Joe Hisaishi
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Joe Hisaishi | |
|---|---|
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Mamoru Fujisawa |
| Born | December 6, 1950 |
| Origin |  Nagano, Japan |
| Genre(s) | Film score |
| Occupation(s) | Musical director, Composer, Conductor, Musician, Arranger |
| Instrument(s) | Violin, Piano |
| Years active | 1974 - present |
| Website | http://www.joehisaishi.com/ |
Mamoru Fujisawa (藤澤 守 Fujisawa Mamoru), known professionally as Joe Hisaishi (久石 譲 Hisaishi Jō, born December 6, 1950) is a composer and director responsible for over 100 soundtracks and conventional albums dating back to 1981. He is best-known for his work with animator Hayao Miyazaki, including the soundtracks to Spirited Away (2001), Howl's Moving Castle (2004), Princess Mononoke (1997), My Neighbour Totoro (1988), and Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1983). He is also known for his work with filmmaker Takeshi Kitano, including soundtracks for Dolls (2002), Kikujiro (1999), Hana-Bi (1997), Kids Return (1996), and Sonatine (1993). Lesser known are the other musical roles he plays - he is also a typesetter, author, arranger, and head of orchestra.
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[edit] Biography
Joe Hisaishi was born in Nakano, Nagano, Japan as Mamoru Fujisawa (藤澤 守 Fujisawa Mamoru). When he started to take violin lessons at age five, Hisaishi discovered his passion for music. Realizing his love, he attended the Kunitachi College of Music to major in music composition in 1969. Hisaishi collaborated with music minimalists as a typesetter, furthering his experience in the musical world.
He enjoyed his first success of the business in 1974, when he composed music for a small animation called Gyatoruzu. This and other early works were created under his real name. During this period, he composed for Sasuga No Sarutobi (Academy of Ninja) and Futari Taka (A Full Throttle).
In the 1970s, Japanese popular music, electronic music, and new-age music flourished - those genres, as well as the Yellow Magic Orchestra (Japanese electronic band in 1978-1983), influenced Hisaishi's compositions. He developed his music from the ideals of minimalism and expanded toward orchestral work. Around 1975, Hisaishi presented his first public performance, spreading his name around his community. His first album, Mkuwaji, was released in 1981, with its first work, Information, being released a year later.
As his works were becoming well-known, Hisaishi formulated an alias inspired by Quincy Jones, an African-American musician and producer. The name, "Quincy Jones," was retranscribed in Japanese as "Joe Hisaishi." ("Quincy," pronounced "Kuishi" in Japanese, can be written using the same kanji in "Hisaishi"; "Joe" comes from "Jones.") This pseudonym became part of Mamoru Fujisawa and remains with him.
In 1983, with his new name, Hisaishi was recommended by a record company to create an album for Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. Hisaishi and the director of the animated movie, Hayao Miyazaki, became great friends and worked together on many projects. This big break led to Hisaishi fervently composing more Japanese movie soundtracks; in 1986, Laputa Castle in the Sky was released; later, in the 1990s, Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away were revealed to the public. Hisaishi cemented his reputation as one of the budding anime industry's top musical contributors and his compositions (including eight theatrical films and one OAV) would go on to become one of the very hallmarks of early Anime in the 1980s and 1990s. Hisaishi scored such TV series hits as Sasuga no Sarutobi, Two Down Full Base (both 1982), Sasrygar (1983), Futari Taka (1984) and Honoo no Alpen Rose (1985). He also scored the sci-fi adventure Mospeada (1983), which was later reworked (without his music) into the third segment of Carl Macek's compilation, Robotech. The remaining movies, in order of appearance, are Arion, Totoro (1988), Venus Wars, Kiki's Delivery Service (1989), and Porco Rosso (1992).
As more exposure was given to Hisaishi and the anime industry, Joe Hisaishi's career grew. He not only started a solo career as a musician, but he also started to produce music and create his own label (Wonder Land Inc.). A year later, the label produced its first album, Pretender, in New York.
