Arachnophonia: Joe Hisaishi “A Symphonic Celebration : Music from the Studio Ghibli Films of Hayao Miyazaki”

Posted on September 24, 2025 by marmstr3

Editor’s note: Arachnophonia (“Arachno” = spider / “-phonia” = sound) is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student assistant Eliana (class of 2027) and features a vinyl record of music from the films of Miyazaki. Thanks, Eliana!

Joe Hisaishi and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
A Symphonic Celebration : Music from the Studio Ghibli Films of Hayao Miyazaki

Joe Hisaishi - A Symphonic Celebration vinyl album cover

Joe Hisaishi is a Japanese composer, music director, pianist, and conductor most known for his collaboration with Studio Ghibli and its creator, Hayao Miyazaki, a Japanese animator and filmmaker. Together, they have created a number of brilliant films, including Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, Ponyo, and Howl’s Moving Castle (my personal favorite!), with amazing musical scores. Through this album, you can experience the movies without even seeing them!

This is an album that I have experienced in both a film concert and through vinyl, and in my opinion, I believe it is an amazing score no matter how you listen to it. If you are a fan of that fairytale feeling you get from watching animated movies made by companies such as Disney or Pixar, there is a chance you will love Joe Hisaishi’s music. Even without knowing the movies associated with each of the songs on this vinyl, the songs can tell you exactly how each movie will make you feel. For example, when listening to “Ponyo On The Cliff By The Sea,” I can tell that the movie will give me a joyful feeling; however, do not be fooled by its childlike tone. These songs, and their respective movies, can be enjoyed by people of all ages, and they serve as background to the deep and rich stories created by Hayao Miyazaki.

This album may only appeal to specific audiences, and you might have to watch the movies to truly understand where I am coming from; however, I believe that Joe Hisaishi is a brilliant composer that conveys many feelings and emotions through music. And remember, this is only a taste of what Hisaishi has to offer! I recommend exploring his other work as well, and maybe even take a look at Miyazaki’s films so you can see the songs in action!

Arachnophonia: Drawn to Sound

Posted on February 27, 2023 by marmstr3

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student assistant Isaac (class of 2025) and features a collection of essays about music in animated films. Thanks, Isaac!

Drawn to Sound: Animation Film Music and Sonicity edited by Rebecca Coyle

Drawn To Sound book cover

Animation as a medium is something that has always intrigued me. Inherently having limits differing from traditional film, animation’s visual spectacle sees itself as a source of disagreement. On one end, you have supporters celebrating the composition of the visuals, but on the other, critics viewing it as a commodification of drawing, reserved for children. Regardless of viewpoint, however, is the music in works of animation. Masters of animation music use the medium in conjunction with what is on the screen for an expressive statement.

This book piques my interest for its breakdown of the works of these very artists, auteurs like Hisaishi have created works so fitting they have become indelible from what is on the screen. Sublimity is unequivocally achieved because of these scores, I often reflect most heavily on the sounds I heard from an animated feature, extending beyond even the most dogmatic of views on what a film “should be”. Editor Rebecca Coyle’s shared admiration for the often-ignored musical elements of these songs is something I was delighted to discover, as the focus of animated films are naturally on the animation itself. But this doesn’t mean music in animation should be marginalized, making this book all the more interesting as it is devoted to animation music. Stylistically, music drive themes in film more subtly than dialogue or visuals–– saturating the viewer in a soundscape is a pivotal role–– and throughout my life, recognizing the importance for these composers made any film an enriching watching (and listening) experience.

Parsons Playlists: Movie Music

Posted on February 24, 2023 by marmstr3

Welcome back to Parsons Playlists! Today’s playlist is curated by Music Library student assistant Naron (class of 2023) and features music from assorted movie soundtracks.

Movie Music

Some movie soundtracks have left a deep impression on me with their impressive music. The music in movies is usually carefully crafted by artists to match the main theme. The music often sounds even more powerful, carrying the memory of the story in the movie. Here is a short list of music from popular movies that left an impression on me:

movie music