Songs of Hope: The Essential Joe Hisaishi, Vol. 2

by Joe Hisaishi

Overview

A year after the release of his hit compilation Dream Songs, renowned Japanese film composer Joe Hisaishi returned with a sequel collection, Songs of Hope: The Essential Joe Hisaishi, Vol. 2. While volume one was packed with his popular themes for the beloved Studio Ghibli films (Porco Rosso and Princess Mononoke are the lone representatives here), part two sticks mostly to his work outside of the animation world. Selections from Kids Return (1996), HANA-BI (1998), Kikujiro (1999), and Departures (2008) are included, as well as solo tracks that range from his 1981 debut MKWAJU through his decades-spanning Works series. Imbued with warmth, purity, and joy, Hisaishi transports listeners to far-off places with these comforting piano melodies, which are at once strangely familiar yet revelatory. Although the heavy-hitters from those more well-known Ghibli soundtracks are absent here, these deeper cuts offer a full primer to the relatively lesser-explored corners of his catalog. ~ Neil Z. Yeung

Product Details

Release Date:	08/20/2021
Label:	Decca Gold
UPC:	0602435556345

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Joe Hisaishi   Primary Artist,Piano,Conductor,Keyboards,Synthesizer
London Symphony Orchestra   Primary Artist,Orchestra
London Philharmonic Orchestra   Primary Artist,Orchestra
Orchestra Citta Di Ferrara   Primary Artist,Orchestra
Joe Hisaishi Ensemble   Primary Artist
New Japan Philharmonic World Dream Orchestra   Primary Artist,Orchestra
Pan Strings   Primary Artist,Strings,Ensemble
Eiichiro Nakada   Cello
Eiko Onuki   Cello
Hirofumi Kinjo   Woodwind
Keiko Daito   Cello
Masamiki Takano   Woodwind
Micol Picchioni   Harp
Mikiko Mimori   Cello
Mikio Unno   Cello
Reiko Komatsu   Marimba,Percussion
Yuko Taguchi   Harp
Shigeo Horiuchi   Cello
Takayoshi Sakurai   Cello
Yumiko Morooka   Cello
Yasushi Ichihara   Drums
Iwahisa Kuroki   Contrabass
Tomomi Ota   Bayan,Accordion
Tadashi Aoyama   Mandolin,Balalaika
Tomono Hara   Flugelhorn
Yashino Takahashi   Cello
Ken Fujimitsu   Piano
Kimito Kubo   Cello
Shinsuke Hagawa   Cello
Genichi Watanabe   Cello
Shou Murai   Cello
Thomas Pilz   Violin
Yinlin Pan Group   Strings
Barry Finclair   Strings
Richard Sortomme   Strings
Chris Pitsillides   Viola
Marie Ohishi   Marimba,Percussion
Igor Spallati   Contrabass,Double Bass
Tokyo City Philharmonic Orchestra   Orchestra
Nobuo Furukawa   Cello
Charles McCracken   Strings
Alexander Balanescu   Violin
Balanescu Quartet   String Quartet
Nick Ingman   Conductor
Toshihiro Nakanishi   Violin,Violin (Electric)
Charles Libove   Strings
Masahiro Sayama   Piano,Fender Rhodes
Jan Mullen   Strings
Lamar Alsop   Strings
Harry Lookofsky   Strings
Nick Holland   Cello
Carmine Lauri   Orchestra Leader
Elena Barere   Strings
Kunimitsu Inaba   Contrabass,Double Bass
John Pintavalle   Strings
Sol Greitzer   Strings
Masayuki Chiyo   Guitar
Jun Saito   Contrabass
Marie Oishi   Marimba,Percussion
Hirofumi Mizuno   Bayan,Accordion
Rieko Suzuki   Violin
Ludovit Kanta   Cello
Arnold Eidus   Strings
Mitsuaki Furuno   Double Bass
Marti Sweet   Strings
Yasushi Toyoshima   Orchestra Leader
Momoko Kamiya   Marimba,Percussion
Kansai Philharmonic Orchestra   Orchestra
Jun Sato   Guitar (Bass)
Yo Kigoshi   Cello
Hideo Yamaki   Drums
Masaharu Kanda   Cello
Ikuo Kakehashi   Percussion
Ryuichi Suzuki   Cello
Koji Akaike   Contrabass
Akina Karasawa   Cello
Jun Sumida   Guitar
Daisuke Soga   Conductor
Renato Serio   Conductor
Tomonao Hara   Flugelhorn
Robin Dupuy   Cello

Technical Credits

Orchestra Citta Di Ferrara   Musician
Eiichi Fujimoto   Producer
Emerson Sudbury   A&R
Yuya Ishihara   Recording
Suminobu Hamada   Mixing,Recording
Joe Hisaishi   Arranger,Composer,Producer,Recording Arranger,Orchestra Contractor
Thomas Rudnick   Marketing
New Japan Philharmonic World Dream Orchestra   Musician
Kristen Sorace   Design,Art Direction
Nick Ingman   Arranger,Recording Arranger,Orchestra Contractor
Masayoshi Okawa   Producer
Shigeki Fujino   Mastering Engineer
Hidekuni Maejima   Liner Notes
Omar Cruz   Photography
Ryan Rogers   Creative Director
Daisuke Soga   Orchestra Contractor
Renato Serio   Orchestra Contractor
Rafaela Hernandez   Production Manager,Release Coordinator
Christian Wright   Mastering Engineer