What classical music has been used in Japanese anime?

The amount of classical music that I remember recognizing in anime is small, but it resonates with me more strongly than all other music. Classics are indeed classics, and despite the fact that it's been over 200 or 300 years, and despite the fact that they're being referenced in ways that the author couldn't have even imagined at the time, they still win the **** out of the audience.

Sonata in D major for two pianos

Remember the piece that Sakurabayashi High School's Ringo Suwannee used to play? Or maybe it's the piece of music that Chiaki and Nodame played together in Symphonic Dreams II. Yep, that's the Sonata for Two Pianos in D Major.

Written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who was known as a musical genius. The prodigy died early, though, at the age of 35, when he was collared. And the creation of the violin and piano really has an amazing talent. The prodigy was only 25 years old when he was ordered by the Archbishop to come to Vienna, but in May of the same year he couldn't stand the Archbishop's subterfuge (a big mistake) and left Vienna to become a truly freelance musician. I don't know what kind of mood the prodigy was in when he wrote this familiar concerto for two pianos, but in terms of its brisk and clear tempo and its extremely melodic character, it makes you want to listen to it with your eyes closed. It's a favorite sonata for two pianos for most people.

Beethoven - Piano Sonata No. 8 in C Minor Pathétique 2nd Movement

If Beethoven - Piano Sonata No. 8 in C Minor Pathétique 3rd Movement Surely a lot of people have heard, whether it's a keyboard percussion game of the difficult track, or some time ago Yundi Li played in the Beijing Recital of the high-tech finger dance. This piece can be described as familiar.

But today I'm going to talk about the "two". First of all, let's talk about the origin of this piece. It's "Symphonic Dreams," an anime music extravaganza penned by Chikako Niinomiya. Three animated series plus a Japanese drama had caused a frenzy of classical music. The movie is a mix of hundreds of classical pieces from Beethoven, Schumann, and Schubert to Debussy, Ravel, and Papageno, among other musical giants.

The story opens with Chiaki walking in the corridor, and the familiar melody of Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Pathétique No. 2 comes out from the piano room. At first, like the main character, I thought to myself, "That's enough pathos. But when I listened to the second half of the piece, I realized that although the rhythm and mood sounded very different, I didn't play a single note wrong. But there is not a note played wrong, it is another kind of joyful and gentle way of expression to write Beethoven's "sadness". The desire for music, obsession with love, and love and hope for life at all times. I think this is one of the reasons why Chiaki, who is a "handsome man", is so attracted to Nodame, who is a "female loser" from the countryside, that he can finally come together.

The Mirror, The Ugly Morning

Also from Symphonic Dreams, this is one of the three songs Nodame plays at the Duke's house.

Composed by the modern French impressionist musician Ravel.

It describes the scene of a young man in love saying goodbye to his lover at dawn. The Pavane in Memory of a Dead Princess. But according to Ravel himself, it wasn't named in honor of the princess at all, it was just a name that sounded good. (Nima, that's a reason comparable to why Ryukawa Fon went to Shonboku). Lover's farewell and sadness are interspersed in "The Morning Song of the Scandal", so that one can capture such aural beauty as Lerner did. (Though I am totally missing it ......) And personally, I prefer the version played by this recital group (/v/b/42779687-26359826.html) (nyet kneeling for the conductor's name!)

The Bell

From The Golden Strings, a staple of Ryotaro Tsuchiura's repertoire, and very impressive both as a child and in the final performance.

The author is Liszt, a famous Hungarian composer and pianist. If Bach and Mozart and Beethoven, his predecessors, have maximized the mood and melody of the piano pieces, then Liszt must be the king of the piano technique, or the Paganini of the piano, which is no exaggeration. It is precisely because he brought piano technique to an unparalleled level that the expressive power of the piano reached a whole new level.

The song "The Bells" is a typical representative of the dance on the keys, both in terms of playing technique and expression. At the same time, it is also a common repertoire in the concerts of young "fast" pianists like Yundi Li and Maxim.

Song without words, sweet memories

From Symphonic Valentine's Dream, one of the three songs Nodame played at the Duke's castle.

