Lovely anime song

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

Representative, Elysion Philharmonic Orchestrasai-kisaragi
Heisei College of Music, Composition Course. Studied composition and conducting under Keizo Ideta, piano under Chinami Kira, and arts management under Takuma Konishi. With a focus on community and music, I work to revitalize my hometown of Saga Prefecture. While performing as a double bassist with wind ensembles and orchestras across Kyushu, I participated on double bass in the “Orchestra Without Borders” orchestra camp of the professional game and anime music ensemble Eminence Orchestra, held in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture in September 2012. During CAPCOM’s Kyushu Tour in 2016, I not only performed as an orchestra member but also served on the production staff. I currently serve as the managing representative for the game and anime performance groups Elysion Philharmonic Orchestra (Saga Prefecture) and Fukuoka Game Music Wind Orchestra (Fukuoka Prefecture), and handle conducting, arranging, and public relations.

Classical music and Ghibli.

At first glance, this combination may seem worlds apart, yet it’s quietly sparking a boom among music fans.

Ghibli’s beloved melodies, performed on classical instruments like the piano and violin, bring us new allure and profound emotion.

While preserving the warmth and tenderness of the originals, the grandeur and delicacy unique to classical music are added, creating a fresh experience that feels like listening to an entirely different story.

Experience for yourself how those famous tunes you know so well are reborn through classical arrangements.

[Ghibli] Classic arrangements of Ghibli masterpieces. The allure of Ghibli music performed with live instruments (11–20)

Dragon BoyJoe Hisaishi

Spirited Away – Dragon Boy ( Daizo Edit Extended)

Joe Hisaishi, the Dragon Boy

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.

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My Neighbor TotoroJoe Hisaishi

My Neighbor Totoro (from ‘My Neighbor Totoro’)

My Neighbor Totoro Joe Hisaishi

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.

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againJoe Hisaishi

JOE HISAISHI & WORLD DREAM ORCHESTRA 2018 Spirited Away Suite ‘Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi’ Again Reprise

Joe Hisaishi Again

An iconic scene from the film Spirited Away is being performed by a full classical orchestra.

The piece was titled “Chihiro’s Waltz” on the image album, and in the latter half of the film it plays during the unforgettable moment when Haku regains his name and he and Chihiro fall from the sky hand in hand.

Hearing it performed by a live orchestra will surely bring back memories of the movie and move many listeners to tears.

It’s one of those Ghibli masterpieces you should hear at a concert at least once.

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A Town with an Ocean ViewJoe Hisaishi

Joe Hisaishi – A Town with an Ocean View

A Town with an Ocean View - Joe Hisaishi

The famous Kiki’s Delivery Service piece “A Town with an Ocean View” is being performed by a full-fledged overseas classical orchestra.

This piece is used in the film’s opening when Kiki takes off from the train, expressing her excitement as she heads to a new town, as well as the breath and everyday life of the townspeople.

Though Studio Ghibli is a Japanese studio, it’s said that the town of Koriko was inspired by Stockholm in Sweden and Visby on the island of Gotland, so having a European orchestra perform it gives the music an even greater sense of realism.

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Carrying YouJoe Hisaishi

Joe Hisaishi Budokan Concert – Castle in the Sky: Carrying You (HD)

Carrying You by Joe Hisaishi

From Castle in the Sky.

This is a song by Azumi Inoue, who debuted as an idol singer in 1983.

Thanks to the acclaim this song received, she also performed the theme song “My Neighbor Totoro” and the opening theme “Stroll” for the Studio Ghibli film My Neighbor Totoro.

In addition, she contributed two insert songs—“The Passing Seasons” and “Warmth of Magic”—for Kiki’s Delivery Service, among many other Ghibli works.

The lyrics, which synchronize with the film’s story, instantly draw you into the world of the movie.

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Country RoadYoko Honna

From 'Whisper of the Heart' — Country Roads / Song by The Breeze Adventures

Country Road by Honna Youko

Based on the Japanese manga by Aoi Hiiragi, Whisper of the Heart is a coming-of-age story about Shizuku Tsukishima, a first-year junior high school girl who loves reading, and Seiji Amasawa, who aspires to become a violin maker.

Country Roads is the film’s main theme song, and in the movie it plays during the scene where Seiji plays the violin and Shizuku sings at a small antique shop called Earth Shop (Chikyūya), which she discovers after spotting a mysterious, plump cat on the train to the library and following it to a rotary.

In this version, Country Roads is performed with lovely gospel-style vocals and orchestral accompaniment, offering an arrangement different from the main feature.

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[Ghibli] Classic arrangements of Ghibli’s famous songs: the charm of Ghibli music performed with live instruments (21–30)

Love is a flower, and you are its seed.Amanda McBroom

Studio Ghibli Piano Cover | Only Yesterday OST “Ai wa Hana, Kimi wa Sono Tane”

Love is a flower, you are its seed — Amanda McBroom

From “Only Yesterday.” It is a single by Harumi Miyako released in 1991 and was used as the ending theme of the film.

The song is a Japanese cover of “The Rose,” the theme song of the 1979 film The Rose.

It has been covered by many artists both worldwide and in Japan, and its placement at the end of the movie creates a moving climax.

In addition, the coupling track “Suki ni Natta Hito” was also used in the film’s soundtrack.

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