Because of his hard work throughout the years, Hisaishi has won the Japanese Academy Award for Best Music five times - in 1992, 1993, 1994, 1999, and 2000. He also received the 48th Newcomer Award in 1997 from the Ministry of Education (Public Entertainment Section) and many other music awards as a revered figure in the Japanese movie industry.
In 1998, he provided the soundtrack to the 1998 Winter Paralympics. In 1999, Hisaishi composed the music for the third installment in a series of popular computer-animated educational films about the human body.
The year of 2001 was the busiest; Hisaishi produced music for Takeshi Kitano's Brother and Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away and served as executive producer of the Night Fantasia 4 Movement at the Japan Expo in Fukushima 2001. On October 6, Hisaishi made his debut as the film director for Quartet, in addition to writing both the music and script for the movie. Quartet received excellent reviews at the Montreal Film Festival. His first soundtrack for a foreign film, Le Petit Poucet, was released in the same year.
Hayao Miyazaki's film Howl's Moving Castle has been finished and was released on November 20, 2004 in Japan; Hisaishi composed the score for that movie. From November 3 to November 29, 2004, Hisaishi was on his "Joe Hisaishi Freedom - Piano Stories 2004 Tour" with Canadian musicians. In 2005, Hisaishi composed the soundtrack for the Korean film, Welcome to Dongmakgol (웰컴 투 동막골). It was a huge breakthrough when it was announced because a famous Japanese composer was composing for a Korean movie. Hisaishi has a large fan base in Korea, due to the popularity of Miyazaki films.
In 2007, Joe Hisaishi composed and recorded the soundtrack for Frederic Lepage's movie Sunny and the Elephant, released in 2008.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Music albums
[edit] 1980s
| Album | Release date | Notes |
| MKWAJU (ムクワジュ) | 1981-08-21 | |
| Information | 1982-10-25 | |
| Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind | 1983-11-25 | Image Album |
| Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind | 1984-02-25 | Symphonic Album |
| Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind | 1984-03-25 | |
| Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind | 1984-04-25 | Drama Album |
| W's Tragedy (Wの悲劇 オリジナルサントラ) | 1984-12-21 | |
| α-BET-CITY (アルファベットシティ) | 1985-06-25 | |
| Early Spring Tale (早春物語) | 1985-09-01 | |
| Arion | 1985-10-25 | Image Album |
| Arion | 1986-03-25 | |
| Arion | 1986-04-25 | Symphonic Album |
| Castle in the Sky | 1986-05-25 | Image Album |
| Castle In the Sky | 1986-09-25 | date may be 1986-08-25? |
| Curved Music | 1986-09-25 | |
| Mezon Ikkoku (めぞん一刻) | 1986-10-25 | |
| Nausicaä Best Collection | 1986-11-25 | Soundtrack, Symphony |
| Castle in the Sky | 1987-01-25 | Symphonic Album |
| 恋人たちの時刻 サントラ | 1987-03-05 | |
| Robot Carnival | 1987-03-21 | |
| Drifting Classroom
(漂流教室 オリジナルサントラ) |
1987-07-21 | |
| My Neighbor Totoro | 1987-11-25 | Image Album |
