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Hisaishi/Ghibli 25 Years Concert

Theowne — Mon, 25 May 2009 05:36:48 +0000

My life is now complete.

Er, okay, that was a bit overdramatic, but it’s a bit hard to not get emotional when you watch over 500 musicians come together under the baton of Hisaishi Joe to perform the beautiful and evocative pieces of music from the greatest animated films of all time. Hisaishi’s music won’t always satisfy listeners who are constantly searching for musical innovation or complexity, but they will satisfy by a mile anyone who is searching for music with sincerity and heart. Beyond that, I can’t think of any other composer who can so effectively bring to music the nostalgia, wistfulness and childlike wonder we all retain within us even as we grow older.

The concert (well, the abridged video of it that I watched) begins appropriately with the music from Nausicaa. It isn’t one of my favourite Ghibli films, but the haunting main theme suits it very well it’s beauty is accentuated by the followup from the Ritsuyukai choir. Then comes the “Requiem” including that very memorable section where the children’s choir sings a melody, mouthing “la la la”…the familiar simple phrase, but quite a moving effect when combined with the orchestra.

The next score featured is one of my absolute favourites from Hisaishi and in my opinion, his most accomplished work. That is Princess Mononoke, of course. Here the pieces I am so familiar with are rearranged to include the choir. It is a treat, as always, to hear the wonderful melody for Ashitaka rendered by the full orchestra. Unfortunately, like many pieces in the concert, it is an abridged version. The majestic orchestral swell is as powerful as ever, however, the unquestionably powerful effect of a Japanese-influenced melody brought to life through the orchestra. The title song was also played, sung by the soprano, Masako Hayashi, who appears on stage between the children’s orchestra. Her voice was crisp and clear, but the wonderful surprise came when the full choir joined in and brought the song to heights unattained in the original recordings. This section of the concert was certainly my favourite.

The abridged renderings of the scores for Kiki, Porco Rosso, and Ponyo were all very good. Ponyo definitely got a lot of “screen time” at this concert. It does have some very beautiful moments, including what is, in my opinion, another absolute highlight of the show, and that is the rendering of “Rondo of the Sunflower House”. I believe this song is from the image album and not the actual score…..regardless, it is in my opinion the best song associated with Ponyo, even surpassing the opening theme, “Umo no Okaasan”. It has a simple and charming melody, but even better, is sung by Hisaishi Mai, the daughter of the composer. If you’re afraid that this is a case of family preference trumping talent, you do not have to worry. The gods of music ensured that Hisaishi’s daughter was given a remarkable talent for voice. Her voice is as pure and beautiful as is her singing. I consider her to be the best singer at this event. (And I can certainly see the resemblance).

The score for Howl’s Moving Castle…..well done, but I don’t have much to say here because I’ve never been a big fan of the film itself and thus am not too familiar with the score. The Spirited Away segment followed, and while I don’t understand the omission of the closing theme, “Itsumo Nando Demo” or any pieces from the score, there were other songs which were sung by a pop singer, Ayaka Hirahara. The song itself was quite nice, but I’m afraid I simply don’t like her somewhat pop-oriented style of singing. There just seems to be too much emphasis on stylizing the melodies instead of simply singing them and letting the beauty of the composition itself carry the performance. I’m not sure how to write out my thoughts on this clearly, but perhaps some of you understand what I mean. I find “purity” more impressive than “style” in this sort of singing. That said, if you can get beyond that kind of singing, she has a nice voice and it was a good performance.

Next was the Totoro section, beginning with the sublime “Path of the Wind”. Unfortunately this was cut short and does not last long at all, which was a heavy disappointment. The concert organizers went all-out and arranged some beautiful visuals to accompany this piece, including bathing the ceiling in green forest-like imagery. The music is cut short by the introduction of “Sanpo”, the iconic title music from Totoro. This is a curious arrangement which brings in various members of the choirs as well as soloists at different points. I didn’t think that the first half was very strong, but as the orchestra swelled and it grew to a grander scale, Hisaishi convinced me that this rearrangement was a good idea.

