Vinphonic
10-03-2017, 04:33 PM
The Legacy of Japanese Composers
Shiro Hamaguchi
Shiro Hamaguchi is a brilliant film composer and fantastic arranger, worldwide famous because of his excellent Final Fantasy arrangements which still set the benchmark for orchestral Final Fantasy music and his three orchestral albums of Final Fantasy music brought us some of the best “neo-classical” music Japan can offer. I would go so far as to say his collaboration with Nobuo Uematsu (who is a LEGEND in his own right) brought forth some of the greatest orchestral media music in history (the full version of Aria in particular) and his collaboration with Kohei Tanaka on One Piece brought us hours of fantastic seafaring romance.
Just like Sirusjr and streich pointed out, if something is genuinely good, people remember it and will survive the test of time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGl4FqUeFS0
Because of his amazing talent and successful career I forgot Hamaguchi is actually THE YOUNGEST Legacy composer I shared so far which makes his early career all the more amazing. If we have a bright future then there’s still decades of film and concert works waiting for us.
He has been and still is involved in numerous orchestral media projects such as Monster Hunter and Soul Calibur but sadly rarely employs an orchestra when he is taking on the role of a composer. Still, he has nonetheless a distinctive voice and an excellent sense for drama. Some of the most excellent film scores of the anime business are under his belt:
Ah! My Goddess is his magnum opus elevated in sound by the Warsaw Philharmonic, composed when he just turned 30. A beautiful Hollywood-esque choral work with some sublime romantic moments.
Princess and the Pilot is a great homage to Goldsmith’s and Horner’s Americana scores with some wonderful film music magic moments with a flying theme up there with Patema and Escaflowne. Seriously, he has the potential to be one of the greats. But to this day, sadly unreleased.
Still, you simply have to see this scene and always remember these people are still around in the business: https://vimeo.com/215996472
Girls und Panzer is the ultimate charming feel-good orchestral score in the anime business and a homage to Elmer Bernstein with much patriotic WW2 flair mixed with some serious war sound straight out of a Goodwin or Bernstein film. I’ve carefully remastered it to professional Hollywood sound, as it previously didn’t even hold a candle to Monuments Men in the sound department, despite being the more enjoyable pastiche ride (in my opinion).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjhl9qmBPdg
Shirobako is a lighthearted, a bit rose-colored but absolutely genuine insight into the industry if the various interviews from directors to artists to composers can be believed. It also has some real good music. In addition to really thrilling Jazz and Funk Hamaguchi also recorded some real tasty orchestral score, tragically missing the horn section to make it truly shine. Still, it has a lovely theme and a rousing uplifting finish. I’ve also remastered it with a more pompous sound and to see how far I could go before it washed up. I don’t think its that successful but at least it sounds more bombastic.
Here's an example: http://picosong.com/M3K3/
For Crayon Shin-chan Hamaguchi delivered a gorgeous beautiful adventure score that makes you wish he would get far more opportunities to score films like this. Thankfully Ponyo will share with us this excellent ride in flac soon :D
Kiddy Grade is reminiscent of his collaboration with Tanaka and straight out of the One Piece soundworld.
Okiku Furikabutte is a damn good sport score with some downright Top-Gun moments and delicious 80s synth patch and piano.
For various series with pretty much no orchestral score he recorded some showpieces, for example Galilei Donna’s Main Theme or his Bach homage On a "Sunny Day", but the best has to be Ray of Light for Hanasuka Iroha, straight out of his Goddess score and wonderfully ethereal and Christmassy: http://picosong.com/M3kA
Currently he is quite busy, having scored new music for One Piece and Girls und Panzer and in best Japanese brilliance, they will actually rerecord GuP der Film with the Tokyo Philharmonic. But I hope he will get another chance to go all out as a film composer sometime soon.
And before I finish here is a sweet little scene that makes it really obvious why I love the anime medium, with cameo from Hamaguchi himself: https://vimeo.com/216011482
LINK IN DESCRIPTION (https://mega.nz/#!VnRHiZBK!MykW9nLgKiZgHEToqk9tOjKW2hMM6kYgWrgIgt_SSPE)
ladatree presents:
Shiro Hamaguchi
Megumi no Daigo
The Warsaw Philharmonic, conducted by Mario Clemens
Download
(https://mega.nz/#!b75E2KjD!wLX3_7KNsABLC1p8AH3P2fA8ZnVsJgBA8vgBES6-Y-4)
Sample (http://picosong.com/w4PrC/)
The rep goes to ladatree who is responsible for this marvel.
This is what happens when the Japanese rip off a Hollywood blockbuster (you know what I'm talking about).
