Something for Thursday

I tend to select more introspective, meditating, or downright sad pieces of music for this weekly feature, so here's something upbeat. Longtime readers know that one of my favorite film composers working today is Joe Hisaishi, a guy whose work is unknown to most filmgoers because he works in Japanese cinema and anime exclusively. However, if you have seen anything by my beloved Hayao Miyazaki, you've heard Hisaishi's music. Sometimes filmmakers find themselves using certain composers on an almost exclusive basis, forming partnerships that result in great film music for great films. Examples include Steven Spielgerg/John Williams*, Alfred Hitchcock/Bernard Herrmann, and to a lesser extent, Robert Zemeckis/Alan Sylvestri.

Anyhow, here is a selection by Joe Hisaishi, from his score to Miyazaki's Spirited Away. The track is titled "Procession of the Spirits", and it is heard early in the film when night falls and all the ghostly spirit patrons begin to file into the magnificent bathhouse where strange supernatural things are afoot. In Hisaishi's best scores he is able to combine Asian and Western musical ideas almost seamlessly, with wonderful and magical effect. Enjoy -- here's "Procession of the Spirits". (There's nothing to watch here; it's just a title card accompanied by the music.)



Isn't that great!

* Trivia question: What is the only feature film directed by Steven Spielberg whose score was not composed by John Williams?