Hisaishi's most beautiful film score to date
R. A. Bull | Wolverhampton, UK | 08/31/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I am a big fan of Joe Hisaishi's work and have followed his career diligently. What first turned my attention to his music was the opening score to the film Laputa.
Firstly, there are two scores to the film. This CD is the original 1986 score recorded for the debut theatrical release in Japan. There is another score re-written for the official American release of the film (it was reported that the additional length of the American score was due to the fact that American audiences would feel uncomfortable during long silences).
This version, that is the Japanese version of the score, is my hands-down favourite. The American score was written without synthesizers, possibly due to current film composing trends, and as a result I feel is lacking in the original magic and nostalgia of the original, whereas this version uses a very affective blend of both acoustic orchestrations and electronic programming.
A good example where the synthesizers work better in this version than the American is the track that accompanies the girl falling from the sky using the levitation stone, which is conveyed using some beautiful electronic arpeggios that evoke a very eldritch feel. Another scene where Pazu is being shown the energy crystals in the cave with the old man also complements the synthesizer timbres well. Both pieces lose this sense of magic I feel when written solely for orchestra.
This piece can indeed be listened to without the visual accompaniment, and stands as an extremely beautiful and very nostalgic score. It is evident that Hisaishi loves this score too as he has rearranged and performed it several times for both orchestra and solo piano.
If you love this score then I also recommend the Laputa symphonic suite, which contains some extended arrangements of the pieces performed live with a symphonic orchestra.
All in all a achingly beautiful score and well worth the purchase.
"
Elegant
James Franco | in the spiritual realm | 06/21/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This album is magnificent. The music is beautiful. If you have enjoyed other work Hisaishi has done for Miyazaki films, more than likely this will be no different. It's peaceful and melodic; then suddenly, it attacks with dazzling turbulence. I very rarely write reviews but the only other one did not do justice to this work and may have turned you away from something so marvelous."
Track Listings (14) - Disc #1