A Symphonic Celebration - Music from the Studio Ghibli Films of Hayao Miyazaki Royal Philharmonic Orchestra & Joe Hisaishi

• Joe Hisaishi (b. 1950):
• 1Merry-Go-Round of Life (from 'Howl’s Moving Castle')02:49
• 2One Summer's Day (The Name of Life) (English Version / from 'Spirited Away')04:00
• 3The Legend of the Wind (from 'Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind')02:08
• 4Nausicaä Requiem (from 'Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind')01:11
• 5The Battle between Mehve and Corvette (from 'Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind')01:19
• 6The Distant Days (from 'Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind')01:47
• 7The Bird Man (from 'Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind')03:45
• 8A Town with an Ocean View (from 'Kiki's Delivery Service')03:58
• 9Heartbroken Kiki (from 'Kiki's Delivery Service')01:17
• 10Mother’s Broom (from 'Kiki's Delivery Service')03:45
• 11The Legend of Ashitaka (from 'Princess Mononoke')01:57
• 12The Demon God (from 'Princess Mononoke')02:16
• 13Princess Mononoke (from 'Princess Mononoke')03:08
• 14A Journey (A Dream of Flight) (from 'The Wind Rises')02:17
• 15Nahoko (The Encounter) (from 'The Wind Rises')00:41
• 16A Journey (A Kingdom of Dreams) (from 'The Wind Rises')03:14
• 17Deep Sea Pastures (from 'Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea')01:24
• 18Mother Sea (from 'Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea')03:26
• 19Ponyo's Sisters Lend a Hand - A Song for Mothers and the Sea (from 'Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea')01:27
• 20Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea (from 'Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea')03:11
• 21Doves and the Boy (from 'Castle in the Sky')00:58
• 22Carrying You (from 'Castle in the Sky')04:31
• 23Bygone Days (from 'Porco Rosso')04:26
• 24Symphonic Variation "Merry-Go-Round + Cave of Mind" (from 'Howl’s Moving Castle')12:06
• 25One Summer's Day (The Name of Life) (Japanese Version / from 'Spirited Away')03:53
• 26Reprise (from 'Spirited Away')03:32
• 27The Path of the Wind (from 'My Neighbor Totoro')00:58
• 28Hey Let's Go (from 'My Neighbor Totoro')03:33
• 29My Neighbor Totoro (from 'My Neighbor Totoro')03:58
• Total Runtime01:26:55

Info for A Symphonic Celebration - Music from the Studio Ghibli Films of Hayao Miyazaki

For his first album on Deutsche Grammophon, Joe Hisaishi, the revered Japanese composer whose work has become synonymous with the magical Studio Ghibli animations of director Hayao Miyazaki has created an exciting series of symphonic arrangements of his original soundtracks for such Ghibli classics as Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke and My neighbor Totoro. Fittingly titled A Symphonic Celebration, it presents state-of-the-art recordings of his extraordinary work for this much-loved artistic force in animated movie-making. Recorded in London by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by the composer, its tracks are newly arranged by Hisaishi for symphony orchestra and features Grace Davidson, Avi Avital, Bach Choir and Stephen Morris.

Hisaishi ranks among Japan’s greatest composers of all time and is famed worldwide for his collaborative work with Oscar-winning director, animator and Studio Ghibli founder Hayao Miyazaki. Their creative partnership began in 1984 with the post-apocalyptic anime feature Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and has since developed to the point that they are now likened to other legendary director-composer pairings, including Hitchcock and Herrmann, Fellini and Rota, Leone and Morricone, and Spielberg and Williams. Indeed, Hisaishi’s reputation has been secured by the fact that his soundtracks have won eight Japanese Academy Awards, an unprecedented achievement. He is equally acknowledged, however, as a conductor and as a composer of contemporary classical music, much of it minimalistic and experimental in nature, like that of friends and colleagues such as Philip Glass, Terry Riley and Nico Muhly.

Grace Davidson, soprano
Avi Avital, mandolin
Bach Choir
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Joe Hisaishi, conductor

Joe Hisaishi
started to show his interest in minimal music when he was a student at Kunitachi College of Music, and started his career as a comtemporary music composer. Presentation of MKWAJU in 1981 and the release of his first album “Information”in the following year was the kickoff of his career as a solo artist.Starting with Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (1984), Hisaishi has produced music for 10 Hayao Miyazaki films. He also composed the music for HANA-BI directed by Takeshi Kitano, Departures directed by Yojiro Takita, Villain directed by Sang-il Lee, The Tale of Princess Kaguya directed by Isao Takahata, What A Wonderful Familly!series directed by Yoji Yamada.

Hisaishi also is well-reputed as a skilled performer,ranging from piano soloist to orchestra conductor.In 2004, he assumed a post of first music director of New Japan Philharmonic“World Dream Orchestra (W.D.O.)”. He also starts to present world tour“Joe Hisaishi Symphonic Concert: Music from the Studio Ghibli Films of Hayao Miyazaki”(visiting Paris, Melbourne, San Jose, Los Angeles, New York, Prague and Brussels & Lyon, etc.).In recently years, he works as a classical music conductor and also composed new works in a contemporary music style, including “TRI-AD for Large Orchestra”(2016), “The East Land Symphony”(2016), “ad Universum”(2019) and “Border Concerto for 3 Hons and Orchestra”(2020). Hisaishi has collaborated with a wide range of artists including Philip Grass, David Lang, Mischa Maisky, and orchestra Hong Kong Philharmonic, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Singapore Symphony Orchestra among others.

In 2014, he has been working as a producer and conductor, and holding contemporary music concerts called “JOE HISAISHI presents MUSIC FUTURE”, which concert series earned him enormous popularity and records as a live album. In 2019, he also started leading a concert series “Future Orchestra Classics (FOC)”and released Beethoven Symphony Box CD that was given “Special Prize” from 57th Record Academy Award Japan 2019.He is appointed two new positions : Composer in Residence and Music Partner with New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra from September 2020, and Principal Guest Conductor with Japan Century Orchestra from April 2021.His unique inputs to the concerts as a contemporary musical composer is highly appreciated and his continuous enthusiasm for musical activities that go beyond ordinary creative work is anticipated worldwide.

This album contains no booklet.