Decca Classics release violinist Ray Chen's new album, Player 1. Blending classical music with the immersive world of gaming, the album also comprises a thrilling array of themes from television, anime, and film including Naruto, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Pokémon, and Squid Game. Recorded with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and conductor Cristian Măcelaru, these compositions gravitate around the sonic centrepiece of Erich Korngold’s Violin Concerto. The Austrian composer was a pioneering 20th-century classical composer who became one of the first musicians of international stature to score films for Hollywood...

The driving force behind Ray Chen's latest album is to create a meaningful connection between the past and the present and to challenge traditional perceptions of classical music, making it accessible and inspiring. Nintendo consoles, TV dramas, films, anime, soundtracks, and a near-century-old work by Korngold may at first seem like disparate cultural phenomena. But they have one thing in common. They weave fantasies. Player 1 is a contemporary journey into these fantastical realms.

This was an ethos I could get behind, mainly because it's a belief I've long held. Scores are just as important in the classical music genre as some of the great compositions are. And, over the course of these 10 tracks (48 min, 17 sec) Chen beautifully places the classical work of Erich Wolfgang Korngold alongside movie scores, TV soundtracks and game music. The results speak for themselves. Even the most ardent music snob will be hard pressed to dismiss the importance of these multi-layered works of art.

Chen performs with the 1714 ‘Dolphin’ Stradivarius, which is on loan from the Nippon Foundation. This violin was once owned by Jascha Heifetz, who has been hailed as the greatest violin virtuoso since Niccolò Paganini and who premiered the Korngold Concerto in 1947.

I totally loved this release. It's subtle, beautiful and certainly one that you'll get years of listening pleasure from. I must admit, however, that I did find Korngold's Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 35 to be the highlight... but mainly because I was reminded of one of my favourite movie scores: David Shire's Return to Oz.

Track Listing:

01. Romantic Flight (from How to Train Your Dragon) – John Powell arr. Sally Herbert (1:55)
02. Sadness & Sorrow (from Naruto) – Toshio Masuda arr. Benjamin Rimmer (3:23)
03. Main Theme (from The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom) – Manaka Kataoka arr. Andrew Skeet (3:13)
04. I. Moderato nobile [Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 35] – Erich Wolfgang Korngold (09:58)
05. II. Romance. Andante [Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 35] – Erich Wolfgang Korngold (8:07)
06. III. Finale. Allegro assai vivace [Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 35] – Erich Wolfgang Korngold (7:37)
07. I Remember My Name (from Squid Game) – Jung Jaeil arr. John Langley (4:44)
08. Serenade – Eunike Tanzil (3:33)
09. Pallet Town (from Pokémon Red) – Junichi Masuda arr. Andrews Skeet (3:36)
10. Isabella’s Lullaby (from The Promised Neverland) – Takahiro Obata arr. Benjamin Rimmer (2:17)

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Darren Rea