Joe Hisaishi in Budokan, celebrating 25 years of Studio Ghibli music

June 29, 2013 9:04 AM

Joe Hisaishi in Budokan was a series of concerts given in August 2008 to commemorate both the Japanese theatrical premiere of Ponyo and the 25 years of musical collaboration between composer Joe Hisaishi and film maker Hayao Miyazaki. This massive concert featured performances of these signature Miyazaki film scores composed by Hisaishi, conducting from the piano, and the 200-member New Japan Philharmonic World Dream Orchestra, along with six featured vocalists, the 800 combined voices of the Ippan Koubo, Ritsuyuukai and Little Singers of Tokyo choirs, plus a 160-piece marching band. Altogether there were some 1160 musicians and singers on stage, backed by images from Miyazaki's films projected on a giant screen. The almost two hour long show is on YouTube in HD, for your viewing pleasure.
posted by filthy light thief (10 comments total)

Um. Wow. Thanks for this.
posted by emmet at 9:37 AM on June 29, 2013

Thank you for this wonderful, wonderful gift of music, filthy light thief! I see a lot of chilling out in front of the computer, blissfully absorbed in Ghibli happening soon.
posted by harujion at 9:37 AM on June 29, 2013

I've got small kids, and discovered Studio Ghibli a few years back. I usually hesitate to call anything "magic", but watching my kids watch the Ghibli movies, especially Totoro and Ponyo, is pure magic...

And the scores are of course wonderful and integral to the experience. Lovely post, FLT!
posted by Harald74 at 9:44 AM on June 29, 2013 [1 favorite]

For me, you can't really go past Hisaishi's One Summer's Day and The Sixth Station (both on YouTube, both from Spirited Away). Especially in the context of the movie, they're just so emotive.
posted by Quilford at 9:48 AM on June 29, 2013 [1 favorite]

If you like his Ghibli stuff he's also done great work for other movies like Takeshi Kitano's stuff, etc.
posted by kmz at 10:30 AM on June 29, 2013

Is The Sixth Station the piece in Spirited Away played while the train of dark figures travels across the shallow water? That is one of the most moving scenes in film for me. Oh wait, the YouTube video opens with it!
posted by Mei's lost sandal at 11:55 AM on June 29, 2013

Kaze no Torimichi always makes this grown man cry.
posted by Hello, I'm David McGahan at 1:58 PM on June 29, 2013 [1 favorite]

Thanks for this. I'd forgotten how much I enjoy this music. Now I'm going to make sure I sync it back onto my iPhone for listening more regularly.
posted by spitefulcrow at 6:53 PM on June 29, 2013

The Ponyo song never fails to cheer me up. And it seems like Hiasashi enjoys conducting it too.
posted by Harald74 at 6:11 AM on June 30, 2013

Between the orchestra, the choir, and the marching band, the audience was almost outnumbered.

And even if they weren't outnumbered, they were expertly flanked — as the band maneuvered to surround the audience, fill the aisles, and cut off their means of escape.

Seriously, thanks for posting this. I enjoyed the performance.
posted by rochrobbb at 2:40 PM on July 2, 2013 [1 favorite]