Shiro Hamaguchi
SHIROBAKO in Concert
Akiba Wind Orchestra "AKIBA WINDS"
Download (https://mega.nz/#!Lupn0Z7D!dljea1bMcLKnX_TmiVVwNj1Z3KgXokcled42hFn7NLw)
Concert Suite (new) (http://picosong.com/w9wuL/)
Girls und Panzer
Herbst Musikfest 2015
The Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra
Download (https://mega.nz/#!P7hmVABK!ETfeaHa2P7Qa-eYz6zHe-ifdi2JRIuOZEwNmISOcfZ4)
Shiro Hamaguchi
Shiro Hamaguchi is a brilliant film composer and fantastic arranger, worldwide famous because of his excellent Final Fantasy arrangements which still set the benchmark for orchestral Final Fantasy music and his three orchestral albums of Final Fantasy music brought us some of the best “neo-classical” music Japan can offer. I would go so far as to say his collaboration with Nobuo Uematsu (who is a LEGEND in his own right) brought forth some of the greatest orchestral media music in history (the full version of Aria in particular) and his collaboration with Kohei Tanaka on One Piece brought us hours of fantastic seafaring romance.
Just like Sirusjr and streich pointed out, if something is genuinely good, people remember it and will survive the test of time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGl4FqUeFS0
Because of his amazing talent and successful career I forgot Hamaguchi is actually THE YOUNGEST Legacy composer I shared so far which makes his early career all the more amazing. If we have a bright future then there’s still decades of film and concert works waiting for us.
He has been and still is involved in numerous orchestral media projects such as Monster Hunter and Soul Calibur but sadly rarely employs an orchestra when he is taking on the role of a composer. Still, he has nonetheless a distinctive voice and an excellent sense for drama. Some of the most excellent film scores of the anime business are under his belt:
Ah! My Goddess is his magnum opus elevated in sound by the Warsaw Philharmonic, composed when he just turned 30. A beautiful Hollywood-esque choral work with some sublime romantic moments.
Princess and the Pilot is a great homage to Goldsmith’s and Horner’s Americana scores with some wonderful film music magic moments with a flying theme up there with Patema and Escaflowne. Seriously, he has the potential to be one of the greats. But to this day, sadly unreleased.
Still, you simply have to see this scene and always remember these people are still around in the business: https://vimeo.com/215996472
Girls und Panzer is the ultimate charming feel-good orchestral score in the anime business and a homage to Elmer Bernstein with much patriotic WW2 flair mixed with some serious war sound straight out of a Goodwin or Bernstein film. I’ve carefully remastered it to professional Hollywood sound, as it previously didn’t even hold a candle to Monuments Men in the sound department, despite being the more enjoyable pastiche ride (in my opinion).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjhl9qmBPdg
Shirobako is a lighthearted, a bit rose-colored but absolutely genuine insight into the industry if the various interviews from directors to artists to composers can be believed. It also has some real good music. In addition to really thrilling Jazz and Funk Hamaguchi also recorded some real tasty orchestral score, tragically missing the horn section to make it truly shine. Still, it has a lovely theme and a rousing uplifting finish. I’ve also remastered it with a more pompous sound and to see how far I could go before it washed up. I don’t think its that successful but at least it sounds more bombastic.
Here's an example: http://picosong.com/M3K3/
For Crayon Shin-chan Hamaguchi delivered a gorgeous beautiful adventure score that makes you wish he would get far more opportunities to score films like this. Thankfully Ponyo will share with us this excellent ride in flac soon :D
Kiddy Grade is reminiscent of his collaboration with Tanaka and straight out of the One Piece soundworld.
Okiku Furikabutte is a damn good sport score with some downright Top-Gun moments and delicious 80s synth patch and piano.
For various series with pretty much no orchestral score he recorded some showpieces, for example Galilei Donna’s Main Theme or his Bach homage On a "Sunny Day", but the best has to be Ray of Light for Hanasuka Iroha, straight out of his Goddess score and wonderfully ethereal and Christmassy: http://picosong.com/M3kA
Currently he is quite busy, having scored new music for One Piece and Girls und Panzer and in best Japanese brilliance, they will actually rerecord GuP der Film with the Tokyo Philharmonic. But I hope he will get another chance to go all out as a film composer sometime soon.
And before I finish here is a sweet little scene that makes it really obvious why I love the anime medium, with cameo from Hamaguchi himself: https://vimeo.com/216011482
LINK IN DESCRIPTION (https://mega.nz/#!VnRHiZBK!MykW9nLgKiZgHEToqk9tOjKW2hMM6kYgWrgIgt_SSPE)
ladatree presents:
Shiro Hamaguchi
Megumi no Daigo
The Warsaw Philharmonic, conducted by Mario Clemens
Download
(https://mega.nz/#!b75E2KjD!wLX3_7KNsABLC1p8AH3P2fA8ZnVsJgBA8vgBES6-Y-4)
Sample (http://picosong.com/w4PrC/)
The rep goes to ladatree who is responsible for this marvel.
This is what happens when the Japanese rip off a Hollywood blockbuster (you know what I'm talking about).
Shiro Hamaguchi
SHIROBAKO in Concert
Akiba Wind Orchestra "AKIBA WINDS"
Download (https://mega.nz/#!Lupn0Z7D!dljea1bMcLKnX_TmiVVwNj1Z3KgXokcled42hFn7NLw)
Concert Suite (new) (http://picosong.com/w9wuL/)
Girls und Panzer
Herbst Musikfest 2015
The Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra
Download (https://mega.nz/#!P7hmVABK!ETfeaHa2P7Qa-eYz6zHe-ifdi2JRIuOZEwNmISOcfZ4)