Customer Reviews

Howl's Moving Castle

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Joe Hisaishi has worked with Hayao Miyazaki for most of this cult director's award winning animations. It's almost like a John Williams-Steven Spielberg or Danny Elfman-Tim Burton partnership. And the good thing is this merge of geniuses really works. The original score to HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE is a gem.

The original score to SPIRITED AWAY was treasure; it was a complete misfortune that it was not nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Score. Never mind that. But just note that if you've somehow wanted to buy either SPIRITED AWAY or HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE, then buy both, because you're sure to like them.

The original score to HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE revolves around one main key theme. Watch the movie, or test the CD, you're sure to catch it. It appears on almost every track. But that's not necessarily a bad thing (just in case you're wondering that if every track sounds the same, it must be dead boring). Joe Hisaishi has crafted a very memorable and instantly likeable tune, and milked it for what it's worth. But he uses the main theme in different variations and tempo. There is your typical minor key to signify danger or that something mysterious, but in general there are two standard variations.

The first is the 'merry-go-round' type music. Some may think that it is (also) similar to some grand ball during the 17th or 18th century. Indeed, this piece of fast paced, light hearted music evokes a certain grandeur, yet manages to transport the listener to a far-away magical, fantasy kingdom. There are even hints of accordion, meaning that you might hear some Parisian sidewalk cafe-type music. This piece gives the listener a very warm and cosy feeling too, as if sitting in front of a fireplace, on a winter's night, snow falling outside, wrapped in a nice woolly blanket. It's amazing how much this theme captures.

The second is a much slower, piano-heavy variation. It reminds me of John Williams in The Reunion on the ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE soundtrack and Rachel Portman in the Main Theme on THE CIDER HOUSE RULES soundtrack. It's very thoughtful, very emotional but such a pleasure to listen to.

Joe Hisaishi has generally sprinkled this masterpiece with the main two variations as described above here and there, with some other lively instrumentation and orchestra playing throughout. The style does not depart greatly from that found in SPIRITED AWAY. If you had to compare Joe Hisaishi to a Western composer, perhaps you would find great likeness in John Williams. A maestro in telling the story with his music, Joe Hisaishi's music sends images and scenes from the film into your head starting from Track 1. Joe Hisaishi's music, like John Williams, is occassionally grand, loud, lush and rich and at times quiet and serene - but just as powerful.

I'd recommend that you get this soundtrack. It's not your average cartoon music. It easily stands as one of the best soundtracks released this year (and perhaps years to come).

Liam Foo

1. Opening: The Merry-go-round of Life
2. The Courageous Cavalry
3. Stroll Through the Sky
4. Heart Aflutter
5. The Witch of the Waste
6. Wandering Sophie
7. The Magical Door
8. The Indelible Curse
9. Spring Cleaning
10. To the Lake of Stars
11. Quiet Feelings
12. Vanity and Friendship
13. A 90-Year-Old Young Girl
14. Sulliman's Magic Square: Return to the Castle
15. Sulliman's Magic Square: Return to the Castle
16. The Secret Cave
17. Moving
18. The Flower Garden
19. Run!
20. Now That's Love
21. Family
22. Love of War
23. Escape
24. Sophie's Castle
25. The Boy Who Drank Stars
26. Ending: The Promise of the World: The Merry-go-round of Life

Here are the track listings of the cd found at Nausicaa.net:

1 Opening- Jinsei no Merry-go-round
[Opening: The Merry-go-round of Life] 2:34

2 Youki na Keikihei
[The Courageous Cavalry] 0:51

3 Kuuchuu Sanpo
[Stroll Through the Sky] 2:15

4 Tokimeki
[Heart Aflutter] 0:20

5 Arechi no Majo
[The Witch of the Waste] 0:59

6 Sasurai no Sophie
[Wandering Sophie] 4:20

7 Mahou no Tobira
[The Magical Door] 5:27

8 Kienai Noroi
[The Indelible Curse] 0:45

9 Oosouji
[Spring Cleaning] 1:22

10 Hoshi no Umi he
[To the Lake of Stars] 4:13

11 Shizuka na Omoi
[Quiet Feelings] 0:28

12 Ame no Naka de
[In the Rain] 1:28

13 Kyoei to Yuujou
[Vanity and Friendship] 3:58

14 90-sai no Shoujo
[A 90 Year Old Young Girl] 1:01

15 Sulliman no Mahoujin ~Shiro he no Kikan
[Sulliman's Magic Square: Return to the Castle] 5:23

16 Himitsu no Doukutsu
[The Secret Cave] 2:34

17 Hikkoshi
[Moving] 3:05

18 Hanazono
[The Flower Garden] 2:58

19 Hashire!
[Run!] 0:57

20 Koi da ne
[Now That's Love] 1:12

21 Family 1:24

22 Senka no Koi
[Love of War] 2:56

23 Dasshutsu
[Escape] 1:33

24 Sophie no Shiro
[Sophie's Castle] 2:39

25 Hoshi wo Nonda Shounen
[The Boy Who Swallowed the Star] 7:30

26 -Ending- Sekai no Yakusoku ~Jinsei no Merry-go-round
[Ending: The Promise of the World: The Merry-go-round of Life] 6:51

Once more, Joe Hisaishi has come up with another winner and with the excellent and imaginative visions of Hayao Miyazaki combined, the score compliments the film beautifully. This tie, Joe use elements from the many musical flavours from Europe especially French music as clearly depicted in 'A Stroll In the Sky' and 'Wondering Sophie' where waltzes are use to illustrate the action and emotions in the film. The end song entitled 'Promise Of The World' is very poignant and wraps up the proceedings nicely and rounds up with 'The Merry Go Round of Life' and ends up with a Viennese waltz. Excellent. The entire score is memorable and it stands on its own and with the piano solo, it certainly a musical gem. A soundtrack worth an award for music contribution to a beautifully animated film. Worth owning! A must have.

This is yet another wonderful OST done by Joe Hisaishi. However, you *must* keep in mind that this was written for a movie, so some things are shorter/longer depending on how they correlate with the scenes in the film. ..Don't let this discourage you from buying it! The soundtrack is worth getting, and is in my opinion one of the best from Hisaishi (Probably matched only by the Princess Monoke OST or the Spirited Away OST). This soundtrack does have a definite European influence, but at the same time is still classic Hisaishi (It is still very similar to his earlier works, take Spirited Away for example). You will not be sorry to have obtained this wonderful piece of work. (:

I'm not sure why the Amazon listing omits the clearly labeled English translations, but this is a gorgeous soundtrack with a lot more depth than anything with the exception of Spirited Away. Look for a lot of more subtle moments, particulary the stunningly beautiful "The Boy Who Accepted The Star" with its stately, almost sad flow of a single horn and strings swelling to soft moments of sheer beauty.

Highly recommended.

Joe Hisaishi will never cease to amaze Miyazaki watchers. His music is as beautiful as ever, with the lovely themes and the wonderful tracks. This score, while perhaps not as good as "Spirited Away", or as darkly fascinating and memorable as "Princess Mononoke", is light and lovely in its own way.

Each theme is beautiful in its own way. The "Merry-go-round" theme (which repeats itself in some form or other throughout most of the songs and is drop-dead gorgeous) comes in the form of plucked strings, a bassoon, high woodwinds, and the piano. Some songs take advantage of specific instruments, like "Wandering Sophie" and the bassoon, or "Secret Cave" and the beautiful flute opening. Some songs take on that lower, darker quality that Hisaishi used in "Mononoke", and achieve it beautifully (once again, "Secret Cave"). The trumpet gets a solo, too, in "The Boy Who Accepted a Star".

"Howl's Moving Castle" incorporates many themes and types of music, making it diverse, lovely, and wonderful. If only it didn't cost such an outrageous price! It's worth it, but should be offered for less.

I think that this album is really cool because it has really pretty songs in it. Also, it is very peaceful and good for calming your nerves. I listen to it while doing homework! ^_^

Joe (or Jo) Hisaishi has composed the beautiful, ingenious music used in all of Hayao Miyazaki's animated films since 1984. The two understand one another in the same kind of classic collaboration that Tim Burton has with Danny Elfman; Miyazaki provides wonderful images that make the music resonate and deepen its meaning, and Hisaishi creates music that strengthens the imagery and the emotional connections in the artwork. Hisaishi's music continues to grow and flourish in "Howl's Moving Castle," for which he creates a waltz theme (track 3 is perhaps the most moving) that captures the otherworldly, but still somehow English and Dutch, trappings of the film. Hisaishi's work is never less than moving, nor his work dependent on a film to carry it. It stands on its own as a composition of wondrous, captivating music.

when i saw the film i didnt know the soundtrack.
it was so emotional and beautiful that i start to looking for to find it in amazon.
the music is brilliant, amazing and like the score in the gretest classic compositors.
i can say that it id a cd that all the lover's music must to have.