The show closes with the other iconic theme from Totoro, and a heavy applause from the audience. But not only that, Miyazaki himself comes up from the audience with flowers for his long-time collabarator. Here you can see the adoration and respect that the Japanese audience have for Miyazaki. Young, old, male, female, a grin breaks out on everyone’s face. As he walks through the aisles, the people on either side have amusingly shocked reactions, their mouths open at the presence of Miyazaki near them, there is a loud visible “oooh” from the crowd, and the applause grows even louder. This man truly is a legend.

Actually, the concert is not over. There were two encores. Unfortunately neither of them were presented in their entirety on the video that I have. I was able to view the final half of “Ashitaka to San”, and it is an absolutely beautiful rearrangement which includes the heavenly children’s choir singing the melody.

One of the things I like most about this concert is watching Hisaishi conduct. He is a no-nonsense conductor. He does with a very steady hand movements and never makes overtly dramatic poses. Furthermore, he is all smiles throughout the concert, and comes off as a genuinely nice and friendly person.

I am still on a search to a find recording of this concert, but until then, boy am I glad that I became aware of it’s existence.

Maison Ikkoku Sheet Music & Music Review

Theowne — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 06:35:52 +0000

I’ll start off this post with a link and video. When I really enjoy a film or series, and I also happen to enjoy the music and/or identify it strongly with the work in question, I typically feel compelled to write sheet music for it. Maison Ikkoku is certainly no exception. So here is some sheet music for a piano arrangement of “Kanashimi yo Konnichiwa”.

http://omohide.com/theowne_maison_ikkoku.pdf

And here is a video of myself playing the piece:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0n2gLBJInw

Now, let’s continue on to the general music review. Maison Ikkoku is an older series, so the music may sound a bit outdated at times. For example, there are several string pieces that I think are quite good compositions but the older recording gives them a somewhat harsh quality. But the melodies retain a wonderful nostalgic charm. This is especially notable through several background music tracks involving piano, flute, and various other instruments. Without a doubt, however, the most moving pieces of music are those based on the melody of “Kanashimi no Konnichiwa”. In terms of songs, there are a few songs which I think stand out and I will mostly be going over these ones specifically.

Kanashimi yo Konnichiwa

I believe it was with “Waltz” from Honey and Clover a few years ago that I began to really appreciate the kind of effectiveness that songs could have. Before that, I didn’t really listen to anything other than either classical music or film scores, and I associated the term “songs” or even just contemporary or popular music with the sort of vapid stuff you’ll find on American top 40 lists. But “Waltz” was a song that contributed so much to the show it appeared in, embodying the bittersweet happiness of the series itself. But it isn’t a one-way relationship. Songs can add to a show, but the show also adds a lot to the song by being identified with it.

Kanashimi yo Konnichiwa (Hello, Sadness) is in a similar sort of position. When I hear the song, I think of Maison Ikkoku, not any specific scene or character, but the essence and tone of the show itself. It embodies the journey of the show and it’s characters and the slightly bittersweet tone that exists throughout. The melody and music itself is not sad in a direct way – I would guess most people would describe it as upbeat. But the lyrics are what lend it a rather poignant quality, though the english translation can sound a bit stiff. The overlay of those introspective lyrics with the music is a very interesting combination. A translation is posted here

http://www.geocities.com/animeinn/song/kanashimi.html

The lyrics of the chorus in particular I find very effective, especially as the singer says “when sadness comes again, I’ll smile, just like I’m welcoming a friend.” I don’t know how I can properly explain my reaction to it without rambling, but there’s something very moving about that line and the general tone of the song’s lyrics. Musically speaking, the end of that line ( warau – wa ) is where the chord progression resolves to a minor seventh, which is a very ambiguous chord and I think it really supports the sentiment very well. The general theme expressed is one similar to the predicament of Kyoko as she lives with the memory of her late husband while still desiring to find happiness – but without abandoning that sad memory as something to be ignored.

I don’t think any other song or opening sequence ever really matched this one, and it remains, to me, the musical representation of Maison Ikkoku itself.

