Joe Hisaishi

Joe Hisaishi has been Japan's foremost composer of film music in the last two decades. Best known for his music for the films of Hayao Miyazaki and Takeshi Kitano, he is one of my favorite contemporary composers, not only for his mastery of the musical craft and his bold eclecticism, but also for the way the music is perfectly fitted to the image. He is far above, in my opinion, many overrated film composers such as John Williams and James Horner. Here are links to pieces from the many soundtracks he has composed:

Joe Hisaishi meets Kitano Films

Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi (Spirited Away)

Studio Ghibli Songs (#1-4, #16 composed by him)

Tonari no Totoro (My Neighbor Totoro)

Kaze no Tani no Nausicaa (Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind)

Mononoke Hime (Princess Mononoke)

Hauru no Ugoku Shiro Image Image Album (Howl's Moving Castle Image Album)

Hauru no Ugoku Shiro OST (Howl's Moving Castle OST)

Majo no Takkyuubin (Kiki's Delivery Service)

Tenkuu no Shiro Rapyuta (Castle in the Sky)

Animage Complete Collection

I saw Spirited Away and I emediately fell in love with the main theme 'one summer's day'

This composer is a great inspiration to me.

YES, THANK YOU FOR BUMPING THIS.

I consider this guy the greatest thing in movie music. gently caress the Americans! This is the real deal.

I agree! Joe Hisaishi is just as good as his Hollywood counterparts, if not better than many. Princess Mononoke just kicks donkey!

This guy is a genius, he is my idol. His themes are much beter than John Williams's.

This guy is a genius, he is my idol. His themes are much beter than John Williams's.

agree! I personally think one summer's day is one of the best melodies ever!... made me cry:sadtears:

I find his music extremely idiomatic in its orchestration, almost restrictively so, and that's not something I admire.

However, he has a VERY strong sense of melody, and while his idiomatic orchestration rarely changes from film to film, it's a very good orchestration he has.

I prefer his more raucous scoring - "The Stink Spirit," and "Yubaba" in Spirited Away, and "The World of the Dead" in Princess Mononoke - to his sort of jazz-piano stuff, though I really like his "Adagio of Life and Death" from Princess Mononoke.

I find his music extremely idiomatic in its orchestration, almost restrictively so, and that's not something I admire.

Forgive me for my stupidness but how can music be idiomatic? I admit his orchestration is similar in many films but I don't understand what you mean. :laugh:

But I do like the piano bit in the beginning of "Yubaba".

YOu be craaazy! Joe Hisaishi is probably the most talented working composer alive. Listen to all of Princess Mononoke's soundtrack. No one is touching this guy...well other then Danny Elfman...but thats another story altogether.

Yeah, Joe Hisaishi is definitely my favorite composer. I love a lot of film composers but he is my favorite by far.

Certainly is a great composer. He's not exactly the most original or intricate composer but he knows how to write a good, catchy melody. One of the few film composers my girlfriend actually likes.

One of the few film composers my girlfriend actually likes.

Does her opinion weigh so much?

Does her opinion weigh so much?

no, she does.

still, joe hisaishi is king, period. imo, the howl's moving castle soudtrack is one of the best ost's written in the last couple of years.

the totoro soundtrack is very funny and refreshing, there's isn't really a work of him i don'tlike.

the totoro soundtrack is very funny and refreshing, there's isn't really a work of him i don'tlike.

I agree with that statement. There is no piece that I really dislike, but there usually is not too many pieces that I think "Wow, this was a good 3 - minuter"

He is undoubtedly a good composers, he is very stable; no ups and downs.

If you consider small ensembles, he definitely owns the lot. But for large orchestra film music, there are quite a few composers who are better than him, Howard Shore, Horner, Williams spring to mind.

That said, I think his melodies are awesome. Catchy and beautiful. I have the "Joe Hisaishi meets Kitano films CD". Just got it. And having an amazing time listening to it.

I agree with that statement. There is no piece that I really dislike, but there usually is not too many pieces that I think "Wow, this was a good 3 - minuter"

ofcourse, the time of a piece matters.. (:huh:) all his OST's are always around 2 to 5 minutes, different movie scenes tend to need different music, not a track that goes on for 30 minutes, that doesn't work (ofcourse there are exceptions, but i'm talking about movies/animes joe has written ost's for). listen to the first few tracks of the howl's moving castle ost, and convince yourself of the fact that quantity isn't necessarily quality.

