Vinphonic
10-03-2017, 03:11 PM
The Legacy of Japanese Composers
Masamichi Amano
If there�s one composer I would associate with the term: BIG ORCHESTRAL ACTION MUSIC, it would be the Japanese composer Masamichi Amano. His body of work can only be described in superlatives. His music is big and epic in the best kind of way. Like Yoko Kanno he blessed Japanese Animation with exuberant scores that could sit right alongside the greatest Goden Age epics of Hollywood. He is also perhaps the most traditional film composer in Japan. His soundtracks are for the most part produced like a classic film album and I regret that a similar composer like Keiji Inai is denied the same treatment. But before we begin let�s also address the big elephant in the room: Yes Amano is just as much a blatant thief and plagiarist then James Horner was but just like him he is an equally talented and gifted composer in the same vain. I would always give him the benefit of the doubt that he used all these film score and classical pieces not because he can�t write them but because he was on a tight deadline and had to work with numerous temptracks.
Part I - Gigantos Robotos
Giant Robo: A big OVA series project from the 90s received a gigantic collage of Hollywood�s best musical moments. Everything is in there: From Bill Conti�s North and South, Maurice Jarre�s Lawrence of Arabia and Bruce Broughton�s Tombstone to Hans Zimmer�s Backdraft. But also classical enthusiast can have a field day with this one. Everything a classic Hollywood film score enthusiast could dream of is in there, but it�s all woven into a beautiful package together with full lengthy classical pieces. What I would give to hear this music on the big screen again from someone who is not Williams.
Part II - Super Vibration Wave Attack
Super Atragon: Perhaps his best work, most of it is original and all of his trademarks also appear at their strongest here: We have a baller theme, a welcome voyage into the atonal world of Penderecki, a fantastic Golden Age love theme and perhaps the most badass action pieces with orchestral toms I have ever heard. Also the most badass action track title ever: �Attack of the Super Vibration Wave�.
Ninja Resurrection: Fantastic classical choral work. A Dies Irae that is not a blatant rip-off and also one of the few occasions where Amano employs Japanese instruments. However, I�m not a fan of the synth stuff and I feel it detracts from the purely orchestral score.
Ruin Explorer: A welcome detour into the fantasy world with lots of modernist French flair. Very much reminiscent of Sugiyama�s Dragon Quest and Golden Age animation works. It�s also full of classical references as well. Another fantastic score by Amano and perhaps the most symphonic of them all.
Princess Nine: The most glorious score for a sport show ever. Again riddled with Hollywood and classical references, this time credited. Amano even incorporates Schubert�s themes into his own style and delivers on all fronts. I especially like the upbeat �Kisaragi Girls' High School Baseball Club� and it�s a prime example how the sparse use of big percussion can strengthen its impact.
Part III - Battle of the Beasts
These six scores are just great film scores all around and equaly valuable. Mushiking Symphony is arranged by tangotreats from the original film score. I think it works miles better and really demonstrates what a great composer Amano could have been in Hollywood. Also some trivia: The 5th Movement is basically the same piece as heared in Magi: �Warm Opera�. Stratos 4 is basically a hybrid of Gustav Holst�s The Planets and Bill Conti�s The Right Suff (he really loves Conti). Sin: The Movie is basically an alternate Judge Dredd by Silvestri... and Boys Legend is a gay porno with an orchestral score... oh Japan.
Part IV - The Thief of Baghdad
Now on to his collaboration with Sagisu. Disclaimer: These are not the soundtrack version but arranged version to highlight Amano's contribution.
Magi is a lucky one because this time Amano was given free hand and wrote a fantastic epic Arabian Night adventure pretty much standalone, aside from one or two thematic connections to Sagisu�s part. It�s just epic in every sense of the word. �Magie et sorcellerie � is just insane. If only every new Sagisu project had this approach.
Berserk is yet another fruitful success. Amano gave us an epic Golden Age fantasy score that even ventures into the world of avand-garde at the end for a truly terrifying spectacle.
