JOE HISAISHI IN BUDOKAN: 25 YEARS WITH THE ANIMATION OF MIYAZAKI
Music composed and conducted by Joe Hisaishi
Piano solos by Joe Hisaishi
Performed by the New Japan Philharmonic World Dream Orchestra
Special vocal performances by Masako Hayashi, Ayaka Hirahara, Mai, Nozomi Ohashi, and Fujioka Fujimaki (Takaaki Fujioka and Naoya Fujimaki)
August 4, 2008
Nippon Budokan
Tokyo, Japan
PART 1: ONE FOR THE HISTORY BOOKS
A scorching summer’s day was the setting for “Joe Hisashi in Budokan: 25 years with the animation of Miyazaki.”
With performances happening over two consecutive days, this momentous concert marked 25 years of creative partnership between legendary composer Joe Hisaishi and revered anime director Hayao Miyazaki.
Despite selling out almost immediately after tickets went on sale, I was able to get a ticket for the first day’s performance in the cheapest tier.
For those unable to attend the concert or yet to discover the magic of the music of Joe Hisaishi, a beautifully produced recording of the concert was released on DVD and blu-ray disc by Walt Disney Japan.
PART 2: SOME BACKGROUND
As this concert happened almost 20 years ago, it’s almost impossible for me to recall every piece of music played and the impressions they made on me that night.
Allow me then to describe the things I do remember – and for the purpose of this report, let me refresh my memory by rewatching the blu-ray (yes, I know that’s cheating a bit 😉). Of course, you can find the full concert on YouTube, but I won’t link that here as it’s not from Joe Hisaishi’s official YouTube channel.
To help you better understand the music I’m describing, I’ll also embed music videos from Joe Hisaishi’s official YouTube channel. While not from the actual concert that day, the arrangements are pretty close.
Regarding the blu-ray, it is a pretty good representation of the concert, although I believe it was a recording of the second day’s performance which was slightly different from the first. For one thing, on the first day, Hayao Miyazaki did not appear at the end of the concert like he does in the video recording. And second, there was a special sing-along during the first day’s performance which I was dismayed to discover did not happen during the second performance (unless it was omitted from the video release!). But more about those things later.
Now, while I was extremely fortunate to have gotten a ticket to the concert, I was seated in the cheapest tier high upstairs and to the direct right of the stage. As a result, the sound was not the best, I had difficulty seeing the huge screen that was showing interview videos and scenes from the films, and I could neither properly see nor appreciate the mammoth size of the orchestra, choirs and marching bands that had been assembled around the stage and arena for this very special concert.
Anyway, before the concert started, I remember scanning the Budokan and seeing many people wiping sweat from their brows or furiously flapping their fans – it was damn hot that day, and holding a concert in a stuffy old hall originally designed for Olympic judo in 1964 certainly didn’t help!
PART 3: JOE HISAISHI IS IN THE HOUSE
Joe Hisaishi finally graced the stage to the warm applause of over 10,000+ adoring fans. After briefly acknowledging the audience, he kicked off the evening with a magical suite of music from Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind.
Beginning with the powerful hits of the timpani, you could feel that it was the prelude to something big and important. As the orchestra joined, swelled and contracted, Hisaishi swiftly moved from the podium to the piano to play the idyllic piano theme. It then segued into a grand romantic statement of the theme for full orchestra.
As soon as that ended, Hisaishi quickly returned to the podium to conduct the entrance of the full adult choir who gave a commanding performance of the theme.
The giant screen then lit up with scenes from the film while urgent action music full of danger and wonder filled the Budokan.
This gave way to the children’s choir with the instantly recognizable “la, la, la la la la la” melody. At this point, I have no doubt that everyone in attendance was grinning with delight to hear this iconic melody that most had probably first heard and loved as children.
The suite then ended with a welcome return to the opening theme.
It was epic, breathtaking and simply perfect – and that was just the first suite!