| Carrying You | 1988-03-25 | from Castle in the Sky |
| My Neighbor Totoro | 1988-05-01 | |
| Piano Stories | 1988-07-21 | |
| Night City (シングル) | 1988-08-21 | |
| My Neighbor Totoro | 1988-09-25 | Soundbook Album |
| Illusion | 1988-12-21 | |
| 冬の旅人 | 1988-12-21 | (date may be 1989-01-10?) |
| Venus Wars | 1988-12-21 | Image Album |
| Castle In the Sky | 1989-02-25 | Drama Album |
| My Neighbor Totoro | 1989-02-25 | Drama Album |
| Kiki's Delivery Service | 1989-04-10 | Image Album |
| Venus Wars | 1989-04-10 | |
| The Inners (はるかなる時間の 彼方へ) | 1989-04-21 | |
| Kiki's Delivery Service | 1989-08-25 | |
| Pretender | 1989-09-21 | |
| Kiki's Delivery Service | 1989-09-25 | Drama Album |
| Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind | 1989-10-25 | Hi-Tech |
| Castle In the Sky | 1989-11-25 | Hi-Tech |
| Kiki's Delivery Service Hi-Tech | 1989-12-21 | Hi-Tech |
[edit] 1990s
| Album | Release date | Notes |
| My Neighbor Totoro | 1990-01-25 | Hi-Tech |
| I Am | 1991-02-22 | |
| Futari | 1991-04-21 | |
| Kojika Monogatari | 1991-04-21 | |
| Universe Within: Special Issue
(驚異の小宇宙･人体) |
1991-07-01 | |
| 天外魔境２ 卍MARU | 1992-02-01 | |
| My Lost City | 1992-02-12 | |
| 君だけをみていた | 1992-03-04 | |
| My Neighbor Totoro = | 1992-03-15 | Piano Solo |
| Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind | 1992-03-15 | Piano Solo |
| Porco Rosso | 1992-05-25 | Image Album |
| Porco Rosso | 1992-07-22 | |
| Porco Rosso | 1992-09-25 | Drama Album |
| Symphonic Best Selection | 1992-09-09 | |
| B+1 | 1992-10-21 | |
| Piano Stories | 1992-11-21 | |
| Universe Within I: Human Body I | 1992-11-21 | |
| A Scene at the Sea | 1992-11-25 | Soundtrack |
| Kiki's Delivery Service | 1992-11-25 | Vocal |
| Seisyun Den-Deke-Deke-Deke | 1992-11-25 | |
| Haruka Nostalgy | 1993-01-21 | |
| Sonatine | 1993-06-09 | Soundtrack |
| The Water Traveller, Samurai Kids | 1993-08-04 | |
| Universe Within II: Brain & Mind II | 1994-03-18 | |
| Universe Within I: Human Body II | 1994-03-21 | |
| BIRTH | 1994-03-24 | |
| さすがの猿飛 | 1994-03-24 | |
| Joe's Project (ぴあの) | 1994-06-01 | |
| オリジナルサントラ ぴあの Vol.1 | 1994-06-25 | |
| Universe Within II: Brain & Mind Best | 1994-07-21 | |
| Earthly Paradise (地上の楽園) | 1994-07-27 | |
| Joe's Project 2 (ぴあの / 純名里沙) | 1994-08-10 | |
| オリジナルサントラ ぴあの Vol.2 | 1994-08-25 | |
| MELODY Blvd. (メロディブルーバ ード) | 1995-01-25 | |
| Kids Return | 1996-06-26 | Soundtrack |
| Nokto De La Galaksia Fervojo (銀河鉄道の夜) | 1996-07-20 | |
| Princess Mononoke | 1996-07-22 | Image Album |
| Piano Stories II: The Wind of Life | 1996-10-25 | |
| Parasite Eve | 1997-02-01 | |
| Princess Mononoke | 1997-07-02 | |
| Asian Dream Song (旅立ちの時) | 1997-09-10 | Taken from Piano Stories II: The Wind of Life |
| Works I | 1997-10-15 | |
| Hana-Bi | 1998-01-01 | Soundtrack |
| Hope: Nagano Paralympics 1998 Tribute | 1998-02-25 | |
| Princess Mononoke | 1998-07-08 | Symphonic Suite |
| Nostalgia: Piano Stories III | 1998-10-14 | |
| Tree of Early Winter Rains (時雨の記) | 1998-10-31 | |
| Universe Within I: Human Body I & II | 1999-04-28 | |