Written by Mendelssohn, the German composer who is known as the most perfect composer after Mozart. As a composer who combined the characteristics of "Romanticism" and "Classicism". His compositions are generally as sweet and cozy as their titles, giving people a very healing feeling. If there was a watershed between "Romanticism" and "Classicalism", it first appeared on Mendelssohn's keyboard. Among the few works for piano, the Songs without Words are the most representative ones. Each piece is not long, but has a sing-song melody and character, delicate, timeless, charming veritable "song without words".

A similar work is "On the Wings of Song". It paints a warm and romanticized picture. Going with your dear one to the banks of the Ganges, on a quiet moonlit night filled with red flowers, white lilies, roses and violets, listening to the sound of the gurgling waves from the holy river in the distance, enjoying the joys of love and longing for a happy dream in the midst of a coconut grove.

The piano as a very handsome instrument makes the player will naturally have a kind of elegant and serene temperament. However, I prefer a more portable (and handsome) instrument like the cello or violin.

Prelude to Suite for Unaccompanied Cello No. 1 in G Major

The cello is a very difficult instrument to perform, with a low range that is not as varied to the human ear as the middle and high ranges, and a cello that is not as maneuverable as the viola, and which does not have much of the dynamics of a fast-paced instrument. Therefore, the cello as the main character of the music, it must be a real skill of the music master to compose a decent piece of music. On the other hand, practicing cello is not something that a talented player would like to do.

And when I think of the cello, I can't help but think of one of my favorite musicians: Johann Sebastian Bach.

His work can be said to be "neta into a god," whether it is Urao Yuki or Hisaishi these Japanese music world of the great figures have more than once expressed their admiration for the father of Western classical music and praise.

Suiten für Violoncello solo Nr.1 G-dur, BWV.1007 1.Vorspier Translated from the German, this is the one that we all enjoy

Prelude to Cello Suite No.1 in G major

I don't know if you still remember the rhythmic, soothing cello piece played by Shinji on EVA 15

Suiten für Violoncello solo Nr.1 G-dur, BWV.1007 1. The soothing cello

. It's not for nothing that Shinji was treated differently by Asuka, and the low tones of the cello had the effect of giving Shinji a mature masculinity, and I wonder if this last hint influenced Asuka to kiss Shinji.

Actually, it's not just EVA, but Ice Fruit's second story has this tune as well. Playing it in a different situation, with Buntaro's "vapid" dead eyes, is a real treat for me.

There's also a part in Deacon Black where Sebastian is "tutoring" Char in violin lessons, and Char is playing the famous Bach Chaconne. Incidentally, I don't know if that's a name stunt, but after all, Bach was also called Sebastian.

The Chaconne is arguably the masterpiece of Bach's masterpieces, consisting of 31 variations that develop into quite a grand movement. The violin version by Heifetz, which can be found online, is also 10 minutes long. It's no exaggeration to say that it's also the piece that got me into Bach.

The Sicilian Dance

This piece I first played in the finale of The Golden Strings by Katsuichi Shisui, and at the time it just gave me a very light, soothing feeling. But when I heard it again years later in Ice Fruit, it suddenly gave me a feeling of clarity "Crap, that's the flavor!" .

Siciliano is an ancient dance music that originated in Sicily, Italy in the 17th and 18th centuries. The tempo is slow and the tune is lyrical. Represented by Bach and Corelli it often appears in instrumental and vocal works, but the most familiar to the general public is a piece of Sicilian dance music used by the French composer Fauré in the theater soundtrack "Pelléas et Mélisande". Also this piece is my favorite in the repertoire aside from the Moonlight Sonata and Liroux's Theme.

Ode to the Virgin Mary, Hail Mary

This is a staple of the Golden String's heroine, Keiko, who begins the story with this piece, plays it with Tsukimori Ren, and finally, when she lets go of everything in her heart, she plays it with the most heartfelt of feelings. It's a Hail Mary that runs through the story and Kaieko's musical journey.

There are a lot of "Ave Maria" in music, especially Schubert's "Ave Maria", which is the most famous, and it is more than a compulsory and compulsory examination for the majority of music colleges. Also a religious piece, unlike Handel's Messiah, this Hail Mary is composed in a softer and more lyrical way, as if the Virgin were above, bathed in holy light. (I connoted that last sentence.)

