FIELD OF DREAMS IN CONCERT
Music composed by James Horner
Score adapted and orchestrated for live performance by Mark Graham
Music conducted by Hirofumi Kurita
Performed by the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra
Produced by Film Concerts Live
Music preparation by JoAnn Kane Music Service
September 27, 2025
Tokyo International Forum
Tokyo, Japan
PART 1: THE PLACE WHERE DREAMS COME TRUE
Not in a million years did I expect FIELD OF DREAMS IN CONCERT to make its way here to the concert halls of Japan.
But here I am writing this review for a performance that recently played to a two-thirds full Tokyo venue.
That the hall was not full is a real shame because many missed out on what was a performance full of drama, laughs, and a cornfield of tears.
PART 2: FIELD OF DREAMS IN CONCERT
Under the baton of Hirofumi Kurita, FIELD OF DREAMS IN CONCERT had the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra perform James Horner’s evocative Grammy-nominated score live-to-picture.
Horner’s score had been faithfully adapted and orchestrated for live performance by Mark Graham with a handful of scenes from the film playing with pre-recorded instrumental solos or backing tracks.
The film was shown in English with Japanese subtitles and included a short intermission just before the protagonists drive to Minnesota in search of Archie “Moonlight” Graham.
For the purposes of this review I will reference track titles in bold from the expanded edition of the soundtrack that was released by La-La Land Records in 2021.
The above album is not to be confused with the 13-track original soundtrack album released by BMG in 1990.
PART 3: THE FIRST HALF
The performance kicks off with the appearance of the ubiquitous Universal Pictures logo, although this is the older “still” version of the logo that does not contain Horner’s majestic fanfare music.
Pre-recorded pan pipes then make their entrance as the sounds of that iconic opening French horn line from “The Cornfield” fills the auditorium. My spine tingles as the deep boom of bass and the shimmering sounds of a live mark tree follow. But the feeling soon dissipates as the horn player blows a run of bum notes…
Things quickly get back on track as the film shifts to Ray Kinsella – Kevin Costner’s character – giving a short account of his family history accompanied by a pretty theme on the piano. This melody evokes a time when life was simple and there were few cares in the world.
The ghostly whisper of flutter-tongue pan pipes and low booming synths mark the first time Ray hears a voice in the cornfield saying, “If you build it, he will come.” Adding to the air of mystery is a unique, high-pitched sound that I can only describe as being a bow drawn across a metallic object. As the stage is dark and I am sitting rather far away, I cannot see if the sound is being produced live. In any case, this ghostly effect is performed every time the voice calls to Ray.
After Ray’s wife agrees to build a baseball field and they get to work to build it, we are then treated to the first pre-recorded piece of music of the concert, a catchy instrumental country pop piece written by Horner (“Deciding to Build the Field”).
When the baseball field receives its first “visitor” in the form of Shoeless Joe Jackson, a short synth fragment of what I call the “dreams come true” theme is played, later appearing in all its symphonic glory during the finale of the film (“The Place Where Dreams Come True”).
Jackson later returns with the seven players of the Black Sox Scandal to the swinging rhythms of “Dinner’s Ready.” This sax-led piece sounds fabulous live and only serves to prove Horner’s unmatched ability at writing authentic period swing music in the style of Benny Goodman. (If you’re a sucker for Horner’s swing music like I am, I strongly recommend you check out his scores for both COCOON films, CASPER, ONCE AROUND and *BATTERIES NOT INCLUDED).
“Ease his pain” is the next ghostly message that leads Ray to research author Terence Mann, a fictional author and activist from the 1960s. Another pre-recorded country pop-inspired piece (“The Library”) accompanies his search as he finally decides to make his way to Boston to find Mann.
After tracking Mann down and taking him to a baseball game in search for answers, Ray concludes that it has been pointless bringing Mann to the game as only he could hear and see the latest ghostly message that suggests he go to Chisholm, Minnesota to find Archie “Moonlight” Graham.
As they drive home tired and confused as to why Mann was originally chosen by “the voice,” the melancholy piano and synth piece “Moonlight Graham” plays. The music soon becomes positive as Mann finally reveals that he heard the voice too and wants to join Ray on his trip to Minnesota.