The thunderous strike of the taiko drum signaled the arrival of the suite from Princess Mononoke. The orchestra and choir then made their entrance, letting us know of old times and the beginning of an epic journey in the cue titled “The Legend of Ashitaka.”
The taiko drum returned with a barrage of percussion to highlight the frantic war scenes being projected on screen. It was a fantastic, forward-moving piece full of danger and foreboding. The male choir that chanted along only added to the savage feel of the music.
Darkness gave way to beauty as soprano Masako Hayashi appeared on stage and sang the beautiful main theme, “Princess Mononoke.” It had slightly different phrasing from the original and was much more opera-like. With Hisaishi himself accompanying Hayashi on piano, it was pure magic.
The piece continued to build into a climax as the whole choir joined to create a truly spine-tingling moment.
A gorgeous suite of music from Kiki’s Delivery Service came next.
It started with the charming “A Town with an ocean view,” with plucked strings underlining Kiki’s mischievous and carefree way of life. It was hard not to smile.
An adventurous theme was next with the percussion and melody having a very European feel. Hisaishi could be seen at the podium bobbing up and down while conducting – he was clearly enjoying himself.
A more solemn piece for clarinet was then performed, with full orchestra later joining to underline Kiki’s disappointment and loneliness in the track “Heartbroken Kiki.”
The mood then changed as one of Hisaishi’s most sublime themes, “Mother’s Broom,” was performed on solo violin.* I remember being so enamored by this piece during the concert because of its depth of clarity, sincerity and emotion. My eyes were welling up then as they are now rewatching this concert after so many years…
* rewatching the blu-ray recently also made me realize that the solo violinist is the same guy who performed the violin solo in SCHINDLER’S LIST for the “John Williams in Tokyo” concert… some 20 years later!
Hisaishi then took to the microphone to introduce the amazing orchestra and choir groups that were performing that night.
(I would later find out that one of my adult students at the time had performed in the male choir! I can even see him in a few shots during the recording 😊)
We then heard a wondrous suite of music from Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea.
The shimmering sounds of the orchestra opened the suite, perfectly capturing the feel of the deep blue sea. The choir then made its entrance, giving the music huge size.
“Mother of the sea” was next, my favorite track from the score. Soprano Masako Hayashi again made an entrance and immediately cast a wide spell over the audience with her angelic and soothing voice. It truly did feel like a mother’s warm embrace.
“Ponyo of the Fish of the Wave,” a homage to “Ride of the Valkyries,” was written for scenes of Ponyo running triumphantly over sea waves. The jubilant performance by the orchestra actually had me thinking that I could run over sea waves too!
Two mild-looking middle-aged Japanese men then got on stage, guitars in hand, and performed a catchy and nostalgic song.
Joe Hisaishi’s daughter, Mai, followed with a beautiful interpretation of the song, “Rondo of the house of sunflowers.” With her unique Japanese pronunciation and comforting voice, it sounded like a sweet lullaby.
We then returned to the music that opened the suite in a soaring arrangement – it was a triumphant bookend to the suite.
But it wasn’t the end as there was still time for a fun and crowd-pleasing performance of the adorable title song, “Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea,” complete with hand gestures!
Unsurprisingly, everyone in the audience was familiar with the hand gestures, myself included! I had actually learnt them from the Japanese kids I was teaching at the time.
A handful of Junior High School marching bands then filled the aisles of the arena to perform a tremendous suite of music from Laputa: Castle in the Sky.
While they lost their timing a little in the middle, they quickly regained their composure for a fine performance alongside the adult and children’s choirs.
Porco Rosso will always have a special place in my heart because it was the first Joe Hisaishi soundtrack I bought after catching the film on TV in Australia in the late 90s. I was absolutely blown away by its attractive love theme, European-flavored secondary themes, and its sensational action and flying music.
The suite started with that gorgeous love theme on piano as scenes from the film were projected on the screen. It immediately got me thinking of that bittersweet romance between the film’s main characters, Marco and Gina.
