[Ghibli] Timeless Ghibli Classics in Classical Arrangements: The charm of Ghibli music performed with live instruments

My Neighbors the Yamadas Theme – Orchestral VersionAkiko Yano

My Neighbors the Yamadas Theme – Orchestra Version(이웃집 야마다군 오케스트라버전 OST)

“The Theme of My Neighbors the Yamadas” has been transformed into a grand orchestral performance through wonderful orchestration.

The original song, “I Won’t Be Alone Anymore,” was written, composed, and sung by Akiko Yano, depicting everyday warmth with a pop sound.

In the orchestral version, the refreshing feel remains intact while the texture of live performance comes through directly.

A trumpet solo and mellow strings join as backing, highlighting the strengths of the orchestra.

The live-performance version of “I Won’t Be Alone Anymore” is great too! The performance is by the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra and is included on the album “Czech Phil Plays Studio Ghibli Symphonic Collection.”

My Neighbor TotoroJoe Hisaishi

My Neighbor Totoro (from ‘My Neighbor Totoro’)

The ending theme of the film My Neighbor Totoro, originally sung by Azumi Inoue, is performed here by a classical orchestra.

After an elegant string introduction, the cello and double bass begin playing Totoro’s melody.

Then, from a tremolo that evokes the arrival of the Catbus, the performance expands into a grand orchestral arrangement brimming with a sense of speed.

In the Budokan live concert conducted by Joe Hisaishi, an orchestra and chorus of over 100 performers moved the audience deeply.

It’s a superb arrangement that brings out both the world of My Neighbor Totoro and the strengths of the orchestra.

CatbusJoe Hisaishi

My Neighbor Totoro Orchestra Stories – 07. Cat Bus

“Catbus” from Orchestra Stories: My Neighbor Totoro—a suite that reorganizes the beloved music of My Neighbor Totoro into an orchestral work with narration.

This piece selects seven numbers from the film’s score and is arranged by Joe Hisaishi himself as an orchestral work with narration that parents and children can enjoy together.

It opens with playful phrases in the cellos and double basses, and the horn-like dissonances in the woodwinds and brass make the Catbus’s entrance all the more striking.

It’s a cheerful piece that’s perfect as an encore for a pops orchestra, and hearing My Neighbor Totoro performed by a live orchestra is truly moving!

Ask me why (A Mother’s Thoughts)Joe Hisaishi

Ask Me Why (A Mother's Thoughts) / Joe Hisaishi 'The Boy and the Heron' OST

This is the theme song from Studio Ghibli’s feature-length animated film The Boy and the Heron, which can be called the culmination of director Hayao Miyazaki’s work.

It is performed tenderly on a solo piano only three times during important scenes, from the opening to the late stages of the film, with no arrangements or variations for other instruments, making it clear how deeply composer Joe Hisaishi cherishes this piece.

If you listen closely, one note in the chorus melody differs from Ask Me Why (Mahito’s Resolve).

Just as Mahito returns with the stone and retains his memories of the experience, he has indeed changed from before to now.

It feels like a deliberate, meaningful misalignment.

The characters’ emotions are conveyed through live performance, as if opening the door to the heart.

Music of the CelestialsJoe Hisaishi

The Tale of the Princess Kaguya: Celestial Beings’ Music (2018 ver.)

This is “Heavenly Beings’ Music” from The Tale of the Princess Kaguya.

The composer is Joe Hisaishi, well known for his music in Studio Ghibli works.

Hisaishi is one of the representative composers for Studio Ghibli, but interestingly, he usually scores only films directed by Hayao Miyazaki; when other directors are involved, different composers tend to take over.

The director of The Tale of the Princess Kaguya is Isao Takahata, making this a rare case where Hisaishi worked on a non-Miyazaki film.

Since Princess Mononoke, full orchestras have more frequently been used for in-film performances.

As Ghibli and Hisaishi’s popularity has grown, there have been more concerts as well, and it’s said that Hisaishi creates new arrangements for each concert.

It might be fun to compare the soundtrack versions with the concert versions.

Dragon BoyJoe Hisaishi

Spirited Away – Dragon Boy ( Daizo Edit Extended)

From Studio Ghibli’s hugely famous film Spirited Away, this is “The Dragon Boy.” The “dragon” refers to Haku, and the piece is used in the scene where Haku and Chihiro meet and then depart from the bathhouse.

In the film, the New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra performs it: a mystical tone born from layered harp and piano leads into flowing horn lines, while the woodwinds stack in perfect fourths to evoke a traditional Japanese atmosphere.

This performance is a longer version than the one in the film, making “The Dragon Boy” even more powerful.

Path of the WindJoe Hisaishi

My Neighbor Totoro Orchestra Stories – 05. The Path of the Wind

The indispensable classic “The Path of the Wind” from Studio Ghibli’s beloved masterpiece My Neighbor Totoro is presented here in an orchestral performance.

This piece is included in “Orchestra Stories: My Neighbor Totoro,” in which composer Joe Hisaishi restructured music from My Neighbor Totoro so it can be enjoyed with narration.

In the original, Hisaishi—then influenced by minimalism—used an electronic sound, but this version becomes a grand orchestral work that brings out the beauty of acoustic instruments.

The sheet music is also available, so students and members of community orchestras who want to enjoy ensemble playing on real instruments might consider giving it a try.

After the introduction, the violin solo is superb, vividly conjuring up images of Japan’s pastoral landscapes.