Sunny Shiny Morning

This is the second opener I’ve decided to mention here – if “Kanashimi” was the embodiment of a generally bittersweet emotion, “Sunny Shiny Morning” carries all the pure joy and happiness of the series. The fun, the laughter, and the satisfaction. It represents the joy of friendship, innocence and love. I do genuinely enjoy this song, and a lot of it has to do with the singer, who I think puts a lot of real personality into the song through his very…”personable” voice. (strange description, I know). I also love the very playful chord progressions. As for the opening sequence, what can I say? It follows the playful trend with characters appearing in light-hearted poses as the song carries on, and a hilarious image of Godai and Kyoko looking embarrassed near the end.

Review – Love Hina Orchestral Score/Soundtrack

Theowne — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 02:21:07 +0000

Sample clips montage (lowered quality) : “Hinata Inn Theme” , “Hinata Hot Springs Station” , “Serious”

Regardless of whether you like Love Hina or not, listening to this symphonic score will make you realize how sad it is that most anime series don’t seem to have large music budgets. Many of them toss some synths and piano solos into the background and call it a day. As a show, Love Hina is as divisive as a series can get. Some people swear by it and call it the greatest anime ever, while some people consider it a worthless extended fanservice scene (stretched through 25 episodes). I’m not going to get into that debate about the show itself in this post. What I am going to do instead, though, is praise the absolutely fantastic symphonic soundtrack (score) which was produced for the second half of the television show. In case you are unaware, a “score” is the background music that accompanies various scenes. In case you are even more unaware, “symphonic” refers to music played by a traditional classical ensemble (strings, woodwinds, etc).

Love Hina’s soundtrack is actually divided into two parts. The first is mostly synthesized music, some of which sound nice, but the majority of which is rather forgettable. The second part (CD), though, contains the orchestral soundtrack, which is, quite simply, some of the most wonderful music I’ve heard in a television anime series. You won’t find complex orchestration or sophisticated thematic development. What you’ll find, however, are lovely melodies supported by charming instrumentation and good sound quality. I would recommend the CD even to those who have never watched the series. Much of it is original material, though a few tracks reference the opening theme songs, and the moods range from playful to sentimental to outright depressing.

The CD opens with “Hinata Inn’s theme”. Unlike the synthesized “Hinata Inn” track from the first CD, this orchestral composition feels lively and sincere, due in part to the fact that expressive human performers are now behind the performance. The main theme, repeated more often in the series than on the soundtrack, serves it purpose well. It sounds inviting, homely and welcoming (just as it should), played mostly by the violins as the lower stings dance underneath. After such a great opening, the rest of the soundtrack has a lot to live up to it. And it certainly takes up the challenge well.

“Date” opens with playful woodwinds over pizzicato bass strings. It’s a very cheerful piece which moves along at a walking pace and delivers more attractive melodies. The first mood change is brought to us in “Sadness”. This is an emotional cue, not quite tragic, but certainly nostalgic and bittersweet. That same feeling is brought up in many different tracks, and is one of the things I enjoy about the soundtrack. It never quite feels like it’s descending into clichéd sentimental writing. All the sad and emotional cues feel genuine and heartfelt, and this is a quality that’s missing in many soundtracks. The next cue, “Serious” is one of my favourites on the CD. It’s difficult to classify it under one mood – it begins with a string passage that embodies a sense of longing, then transforms into a more extended passage that feels very wistful.

“Hinata Hot Springs Station” is another highlight that at times even begins to echo the compositions of my favourite American film composer, Thomas Newman. It begins with a lonely harp drifting up and down the scale aimlessly. The quiet is then interrupted by a solo bassoon and then clarinet. I absolutely love how full the individual instruments sound when they play alone.

There are a few comical and almost action-like cues tossed around as well, which include “Follow” and “Pursuit”. They usually still manage to squeeze in a melody or two. The nostalgic emotion of the previous tracks returns in “Sorrow”, and again in “Kimi Sae Ire Ba”. The former is a symphonic rendition of one of the title songs, but it has been transformed into a touching orchestral piece. Just wonderful.