Trombones and tuba then entered to give the theme an old jazz feel. This was later supplemented by drums and sax improv.
While I greatly enjoyed this suite, it would have been perfect if it had included my favourite tracks “Fio Seventeen” and “Porco e Bella – Ending.” (actually, I would kill to hear the entire soundtrack to Porco Rosso performed live-to-picture!)
After a short video of Hayao Miyazaki discussing his work history with Hisaishi was projected on screen, a lengthy suite from Howl’s Moving Castle was performed.
The highlight of this suite was “Cave of mind,” the finale in the film. Beginning with a lone trumpet, other brass instruments joined one by one, echoing each other and getting stronger and more confident as the character does in the film. The full orchestra then came together to create a truly transcendent climax.
Hisaishi then switched to solo piano and performed the instantly recognizable waltz, “Merry-go-round,” to end the suite. The full orchestra soon joined, with the main melody played on trumpets, then flutes, strings, and finally horns. Finally, the whole orchestra combined to deliver a deeply satisfying end to the suite.
Famed J-pop vocalist Ayaka Hirahara was then introduced to perform two lovely pieces from Spirited Away.
Beginning with “One Summer’s Day,” Hisaishi played the piano while Hirahara performed a beautiful vocal of the theme.
She followed this with an impassioned performance of “Reprise,” the finale of the film. Her pop vocal phrasing gave a fresh spin on these gorgeous themes and only made me appreciate them more.
We had now come to the end of the concert with a stunning and stupendous suite of music from the truly iconic* My Neighbor Totoro.
* I realize I’ve used the word “iconic” many times in this review, but trust me – it really is iconic!
The delicate celesta melody from “The Wind Forest” opened the suite and immediately transported us into the fantastical world of Totoro.
This gave way to the famous “Stroll” theme with each choir group joining in on the melody. All of the night’s featured vocalists then came out on stage and each sung one phrase of the melody in their own unique way. It was well-balanced, highly enjoyable and culminated in everyone singing joyously together with the orchestra.
A final video was then screened with Hayao Miyazaki and famed animator and producer John Lasseter singing the Totoro song together.
But the suite was not over yet as they had saved the very best for last, the finale from the soundtrack.
It was triumphant and joyous with the whole choir joining in to sing the chorus.
The music then slowed with the harp glistening in the background, preparing the way for Hisaishi to play his most famous theme on solo piano in the most rapturous moment of the entire concert.
My fellow audience members were crying tears of joy, recalling the touching reunion between the girls and their sick mother in the film, and connecting that with their own memories of childhood and the love they felt for their parents.
The music continued to build with the whole orchestra coming in to give their all in a final sprint to the end for the greatest and most highly applauded climax ever. What a finish!
PART 4: TWO VERY SPECIAL GUESTS
(While this didn’t happen on the day that I attended the concert, it was highlighted in the DVD/blu-ray release).
As the final applause echoed through the hall, a very special guest was then spotlighted in the audience: Hayao Miyazaki himself! Sitting next to him was legendary producer and co-founder of Studio Ghibli, Toshio Suzuki.
Miyazaki then got up to the loud cheers of the audience and approached the stage to give a bouquet of flowers to his most treasured collaborator. After saying a few private words to Hisaishi, he turned, bowed to the audience, then quickly returned to his seat.
It was a true sign of respect and friendship to not take the spotlight – this was Hisaishi’s concert after all.
Hisaishi was so moved by Miyazaki’s visit that he was visibly holding back tears. In the many Hisaishi concerts I’ve seen over the last 20 years here in Japan, I have never seen him this emotional on the stage.
Likewise, when Miyazaki returned to his seat in the audience, he also looked deeply moved and on the verge of tears.
Even though I wasn’t there when this surprise visit happened, just watching this moment on film makes me tear up…
PART 5: THE FIRST ENCORE
After a loud and sustained applause, Hisaishi sat back down at the piano for an encore performance of “Madness” from Porco Rosso. Featuring a dramatic and driving solo for piano, it perfectly captured the movement and feel of a frantic air battle.