Instrumental rock music not written by Horner then follows as we head into the intermission.
PART 4: A POST-INTERMISSION MEDLEY
The intermission is followed by a short medley of themes from Horner’s score. The medley contains some added brass accompaniment as well as a short but soaring arrangement of the “dreams come true” theme.
PART 5: THE SECOND HALF
The second half of the concert kicks off in Chisholm, Minnesota as our protagonists discover that Graham had died years earlier.
Despite his baseball career not amounting to much, “Doc” Graham had died a beloved doctor remembered in the community for his kindness and charity.
During a night stroll, Ray magically finds himself back in time and face-to-face with an elderly Graham. To suggest that this is a dream or fantastical moment, Horner expertly brings echoey synths, deep bass and pan pipes to colour the scene (“The Timeless Street”).
Graham, played to perfection by Burt Lancaster, explains that his only wish is to have another shot in the majors – he had only played one inning in one game before his career ended prematurely.
He then goes on to say that Chisholm is his “most special place in all the world” and that he cannot leave it to fulfill his dream at Ray’s magical baseball field.
Ray calls Graham’s five minutes in the majors a “tragedy,” to which Graham replies that if he were a doctor for only five minutes then that would have been a tragedy.
From memory, this entire sequence goes completely unscored, demonstrating the judicious spotting* of the film by the director and composer.
* “spotting” refers to the placement of music in a film
While on their way back to Iowa, Ray and Mann pick up a young hitchhiker who turns out to be none other than the young Archie “Moonlight” Graham.
As their long drive home continues, Ray begins to open up to Mann about his father and his long-standing regret of not being able to reconcile with him before he passed away.
The crux of his pain lies in the final words spoken to his father: that he “could never respect a man whose hero (i.e. Shoeless Joe Jackson) was a criminal.” Coupled with his father’s insistence that he practice and succeed in baseball despite not really enjoying it anymore, Ray refused to play catch with his father ever again.
This whole scene is sensitively and brilliantly scored by the piano and synth-led “The Drive Home.” You can really feel Ray’s pain and regret through those notes, making you hope that he can someday make things right, as impossible as that may be.
Ray finishes the conversation by stating that while he can’t bring his father back, he can at least “bring back his hero” (i.e. Shoeless Joe) through his magical baseball field.
The three arrive in Iowa to find Shoeless Joe has invited a team of new players to join them in matches on the baseball field.
Another piece of classic Horner swing (“Night Game”) is performed live as the players play and joke on the field. It’s a slightly faster version of “Dinner’s Ready,” with trumpet taking the lead instead of sax.
It’s now time for Graham to come to bat and fulfill a lifelong dream.
After making a hit and giving a team member a chance to make it safely to home base, he returns triumphantly to the dugout to the approval of all. And that’s when he turns, looks Ray right in the eye and smiles – he did it. His dream came true.
Ray’s brother-in-law comes storming across the baseball field the next day to demand that Ray sell his farm to avoid the bank foreclosing on him.
Mann comes to Ray’s defense, giving a stirring monologue about the magic of the baseball field and the timeless appeal of baseball itself as Shoeless Joe and his players stand together in solidarity. Coupled with Horner’s score (“The Decision”) that is now rising with a high trumpet line taking on the “dreams come true” melody, it is an incredibly uplifting moment.
As Ray contemplates what to do, Horner ratchets up the suspense with booming live timpani and high strings evoking a strong sense of uncertainty.
“I’m not signing,” Ray finally declares.
As Ray and his brother-in-law continue to argue and Ray’s daughter pleads him not to sell as “people will come” to see the baseball field, she is accidentally knocked off the baseball stand and lies unconscious on the ground.
Horner then springs into action with one of his trademark panic cues (“Doc’s Memories”) as everyone looks on in worry and despair.
But not “Moonlight” Graham.
The sound of circular trumpet figures – used in place of the echoplex trumpet effects in the original recording – act as a call to Graham to step up to the plate and do what he was always destined to do: be a doctor and save lives.
