Trombone Champ: You too can play Beethoven - on the trombone

In the world of Candy Crush and Angry Birds, when a new game based on classical music comes out, it warrants a warm welcome and a curious peek. The newest game that has gamers talking is Trombone Champ, a fun (and difficult) game of playing a variety of music on the trombone. And somehow incorporating trombone lore, hot dogs, baboons, collectible cards, and more.

In the words of the reviewer on PC Gamer:

Trombone Champ works like other music rhythm games: notes move across the screen from right to left, and you move the mouse up and down to meet them and then click or press a keyboard key to play the note. Accuracy and timing determine how well you play, with little words popping up to tell you how you're doing. Words like Perfecto! Or Nice! If you're [playing poorly], as I typically do, you'll get a Meh or sometimes a Nasty, which is maybe the funniest word to use to describe someone playing a trombone poorly. I doubt many music teachers use it, but maybe they should.

As hilarious as this game is, the reviewer is seriously viewing this game as a "Game of the Year" contender. Check out the review of Trombone Champ, and perhaps the game itself. Do you think this would turn Beethoven's frown upside down, or would he roll over in his grave? 

I'd be remiss if I didn't use this opportunity to show how beautiful the trombone can sound. A far cry from a video game rendition of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony! Enjoy the first movement from Concerto for Trombone in B-flat Major by Johann Georg Albrechtsberger (one of Beethoven's teachers, in fact).