I suppose I should stop picking highlights because there are simply too many of them. I also want to make a brief mention of a track from another CD, and that is the instrumental version of “Winter Wish” from the Christmas Special soundtrack. This is another song that has been transformed into an orchestral piece, in this case, carried by an oboe, and later, strings. It is also a very touching piece that I recommend.

In case it wasn’t clear enough, I really enjoy this soundtrack, and I’m even a bit disappointed that it is part of the Love Hina soundtrack. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying any opinion about whether Love Hina is good or not, I’m simply mentioning that a lot of people think that Love Hina is a shoddy fanservice-fest and nothing else, so as a result, this wonderful music will be ignored. I don’t think many people realize how much quality is present in this score. I’ve noticed many times that reviewers will bash the series for its “cheap synthetic, cheesy score”, but that’s because they only watched the first few episodes and never were able to hear this great music. Certainly, it is one of the best (television) anime soundtracks I have ever listened to.

Angels in America soundtrack (score) review

Theowne — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:32:30 +0000

Sample clips montage (low-quality): “Main Titles”, “Mauve Antarctica”, “Bethesda Fountain”

“Angels in America” is a miniseries by HBO which is based on a play written by Tony Kushner. It revolves around the various relationships of a group of people during the AIDS crisis in the 1980s. Without explaining the plot, let me just say that it is indeed quite an odd show. This adjective is also commonly used by his critics to describe Thomas Newman’s music – what a coincidence.

“Angels in America” seems like the perfect project for Newman. It is a drama at its core, but with quirky aspects to numerous scenes and characters. Thus, while Newman’s dramatic side can shine, he also brings his more unique side (such as in “American Beauty”) to the table, but on a larger scale, effortlessly merged with the orchestra. As a result the score is an effective showcase and introduction of Thomas Newman as a composer, and contains some of his most beautiful work ever. It remains my favorite Thomas Newman soundtrack.

I believe Thomas Newman won an emmy for the Six Feet Under theme, but it confuses me to no end that his work for “Angels in America” was overlooked. The main titles alone represents some of the greatest music ever to grace the small screen (or the big screen, now that I think of it). And boy, is it a stunning piece of music. This track combines the large orchestral ensemble with various Newmanisms, including light tapping percussion and enveloping guitars. The gorgeous melody is carried by the oboe and strings along with soaring brass and woodwinds. The melody itself mostly restricts itself to the main credits, though it appears once again in “The Mormons”, played in a more intimate style by a violin and guitar.

However, Thomas Newman uses two other themes throughout the score, and both are quite beautiful. The first is introduced in “Ellis Island”, a very serene melody carried first by the oboe. The second is introduced in “Ozone”, a very elegant and pastoral theme which seems to represent the main characters, notably Prior Walter, and their ambitions or personal journeys. Both of them are among the best themes Newman has written, and Newman uses them generously compared to his other scores. One of my frequent complaints about Tom is that he creates wonderful melodies but only uses them in a total of two or three tracks. In this score, Newman doesn’t quite use his themes as much as, say, John Williams might, but they are not under-represented.

The rest of the score is a mix of great music in many different styles of Newman’s career. “Mauve Antarctica” is a playful dance of woodwinds, plucked strings, and oboe. “Bayeux Tapestry” is Newman’s traditional crisp string writing. At various points in the soundtrack, things get fairly loud, vicious, and almost bombastic, which is surprising to hear from Newman. The final two (score) tracks alone are worth the price of the disc.These tracks fill the end credits (and closing scene of the film), and are full explorations of the two themes Newman had introduced earlier. “The Great Work Begins” gives us a satisfying realization of the “Ozone” theme with the full orchestra and choir. Then, the volume settles and female voices gently restate the “Ellis Island” theme in “Tropopause”. Absolutely magnificent.

Is this score Newman’s best work to date? I certainly think it is. Heck, even the author at filmtracks.com, who seems to have a negative predisposition towards Newman’s attention to texture and underscore rather than overt leitmotif, gave it a perfect score. If this had been a motion picture, the score definitely would’ve earned him that Oscar that he deserves. If you’re planning to introduce someone to Thomas Newman, this is definitely the score to do it with.