Without hesitation he crosses the border between dreams and reality to save Ray’s daughter, and in doing so, metamorphoses into his older self, thereby preventing him from ever returning to play in that baseball field of dreams.
Ray thanks him for saving his daughter’s life, to which he replies, “No son, thank you.”
As “Doc” Graham walks away through the field and into the great beyond, each of the players on the field pat him on the shoulder and congratulate him for what he has just done.
And when Shoeless Joe turns to him and says “Hey Rookie! You were good,” I can’t help but burst into tears as Graham looks back with a subtle but deep look of fulfillment.
PART 6: IF YOU BUILD IT, HE WILL COME
Shoeless Joe then asks Mann to come with him into the great beyond to write about what he sees.
In a fit of anger Ray asks why he wasn’t chosen to go with him to which Shoeless Joe replies, “If you build it, he will come.”
What follows is six minutes of one of the most heart-tugging scenes and music ever (“The Place Where Dreams Comes True”).
The “dreams come true” theme on strings heralds the appearance of a youthful version of Ray’s estranged father, John Kinsella. As John approaches, oboe makes an entrance with a tender and longing version of the theme before it rises with full orchestra. Lone piano later enters to further colour the feelings of a time lost and a connection rekindled.
After introducing his family, Ray’s wife and daughter leave to give them time to talk. The moment this happens, strings take up the theme again and swoon as French horns sigh in the background.
Father and son then reestablish their relationship as the “dreams come true” theme returns and rises, becoming more positive and hopeful until it finally explodes with unrestrained passion as Ray finally works up the courage to ask his father to play catch with him in order to right a long-held regret.
Tears now flow freely in the audience as the camera zooms out to reveal a stream of car lights as far as the eye can see heading towards the baseball field… and with it, pleasant synth chords and the gentle wash of high strings for the perfect fairytale ending.
If the emotional knock-out of “The Place Where Dreams Comes True” is not enough, the “End Credits” suite swiftly knocks us out again with another emotional tour de force.
Opening with the warm and reassuring sound of the French horn backed by gentle harp and orchestra, I am again holding back the tears.
Strings then take on the “dreams come true” theme one last glorious time with that pretty piano theme from the opening of the film returning to bring the concert to a satisfying end.
While no encore is performed, I’ll bet the farm that no one in the audience would complain if they performed the entire finale of the film one more time…
PART 7: GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
The music of FIELD OF DREAMS is but one of many examples of the musical genius of composer James Horner.
He was simply unmatched in his ability to push those emotional buttons and bring out the humanity of the characters he was supporting on screen through his music.
Since his tragic death in 2015, his memory and music have been kept alive with a series of tribute concerts and expanded soundtrack releases.
As a surprise to those that attended this performance of FIELD OF DREAMS IN CONCERT, we all received a concert flyer promoting an upcoming tribute concert in March 2026: JAMES HORNER – A LIFE IN MUSIC.
I for one cannot wait!
PART 8: CONCERT MERCH
All concert attendees received a mini program that included short biographies of Horner, the conductor and the orchestra.
Unfortunately, no other concert merch or soundtrack CDs were sold in the foyer which is a real shame because I’m certain the soundtrack to FIELD OF DREAMS would have sold like hot cakes.
PART 9: ANOTHER REVIEW AND PURCHASING LINK
Nick Martin wrote an excellent and detailed review here of the world premiere of FIELD OF DREAMS IN CONCERT that took place in Canada in July 2024.
You can purchase the CD of the expanded score for FIELD OF DREAMS at the La-La Land Records website here. While it is currently out of stock (as of Oct. 1, 2025), it is well worth waiting for or tracking down as it not only has the complete and remastered score, but it also has highly informative liner notes by Jeff Bond that illuminate the film and how it was scored.
If you can’t get a copy of the expanded album, you can always seek out the original album on BMG records:
This is a fine album of highlights that includes the score’s greatest cue, “The Place Where Dreams Come True.”
PART 10: OVER TO YOU
Did you go to this concert too? How did you like it?
And what did you think of my report? Feel free to comment below or reach out to me directly in the “Contact Me” section.
