| Album name: | Symphonic Celebration – Music from Hayao Miyazaki’s Studio Ghibli films |
|---|---|
| Anime name: | Various Studio Ghibli movies |
| artist: | Joe Hisaishi, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra |
| Catalog number: | UMCK-7191 |
| Release type: | arrange |
| release date: | June 30, 2023 |
| Where to buy: | Amazon, Japanese CD, Spotify, apple music |
Hisaishi Joe’s “Symphonic Celebration” album review
Joe Hisaishi makes his Deutsche Grammophon debut with Symphony Celebration with London’s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, presenting 10 arrangements (12 if you include the bonus disc) from his 10 Ghibli film scores. The arrangements themselves range from complex symphonic suites to melodic medleys, all of which are a delight to listen to.
But here’s the thing: I’ve listened to a lot of Ghibli’s orchestral albums, and this one doesn’t bring much to the table. The pieces are interesting, but if I wanted to hear a symphonic suite piece by Hisaishi Joe, I would listen to or watch him conduct the New Japan Philharmonic World Dream Orchestra at Budokan. If I want a good Ghibli symphony arrangement, I listen to the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra’s Ghibli album. or get Two must-haves Hisaishi Joe The volume is It is a good representative of Hisaishi Joe’s works.
No matter where you stand in the Joe Hisaishi/Ghibli fandom, this album is solid. You will get all the classics. The difference in quality is the cohesion of the arrangement. Nausicaa of the Valley of the WindEvery part of the suite is solid. Its introduction thrills with a din of drums and brass before succumbing to a sublime piano melody befitting the epic journey. The transition to the Requiem feels abrupt, but it effectively conveys the grim atmosphere. Again, the transition to the battle theme isn’t smooth, but its melody is energetic and coupled with frantic woodwinds over a rushing tempo.
Similarly, my neighbor chinchillaThe suite has issues going from one theme to the next. With its captivating themes, majestic aura and mystical tones, you can’t go wrong with Road of the Wind. But when the music enters the chorus, singing the cheerful “Hey Let’s Go” opening song and joyful singing, chinchilla The ending theme and emotion don’t match. While you can’t blame the individual parts, I do wish they handled the transitions better.
The highlight of this album is the thematically cohesive production. Qiqi’s delivery serviceWith its signature theme, it moves effortlessly from the string-filled “Ocean View” with its optimism and a hint of tension, to the more melancholy and introspective “Sad Kiki” and ends with the heartfelt “Mama’s Broom”. The same can be said Ponyothe charming deep-sea pasture leads to the elegant and quiet singing in “Mother Sea”, and finally ends with the passionate Ponyo End topic.
While these performances are all great, if you’ve been listening to Ghibli’s arrangements, chances are you’ve encountered work of a similar caliber, making this album feel redundant. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, for example, took the safe route and once again performed the iconic theme from Carrying You, “Carrying You” Laputa. New listeners unfamiliar with it may appreciate how the vocals intertwine in perfect harmony to create the sad atmosphere born of tragedy, but this is cliche to me. Beautiful “gone days” red pig is another safe choice, and while it’s easy to slip into a dreamy waltz reverie, I wish they incorporated more material from the movie. Doubly so Princess MononokeThe suite lacks the emotional release of “Ashita Kaho-san” to make it complete.
Having said that, works like this The wind blows Helps clear away tiredness from the old mind. Mandolin Solo by Avi Avital The wind blows‘s “Journey” has an exquisite daydreaming quality that creates a wonderful foundation for the strings to be used to drive the piece forward. I’m Not Tired of the Vocal Version of “One Summer Day” Spirited Away A beautiful blend of nostalgia and loss. So having both Japanese and English versions of the song is a plus.
There are three factors to consider when evaluating Studio Ghibli Symphony Celebration. If you’re worried about musicality, don’t be. There’s a lot to like here. I’m lukewarm about this album’s thoroughgoing dive into Hisaishi’s work, but if you’re looking for an enjoyable introduction, this album works. But if you’re a seasoned Ghibli/Hisaishi fan, this version feels like nothing special. The key is to figure out where you fall on the spectrum and what you value in an album. Thankfully, if you already subscribe to a streaming service, it should be fairly easy to evaluate it. In this case, just do it. Worth a listen.
grade: OK