Really Great Music from Japan

[mweiss]

Over the years, I have made some rewarding musical discoveries. When I started to lose interest in hearing the same three versions of a European concerto, or the single versions of some modern/New Age music, I stumbled into music from Japan, specifically, movie soundtrack music.

Soundtrack music, unlike general music, is written with a purpose in mind--to tell a story in music. As such, I found it to be an extraordinary experience, with Japan's refreshingly different, yet somehow familiar qualities imbued in the music.

I think that most of these sample excerpts would fit Rand's sense of life, being that the music is overwhelmingly positive, uplifting and required great thinking effort to create and orchestrate.

"Sophie's Tomorrow" from Howl's Moving Castle, animated by Hayao Miyazaki, based on the novel by British author Diana Wynne-Jones is a joyous and sincere theme for the main character in this film:

http://www.dv-clips.com/MP3/Excerpt-Howl...9;sTomorrow.mp3

"Dark Energy Hunter's Trap" from Sailor Moon R, a delightful shoujo anime, with an extraordinary and mysterious symphonic soundtrack.

http://www.dv-clips.com/MP3/Excerpt-Japane...r'sTrap.mp3

"Requiem" from Mononoke Hime This music, by Joe Hisaishi, is some of the most sophisticated work of the modern era and one of my favorite pieces of all time:

http://www.dv-clips.com/MP3/Excerpt-JoeHis...ite-Requiem.mp3

"Nausicäa of the Valley of the Wind" from the film of the same title, music by Joe Hisaishi (this is the one that caused me to render the term "sonic narcotics" when I first heard it:

http://www.dv-clips.com/MP3/Excerpt-JoeHis...eyoftheWind.mp3

"So Kyo ku Sento" from Magic Knight Rayearth a sophisticated and metaphorphic piece of music:

http://www.dv-clips.com/MP3/Excerpt-MAGIC_...TRA_VERSION.mp3

"Reunion-Main Theme" from Final Fantasy VII Nobuo Uematsu's magnum opus work, a metamorphic work that is ever-changing, yet always in-context.

http://www.dv-clips.com/MP3/Excerpt-NobuoU...n-MainTheme.mp3

"I Will" by Norihiro Tsuru, from CD entitled The Ancient Sun This jazz piece seems to speak in wordless communication:

http://www.dv-clips.com/MP3/Excerpt-Norihi...ntSun-IWill.mp3

"Awakening" from Please Save My Earth soundtrack by Hajime Mizoguchi is the perfect music for the perfect sunrise:

http://www.dv-clips.com/MP3/Excerpt-Please...e-Awakening.mp3

"Before You Know" from RahXephon a beautiful work of melodic development:

http://www.dv-clips.com/MP3/Excerpt-RAHXEP...foreYouKnow.mp3

"Utsu kushiku Mo Hitsu u Na Tatakai" from X Original Sountrack is a hypnotically-etherial piece of music done in the realm of synthesizers:

http://www.dv-clips.com/MP3/Excerpt-X_OST2...uuNaTatakai.mp3

"Omoi" (Remember) X TV Original Soundtrack a symphonic piece that speaks with the voice of Sincerity itself:

http://www.dv-clips.com/MP3/Excerpt-X_TV-OST2-Omoi.mp3

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Edited November 21, 2006 by Mark Weiss