Top 19 Quotes & Sayings by Joe Hisaishi

Explore popular quotes and sayings by a Japanese composer Joe Hisaishi.
Last updated on April 15, 2025.
Joe Hisaishi

Mamoru Fujisawa , known professionally as Joe Hisaishi , is a Japanese composer and musical director known for over 100 film scores and solo albums dating back to 1981. He is also known for his piano scores.

Usually, I concentrate on work for a certain time, and finish when I clear a standard I set myself. But with 'Mononoke,' the production was so drawn out, it took forever to finish to my satisfaction.
I don't want to work with directors who use music only to accentuate sound effects. I want to work with people who give music the value it deserves.
Since 'Mononoke' has such a dramatic story, I played up the drama, emphasizing the power of a magnum opus. — © Joe Hisaishi
Since 'Mononoke' has such a dramatic story, I played up the drama, emphasizing the power of a magnum opus.
I actually don't like playing the piano or conducting the orchestra.
With streaming, everything is focused on singles. That means an artist's depth doesn't have the chance to shine through.
I don't think that because l'm a composer I only have to compose music.
You don't get music in your daily life, do you? Even in a movie, it's unnatural to have music. I always feel it's unnatural. But I want to make it not unnatural, to construct reality in another sense.
Japanese orchestras are generally playing at quite a high level on the first day of rehearsal, but they don't improve very much from there.
I've largely focused on Japan my whole career, so I was interested to see how my music would be received by people of different backgrounds, religions and cultures.
When I am on stage I am locked away in energy and in concentration. I hear and I think about nothing but the music and I can only relax when it is over.
I don't want the World Dream Orchestra to be like a dessert whose taste is instantly forgotten as soon as you leave the restaurant.
I have to think in terms of musical tempo. Let's say someone comes into a room and slowly sits down or someone rushes into the room and rushes to sit down. That's how to work out the tempo of the music you produce.
I consider myself a part-time worker when it comes to the piano, but you need to play regularly to stay sharp.
Writing songs is a solo activity, so, if I put my mind to it, I can do it.
Synthesizers can be programmed with more imagination than a real, 'human' performance. It's a joyful thing.
When I discovered minimal music I felt I could create my vision - it was totally different to traditional music.
I was originally a minimalist, so that's my foundation.
A lot of people that come to the concerts are in their 20s. I think they come to listen to something new, and I want to be able to provide that. — © Joe Hisaishi
A lot of people that come to the concerts are in their 20s. I think they come to listen to something new, and I want to be able to provide that.
What I place most importance on is trying to create more opportunities to showcase the music, in a way that new listeners will be able to understand and feel passionate about.
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