Attack on Titan is one of the rare cases were the orchestral Sagisu parts work very much together with Amano�s arrangements. To this day I consider it to be Sagisu�s best orchestral effort. Perhaps he also borrows heavily from the classical repertoire. This time the lyrics also work for the most part and do the opposite of what they�re usually doing for me.
The final album is yet another collaboration with other Japanese composers for the game Phantasy Star Universe. Even though the compositions are not Amano, his orchestrations pretty much make it his work by its quality alone. His work as an orchestrator also gave us the wonderful Hollywood homage with Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games. Sadly his score with the Hollywood Symphony Orchestra for Saint Seiya online is still in obscurity. I hope they still have the tapes somewhere.
That pretty much concludes it. It�s a shame he doesn�t work solo anymore except when under the protection of Sagisu�s name but I hope he will make a return sometime soon. That or far more projects like Magi please. That reminds me, is there a second season of Magi announced somewhere?, I know there�s talk of a second season of Rokka no Yuusha but another Magi would take the cake. Especially with all that delicious unreleased material.
Composer profile: Masamichi Amano
Trademark: Master thief, Orchestral Brawler, Brass Band Lover, Masamicz Amano, Regular at Warsaw
Inspiration: Classical Repertoire, Hollywood League (John Williams, Alan Silvestri, Basil Poledouris, Bill Conti)
Music Education: Kunitachi College of Music, Orchestrator, Conductor
Worked with notable Orchestras: Warsaw Philharmonic, London Studio Orchestra, Hollywood Symphony Orchestra, Phoenix Orchestra
Most known work: Giant Robo
Orchestral Skill-level: Terrific
Style: 80s Orchestral Film Score, Contemporary Classic
Similar western composer: 80s Alan Silvestri, 80s Bill Conti
LINK IN DESCRIPTION (https://mega.nz/#!Fr5UQKiZ!yV_SCLolX6TA5YsxgoJ2uLfvKaUg-NTdk8iNDM92Sxo)
Masamichi Amano
If there�s one composer I would associate with the term: BIG ORCHESTRAL ACTION MUSIC, it would be the Japanese composer Masamichi Amano. His body of work can only be described in superlatives. His music is big and epic in the best kind of way. Like Yoko Kanno he blessed Japanese Animation with exuberant scores that could sit right alongside the greatest Goden Age epics of Hollywood. He is also perhaps the most traditional film composer in Japan. His soundtracks are for the most part produced like a classic film album and I regret that a similar composer like Keiji Inai is denied the same treatment. But before we begin let�s also address the big elephant in the room: Yes Amano is just as much a blatant thief and plagiarist then James Horner was but just like him he is an equally talented and gifted composer in the same vain. I would always give him the benefit of the doubt that he used all these film score and classical pieces not because he can�t write them but because he was on a tight deadline and had to work with numerous temptracks.
Part I - Gigantos Robotos
Giant Robo: A big OVA series project from the 90s received a gigantic collage of Hollywood�s best musical moments. Everything is in there: From Bill Conti�s North and South, Maurice Jarre�s Lawrence of Arabia and Bruce Broughton�s Tombstone to Hans Zimmer�s Backdraft. But also classical enthusiast can have a field day with this one. Everything a classic Hollywood film score enthusiast could dream of is in there, but it�s all woven into a beautiful package together with full lengthy classical pieces. What I would give to hear this music on the big screen again from someone who is not Williams.
Part II - Super Vibration Wave Attack
Super Atragon: Perhaps his best work, most of it is original and all of his trademarks also appear at their strongest here: We have a baller theme, a welcome voyage into the atonal world of Penderecki, a fantastic Golden Age love theme and perhaps the most badass action pieces with orchestral toms I have ever heard. Also the most badass action track title ever: �Attack of the Super Vibration Wave�.
