two might make me emotional. I cried in joy for over an hour.

Best version of the Aria from FFVI

That Bloudbourne piece will haunt me for the remain of my days. Never played the game, but I am truly amazed. Great orchestra and genious vocals!

I saw this live that evening and holy moly, it was so awesome :D It was so much fun that they didn't pick only superfamous musical pieces, but picked from a vast collection of games :) Like the Amiga-medley!

25 : 50 them smiling in that particular moment at each other is absolutely beautiful

This is soooooo good! The bloodborne interpretation send chills down my spine!

This was beautiful. Some people just don't get it that games can be art too

Amazing. And since this is in Sweden, good to mention a fantastic Swedish game music composer Andreas Waldetoft, author of countless amazing orchestral compositions for Paradox Interactive games.

How many times have I clapped at the ending. Just perfect. I really hope there is a sequel to this.

25:50 captures the unexplainable, rushing feeling of fun that you can only experience by taking part in a live musical performance.

The assassins creed one, shivers!

Megaman holy crap!Never heard it sound like that.

I'm not sure how this came across my feed three years (almost four, now!) after the fact, but what a stellar performance.

25:48 I love how much the two here seem incredibly happy to be taking part in the Turrican composition :)

The ending of Aria di Mezzo Carattere gave me goose bumps. So epic!

Bloodborne was easily my favorite. Never played it but I just might now.

Done with utmost professionalism. Real artists and serious audience. This is the way.

The hyrule castle dungeon theme gave me fucking chills