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

Always With MeJoe Hisaishi

“Always With Me” from Spirited Away, string quartet

From Spirited Away.

The original song is by Yumi Kimura.

Wakako Kaku, who also wrote the lyrics for this piece, is active as a lyricist, poet, and singer-songwriter, and has provided lyrics for a variety of artists including SMAP and Rimi Natsukawa.

This song won honors such as the Gold Prize at the 43rd Japan Record Awards.

She also wrote the lyrics for “Mother Sea,” a song from the Studio Ghibli film Ponyo.

Known by many alongside the film, it’s a piece whose lyrics evoke death yet, with a somehow calming melody, resonates deeply in the heart.

Name of LifeJoe Hisaishi

Name of Life (from “Spirited Away”)

“Name of Life” from the film Spirited Away is performed here as a poignant, ephemeral healing piano piece.

In the film it’s known as “One Summer’s Day,” but on the Image Album, Yumi Kimura—famous for “Always With Me”—sings lyrics she wrote to Joe Hisaishi’s melody.

Rendered with a gentle touch, this piece both evokes the scenes from the movie and becomes a healing music that seems to cleanse the listener’s heart.

The interlude arrangement is also wonderful, unfolding a musical drama on the piano that brings tears to your eyes.

The revolving seasonsJoe Hisaishi

The Turning Seasons [from Joe Hisaishi’s “Kiki’s Delivery Service”], for male chorus and strings (Choral Draft)

From Kiki’s Delivery Service.

It’s an image song composed and arranged by Joe Hisaishi, with the original performed by Azumi Inoue.

This song, along with A Town with an Ocean View and Windy Hill, shares the same melodic line.

While A Town with an Ocean View is the version that plays in the film, the three pieces each have a distinct character: Windy Hill features added arrangement, and The Changing Seasons has lyrics.

The covering artist, Wednesday Campanella, is a three-member unit that debuted on YouTube in 2012 and made their major-label debut with SUPERKID in 2016.

This track is included on their cover album.

It’s a song that beautifully captures Kiki’s bittersweet emotions.

Princess MononokeJoe Hisaishi

Princess Mononoke Main Theme

From Princess Mononoke.

Yoshikazu Mera is a countertenor.

This song brought him widespread recognition, and in 1998 he became the first recipient of the Theme Song Award as a Special Prize at the 21st Japan Academy Awards.

After Hayao Miyazaki was moved by hearing Mera’s 1996 song “Mother’s Song” on the radio, he selected him the following year to perform for the film.

His beautifully high voice, surpassing even that of many women, has been acclaimed worldwide.

This mysterious piece invites listeners into the world of the film.

Ashitaka and SanJoe Hisaishi

Joe Hisaishi, Wiener Symphoniker – Ashitaka and San (from ‘Princess Mononoke’) Live in Vienna

Unlike the heavy atmosphere of “The Legend of Ashitaka” that plays at the beginning of the film, “Ashitaka and San,” which is heard toward the end, clearly feels bright and full of hope in its performance.

There’s a story that when Joe Hisaishi took on the music for Princess Mononoke, he was overwhelmed by Hayao Miyazaki’s passion and responded by writing fully developed, complex orchestral pieces to express the film’s weighty worldview.

From this work onward, he composed more orchestral pieces, and the in-film sound grew more classical.

This piece is also frequently performed at orchestral concerts, and hearing it played by a live orchestra truly gives you goosebumps!

Promise of the WorldJoe Hisaishi

Howl’s Moving Castle – Promise of the World (piano cover)

From Howl’s Moving Castle.

This song by Chieko Baisho, who also voiced the heroine, was used as the theme song.

It was originally composed by Yumi Kimura for her own album, with lyrics commissioned from Shuntaro Tanikawa, but director Hayao Miyazaki selected it as the film’s theme song.

The arrangement is by Joe Hisaishi.

The lyrics embody the lyricist’s wish to embrace hope for the future, and the song wraps the listener in a gentle vocal tone.

“Merry-Go-Round of Life,” used in both the opening and ending, is also performed by Chieko Baisho.

Symphonic Suite “Princess Mononoke”Joe Hisaishi

Joe Hisaishi in Concert 2022 – Princess Mononoke full suite

I think this film made me feel that we need to cherish and take better care of nature.

The music fits the film very well, and I feel it layers beautifully over the quiet atmosphere of the forest.

The piece is truly lovely.

The oboe is wonderful.