Ninja Resurrection: Fantastic classical choral work. A Dies Irae that is not a blatant rip-off and also one of the few occasions where Amano employs Japanese instruments. However, I�m not a fan of the synth stuff and I feel it detracts from the purely orchestral score.
Ruin Explorer: A welcome detour into the fantasy world with lots of modernist French flair. Very much reminiscent of Sugiyama�s Dragon Quest and Golden Age animation works. It�s also full of classical references as well. Another fantastic score by Amano and perhaps the most symphonic of them all.
Princess Nine: The most glorious score for a sport show ever. Again riddled with Hollywood and classical references, this time credited. Amano even incorporates Schubert�s themes into his own style and delivers on all fronts. I especially like the upbeat �Kisaragi Girls' High School Baseball Club� and it�s a prime example how the sparse use of big percussion can strengthen its impact.
Part III - Battle of the Beasts
These six scores are just great film scores all around and equaly valuable. Mushiking Symphony is arranged by tangotreats from the original film score. I think it works miles better and really demonstrates what a great composer Amano could have been in Hollywood. Also some trivia: The 5th Movement is basically the same piece as heared in Magi: �Warm Opera�. Stratos 4 is basically a hybrid of Gustav Holst�s The Planets and Bill Conti�s The Right Suff (he really loves Conti). Sin: The Movie is basically an alternate Judge Dredd by Silvestri... and Boys Legend is a gay porno with an orchestral score... oh Japan.
Part IV - The Thief of Baghdad
Now on to his collaboration with Sagisu. Disclaimer: These are not the soundtrack version but arranged version to highlight Amano's contribution.
Magi is a lucky one because this time Amano was given free hand and wrote a fantastic epic Arabian Night adventure pretty much standalone, aside from one or two thematic connections to Sagisu�s part. It�s just epic in every sense of the word. �Magie et sorcellerie � is just insane. If only every new Sagisu project had this approach.
Berserk is yet another fruitful success. Amano gave us an epic Golden Age fantasy score that even ventures into the world of avand-garde at the end for a truly terrifying spectacle.
Attack on Titan is one of the rare cases were the orchestral Sagisu parts work very much together with Amano�s arrangements. To this day I consider it to be Sagisu�s best orchestral effort. Perhaps he also borrows heavily from the classical repertoire. This time the lyrics also work for the most part and do the opposite of what they�re usually doing for me.
The final album is yet another collaboration with other Japanese composers for the game Phantasy Star Universe. Even though the compositions are not Amano, his orchestrations pretty much make it his work by its quality alone. His work as an orchestrator also gave us the wonderful Hollywood homage with Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games. Sadly his score with the Hollywood Symphony Orchestra for Saint Seiya online is still in obscurity. I hope they still have the tapes somewhere.
That pretty much concludes it. It�s a shame he doesn�t work solo anymore except when under the protection of Sagisu�s name but I hope he will make a return sometime soon. That or far more projects like Magi please. That reminds me, is there a second season of Magi announced somewhere?, I know there�s talk of a second season of Rokka no Yuusha but another Magi would take the cake. Especially with all that delicious unreleased material.
Composer profile: Masamichi Amano
Trademark: Master thief, Orchestral Brawler, Brass Band Lover, Masamicz Amano, Regular at Warsaw
Inspiration: Classical Repertoire, Hollywood League (John Williams, Alan Silvestri, Basil Poledouris, Bill Conti)
Music Education: Kunitachi College of Music, Orchestrator, Conductor
Worked with notable Orchestras: Warsaw Philharmonic, London Studio Orchestra, Hollywood Symphony Orchestra, Phoenix Orchestra
Most known work: Giant Robo
Orchestral Skill-level: Terrific
Style: 80s Orchestral Film Score, Contemporary Classic
Similar western composer: 80s Alan Silvestri, 80s Bill Conti
LINK IN DESCRIPTION (https://mega.nz/#!Fr5UQKiZ!yV_SCLolX6TA5YsxgoJ2uLfvKaUg-NTdk8iNDM92Sxo)