24 Random Thoughts

This piece appeared in episode 25 of Golden Strings, for the finale performed by Lian Tsukimori, and differs from Keiko's stream-of-consciousness. Lian's violin is purely technical, and his musical upbringing from a young age has fostered a strict, demanding, and sultry (?) personality. character. The repertoire, which requires a high degree of proficiency and technique, even made me, as a listener, think, "Nima, it's so hard, how can I play it?!"

The author is the famous Italian violinist Paganini. Paganini possessed the most devilishly skillful and devilish piano skills, and he made an immeasurable contribution to the development and improvement of violin skills. If Liszt is the king of the piano, then Paganini is called the magic violin is absolutely not excessive. (I'm not sure if that's true.) Not to mention that even Franz Liszt was inspired to become the "Paganini" of the piano world after hearing the virtuoso play.

The 24 Caprices is the only published score for solo violin in Paganini's life, and it's a work that essentially showcases all of the violin's most complex techniques, and has been called the biggest challenge for professional violinists since it was first published.

In fact, in addition to the piano and cello, which are the most widely used instruments, there are some other instruments that have their own unique charms, as long as you are willing to close your eyes and listen, whether it is a soloist or a concerto can give you the most perfect enjoyment.

Clarinet Polka

Polish Folk Polka Also from Golden Strings #25, played by Shoko Toukai, this is a lively, witty, and melodic piece that, in contrast to her usual soft and shy personality and reserved playing style, gives a feeling of being played in a single breath. It was also with Kaedeko's encouragement and support that she came to appreciate music that truly stems from inner liberation. Technically, as it originates from folk music, it is not difficult, but it can receive great performance results. Both professional and non-professional players love it. Incidentally, the credits of a CCTV program also feature this light-hearted Polish ballad.

Suite in A minor for unaccompanied flute

No need to mention that the author is naturally our own Bach, but this suite is also known as the least flute-like flute suite. (Wouldn't it work better on a violin?) In Golden Strings #12 when a lot of people are more or less emotionally affected by the main female character, we are the only ones who are unfazed by our dark and handsome young master Yuzuki Azuma, who plays this piece with perfect elegance.

The flute has a soft and clear tone, with a wide range: the middle and high registers are as bright as the first rays of sunlight in the morning; the low registers are as delicate as the ice-clear moonlight; and it specializes in florals, with magnificent and varied playing techniques, and often serves as the main melody in the symphony orchestra, and is an important solo instrument.

The Chinese version of the recorder is also used as the main melody in the famous Greek festival, Jani's oriental-tinged "Nightingale".

Planetary Suite of Jupiter

The Golden Strings 25th episode is performed by Kazuki Hohara. This is one of the suites composed by the English musician Holst, however the music itself is not the same as the planets in the real meaning. The planets represent a spiritual emotion, and in the case of this Jupiter Suite, it is subtitled Joy Bringer.

The whole piece gives a feeling of warmth with a touch of sentimentality, and majesty with a sense of tranquility. It's as if there is peace after a great war, people's emotions and memories are given a loving joy and separation, and everything ends and begins again. Counts as one of the suite's anti-simple to true

Golden Strings 25th words by Kazuki Firehara. This is one of the pieces in the suite composed by the English musician Holst, however the music itself is not the same as the planets in the real meaning. The planets represent a spiritual emotion, and in the case of this Jupiter Suite, it is subtitled Joy Bringer.

The whole piece gives a feeling of warmth with a touch of sentimentality, and majesty with a sense of tranquility. It's as if there is peace after a great war, people's emotions and memories are given a loving joy and separation, and everything ends and begins again. Count this as one of the suite's anti-simplistic songs.

There are actually countless of these references or borrowings from classical music in anime, but these are the ones that struck me the most, I guess.

Who says there isn't something elegant and gentle to enjoy in the second generation? Who says that those classic images in the second generation with those classic melodies from more than a hundred years ago won't make people feel?

I love the second generation, I also love classical music, not only those who have long been famous music giants, I hope that someday Bendrix, Tosai Hedgecock, these modern young writers, will be able to make a difference. Hedgecock and these modern mid-career writers make their way into those moving moments for me or my descendants.