Thursday Tunes

Many of you have undoubtedly heard this one before: it's the "Desert" outtake from Diablo II, by composer Matt Uelman. Like many "entertainment composers", (i.e. - games and movies), Mr Uelman specializes in creating music for the purpose of evoking a specific mood. It is the essential component that sets a great movie apart from a really good one -- think on what Jaws and Star Wars would have been without John Williams' masterful scores. It is also increasingly what sets great games apart in the memories of many players.

In the game, this music accompanied the outdoor desert portions of Act II. It is an excellent example of Uelman's forte: he makes use of relatively obscure instruments like the dulcimer and bongos, mixing them with more conventional strings and woodwinds. I would consider it a real treat if I could one day hear some of Uelman's works arranged for and performed by a live symphony orchestra.

The noticeably Arabic tonality and rhythms of this particular piece help to create a setting wherein you can almost see a Bedouin camp or a distant oasis in your mind's eye -- or if you played the game, hordes of those damned lightning beetles...



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