| Universe Within II: Brain & Mind I & II | 1999-04-28 | |
| Universe Within III: Gene I | 1999-04-28 | |
| Kikujiro | 1999-05-26 | Soundtrack |
| Universe Within III: Gene II | 1999-08-04 | |
| Works II | 1999-09-22 | |
| My Neighbor Totoro | 1999-12-01 | Song & Karaoke Album |
| Joe Hisaishi Best Selection | 1999-12-22 |
[edit] 2000s
| Album | Release date | Notes |
| First Love (Hatsu-Koi) | 2000-03-28 | |
| Alpenrose | 2000-04-26 | |
| Alpenrose Symphonic | 2000-04-26 | Album |
| As the River Flows | 2000-04-29 | |
| Shoot The Violist (ヴィオリストを撃て) | 2000-05-17 | |
| Brother (2000 film) | 2001-01-17 | Soundtrack |
| Spirited Away | 2001-04-04 | Image Album |
| Joe Hisaishi Meets Kitano Films | 2001-06-21 | |
| Spirited Away | 2001-07-18 | |
| Spirited Away | 2001-07-18 | single |
| Quartet | 2001-09-27 | |
| Le Petit Poucet | 2001-10-15 | |
| Encore | 2002-03-06 | |
| Super Orchestra Night 2001 | 2002-07-26 | |
| Castle In the Sky | 2002-10-02 | New soundtrack for American release |
| Dolls | 2002-10-02 | Soundtrack |
| Stroll of Mei and Catbus | 2002-10-02 | |
| My Neighbor Totoro | 2002-10-23 | Orchestra Stories |
| Kaze no Bon (風の盆から) | 2002-11-23 | |
| Mibugishiden | 2002-12-26 | |
| Curved Music II | 2003-01-29 | |
| Etude | 2003-03-12 | |
| Private (プライベート) | 2004-01-21 | |
| Howl's Moving Castle | 2004-01-21 | Image Album |
| Howl's Moving Castle | 2004-11-19 | Soundtrack |
| Freedom Piano Stories 4 | 2005-01-26 | |
| Works III | 2005-07-27 | |
| Welcome to Dongmakgol (웰컴 투 동막골) | 2005-08-04 | Soundtrack |
| Yamato | 2005-12-17 | |
| A Chinese Tall Story (情癲大聖) | 2005-12-22 | |
| Asian X.T.C. | 2006-10-04 | Solo Album |
| The Story of the First King's Four Gods (태왕사신기) | 2007-09-11 | Soundtrack |
| Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea | 2008-03-08 | Image Album |
[edit] DVDs
| Title | Release date | Notes |
| Quartet | 2002-03-25 | |
| 4Movement | 2003-03-19 | |
| a Wish to the Moon (-Joe Hisaishi & 9 cellos 2003ETUDE&ENCORE TOUR-) | 2003-06-25 | |
| W.D.O (Joe Hisaishi and New Japan Philharmonic World Dream Orchestra) | 2006-12-20 |
[edit] Scores released by Zen-On Music Company Ltd.
| Album | Release date | Notes |
| Orchestra Stories of Tonari no TOTORO, Original Edition | ||
| ENCORE, Original Edition | ||
| a string quartet "QUARTET" | ||
| Asian X.T.C. -Original Edition- | ||
| FREEDOM -Original Edition- | ||
| Piano Stories | ||
| Etudes ~a Wish to the moon~ |
Sources:[1]
There are also numerous television and cinema soundtracks created by Joe Hisaishi which were never released for sale. Joe Hisaishi's catalogue has also been extensively bootlegged by Taiwan's popular bootleg labels EverAnime and Son May; none of the titles which are bootlegged are even out of print.[citation needed]
[edit] Similar composers
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Please help improve this section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. |
[edit] References
- ^ Team Ghiblink. Discography of Joe Hisaishi. Nausicaa.net. Retrieved on 2008-01-19.