If you consider small ensembles, he definitely owns the lot. But for large orchestra film music, there are quite a few composers who are better than him, Howard Shore, Horner, Williams spring to mind.

That said, I think his melodies are awesome. Catchy and beautiful. I have the "Joe Hisaishi meets Kitano films CD". Just got it. And having an amazing time listening to it.

now you're bluntly comparing 2 completely different cultures.

blockbuster soundtracks are meant to blow you away (american always tends to OVER-do it, story of america..), japanese movies or animes never tend to go that far, nor do i feel that they intented but didn't succeed at it.

ofcourse, the time of a piece matters..

First of all, I think you understood me. What I was trying to indicate was simply what I would say. I am well aware that each piece has to concur with the overall, I am not an idiot. So do not put words into my mouth!

listen to the first few tracks of the howl's moving castle ost, and convince yourself of the fact that quantity isn't necessarily quality

I have never stated anything of that kind; once again, learn to not put words in other people's mouths.

First of all, I think you understood me. What I was trying to indicate was simply what I would say. I am well aware that each piece has to concur with the overall, I am not an idiot. So do not put words into my mouth!

I have never stated anything of that kind; once again, learn to not put words in other people's mouths.

..but there usually is not too many pieces that I think "Wow, this was a good 3 - minuter"

are we done?

What is your problem? You do not even consider the fact that you are incorrect, such arrogance and ignorance just pisses me off.

I have explained clearly to you what I meant, and somehow I still feel that you are just mocking me. May I ask, where is it that you want this to lead?

You really must be slow if you cannot understand that the '3 -minuter' was a generalization of a piece. Would it make you feel infinitely better if I wrote piece instead?

blockbuster soundtracks are meant to blow you away, japanese movies or animes never tend to go that far, nor do i feel that they intented but didn't succeed at it.

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blockbuster soundtracks are meant to blow you away (american always tends to OVER-do it, story of america..), j

I'm sorry but I find this quote rather amusing considering it's coming from someone who enjoys and writes metal. :laugh:

Haha some of your opinions on the greatest film composer are funny because it seems you aren't familiar with film scoring in general. That's okay; opinions differ. But Joe Hisaishi is a very wonderful composer. The Princess Mononoke theme song (track 1) has the most "epic" feel to it and the other themes are great. Spirited Away also has a magnificent soundtrack.

The Princess Mononoke theme song (track 1) has the most "epic" feel to it and the other themes are great.

I completely agree. I just stumbled across the soundtrack one day for a reasonable price and immediately picked it up. His style is just so refreshing; a lot of Western music tries to be too ambitious, but it seems like Hisaishi tries to find what sounds "right", and he does that very well.

He writes incredibly beautiful melodies, which is what blows me away the most.

I completely agree. I just stumbled across the soundtrack one day for a reasonable price and immediately picked it up. His style is just so refreshing; a lot of Western music tries to be too ambitious, but it seems like Hisaishi tries to find what sounds "right", and he does that very well.

He writes incredibly beautiful melodies, which is what blows me away the most.

YES! The opening Princess Mononoke melody is beautiful. It's the theme song for the whole word percieved by Ashitaka. But I think Ashitaka is really Joe Hishaishi in the music of course. Joe does a whole lot better percieving the world through those marvelous themes. My favorite part is when the cymbal crashes at the fourth note of the melody (the major 7th). So EPIC! I love the use of horns and strings, and then he brings the clarinets and bassoons in and its sounds amazing. Yes, brilliant. I haven't heard that piece in a long time; I think I'm going to try to find it in my collection.

I also love that subtle theme played on flute and english horn (I believe) through out the movie.

Spirited Away, I like almost every theme in that movie. The opening, Sen's Courage (or something like that,) Yubaba, Stink Spirit, Sootballs, Dragon boy, Reprise, and really all the other ones I can't remember the name of right now. I'm going to have to look through my CDs. Best melody period for Hisaishi is Princess Mononoke opening.