The piece ended with a loud pop and streamers being launched from both sides of the stage.
PART 6: THE SECOND ENCORE
Following a lengthy standing ovation, Hisaishi returned to the piano for the sublime “Ashitaka and San” from Princess Mononoke.
Hisaishi immediately wowed the audience with his deeply passionate performance of the main theme. Oboe then appeared, followed by the full orchestra.
The screen then showed scenes from the aftermath of the final battle in the film. This is when the choir joined and accompanied the orchestra as it swelled into a glorious statement of the Princess Mononoke theme.
The encore ended with the gentle sounds of the choir, giving the piece a beautiful, religious-like feeling.
This was followed by a wild and sustained applause for Hisaishi from the audience, Miyazaki, and the orchestra members.
PART 7: A SING-ALONG NOT ON THE BLU-RAY
Although not featured on the DVD/blu-ray because it happened during the first day’s performance (which I believe wasn’t recorded), there was a special audience sing-along of the infectious title song from Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea.
I honestly cannot remember when it happened – it was either as an encore or at the end of the Ponyo suite earlier in the night.
Either way, the audience was asked to open their concert programs and flip to the last page where we could find the score and lyrics to the song – in Japanese of course. We then sang together with the orchestra and guest vocalists and had an absolute blast!
The program also had the score and lyrics for other pieces including Laputa, Spirited Away, Totoro, and Princess Mononoke. However, I distinctly recall only being asked to sing along for the Ponyo piece.
PART 8: CONCERT FLYER
Here are pics of the original A2-sized concert flyer – they were too big to scan, so I just took pics with my phone.
PART 9: POSTSCRIPT – GLOBAL SUCESS
It wasn’t until years after that Hisaishi would take his Ghibli music program on the road and make it a global phenomenon.
As a result, the last few years have seen Hisaishi finally receive the global recognition and adoration he has so richly deserved.
Even as of writing, he has a busy concert schedule ahead full of Ghibli music concerts, newly composed concert works, and programs spotlighting the works of various modern classical composers.
With that in mind, there really is no excuse to miss a live performance by Joe Hisaishi at the podium!
PART 10: CONCERT MERCH
I have no memory of the concert merch being sold at the venue, but I did come home with a beautiful designed and comprehensive program (I’ve posted various pictures from inside the program throughout this report).
On page 3 of the program is a personal note from Miyazaki about his first working experience with Hisaishi on Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind.
Here’s a rough translation:
The room that I prepared Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind was located behind a permanently closed bar in a multi-tenant building. I think it was June 1983.
I was struggling with work all alone in front of a dirty glass window where I could see the tables and chairs in the closed bar.
Adapting my own original work into a film was a much more complicated task than I had imagined.
The short preparation time (for Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind) was dwindling by the minute as I rushed to grasp the overall picture of the movie. At that time, I received a visit from a young musician. It was Joe Hisaishi, then in his 30s.
At the time, I really didn’t know what kind of movie it would be despite being the director.
Regardless of this fact, Hisaishi was always positive, and even when he was working on Nausicaa, he looked at some of the sketches I had drawn and nodded his head over and over again as I tried to explain the story in a not so clear manner. All the while his eyes lit up as if he was coming up with ideas. I think our first meeting took less than an hour.
I really like Nausicaa’s music. He wrote music that really enhanced the movie.
I think it was the luck of the film industry that I was able to meet Hisaishi during that preparation period in which I was so busy and struggling.
It’s already been 25 years since then.
Joe Hisaishi, thank you for your continued support.
I feel very lucky to have met you.
– Hayao Miyazaki
I ran the original Japanese text through Google translate then had the missus, who is Japanese, clean up any unnatural or unclear parts.
If you find any errors in the translation, please let me know and I will update it right away!
PART 11: OTHER INFO PAGES
Visit the highly detailed Ghibli Wiki page about the concert here.
PART 12: OVER TO YOU
Did you also go to this concert? 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.
