NHK Special Drama “Saka no Ue no Kumo” Original Soundtrack 2 – Review

Album Title:	NHK Special Drama “Saka no Ue no Kumo” Original Soundtrack 2
J-Drama Title:	Saka no Ue no Kumo AKA Clouds Over the Hill
Artist:	NHK Symphony Orchestra, Sarah Brightman, Joe Hisaishi, Tokyo New City Orchestra, Maki Mori
Catalog Number:	TOCT-27010
Release Type:	Soundtrack
Release Date:	November 17, 2010
Purchase at:	CDJapan, Play-Asia

Tracklist
[spoiler]

Track Title	Artist	Time
01. Country Boys	Joe Hisaishi	5:17
02. Bully Boy! Masayuki	Joe Hisaishi	2:18
03. Time of Miracles	Joe Hisaishi	2:07
04. Evil Bully March	Joe Hisaishi	2:31
05. Stand Alone for Violin & Violoncello	Joe Hisaishi	2:25
06. Crack	Joe Hisaishi	2:36
07. Reconnaissance	Joe Hisaishi	2:16
08. Signal Fire	Joe Hisaishi	2:18
09. Beginning of the Cataclysm	Joe Hisaishi	2:08
10. The End of the House	Joe Hisaishi	4:26
11. Country Boys for Woodwinds & Strings	Joe Hisaishi	3:27
12. Hirose ~A Man of Lively Character	Joe Hisaishi	2:53
13. Stand Alone with Piano	Joe Hisaishi	3:26
14. Our Young Elite	Joe Hisaishi	3:29
15. Masayuki and Sueko	Joe Hisaishi	2:49
16. Law ~Love and Sorrow~	Joe Hisaishi	3:57
17. Powerful Russia	Joe Hisaishi	2:53
18. Ariadna	Joe Hisaishi	2:14
19. Great Powers and Japan	Joe Hisaishi	3:23
20. Trick	Joe Hisaishi	2:31
21. Longing	Joe Hisaishi	4:15
22. Toward the Decision of Starting a War	Joe Hisaishi	2:28
23. Hirose’s Final Moment	Joe Hisaishi	5:23
24. Stand Alone	Joe Hisaishi, Sarah Brightman	4:13

[/spoiler]
Review: Set during the rapid modernization of the Meiji Era leading up to the Russo-Japanese War, Saka no Ue no Kumo (Clouds Over the Hill) focuses on the Akiyama brothers, the poet Masaoka Shiki, and the crucial role they play in winning the aforementioned war. Amidst the societal changes and the turbulence during the war years depicted in the TV show, we find Joe Hisaishi plying his trade in the live-action medium once more, using his compositions to capture the heroism, the characters, and, of course, the drama. In taking his musical brush and using it to capture the events that happen in the TV series in vivid detail, Hisaishi’s music delivers. And then some.

And then some. While Hisaishi’s themes for his Ghibli works have endured, he continues to offer outstanding surprises in other media formats. In Saka no Ue no Kumo, that surprise comes in the form of the show’s main theme, titled “Stand Alone.” In listening to the violin and cello version, it’s easy to be overcome by the serene, nostalgic aura the piece evokes and the piano version is simple yet sublime. But throw in the weight of Sarah Brightman’s sonorous vocals, and the piece transforms into a divine experience. Brightman has demonstrated a capacity to take over a piece with her vocal talents over the years and here, the way her voice gently glides over the instrumentals with her trademark serene, soul-stirring delivery leaves me feeling both at ease and in awe by the beauty she conjures forth in this unforgettable performance.

Stand Alone

[audio:24 – Saka no Ue no Kumo.mp3]
“Stand Alone” is the highlight of this album, but the other tracks are also impressive, especially the ones that channel the inspiring mood of the era. “Country Boys'” uplifting trumpet fanfare captures the can-do zeitgeist before fading to a series of measures featuring the strings and woodwinds as they build an atmosphere that sends a strong, confident signal of Japan’s brighter future as they enter the world’s stage. Although there are quieter moments in the track that lend themselves to introspection, there’s no doubt that upbeat attitudes and optimism rule the day. This strong self-belief continues in “Time of Miracles,” which starts off quietly before sweeping me off my feet with its grandiose, brassy air that speaks of greater things to come as Japan modernizes.

Country Boys

[audio:01 – Saka no Ue no Kumo.mp3]

Time of Miracles

[audio:03 – Saka no Ue no Kumo.mp3]
Hisaishi’s compositions also do well in their depiction of Saka no Ue no Kumo’s characters, even if the depictions are at odds with the track title at times. For example, “Bully Boy! Masayuki” feels a little too giddy and excitable in the way the brass, percussion, and woodwinds, and later on, the strings, give it the feel of a lively march rather than a more menacing aura that you might expect from a bully. That’s not to say it’s a bad track. On the contrary, its boisterous, grand atmosphere makes me feel like this character will be a part of something bigger as he takes in the historical period’s mentality. “Hirose ~A Man of Lively Character” is much more fitting as the melody brims with confidence through the percussion’s heavy accents as they accompany the opening brass fanfares. Not long after, the strings take over, instilling Hirose with a sense of impeccable grace and charm. The ensuing woodwinds sculpt his personality further, and the softness with which the instruments deliver their melody paint him as a deep thinker who’s full of heart.

Hirose ~A Man of Lively Character

[audio:12 – Saka no Ue no Kumo.mp3]
As the TV show progresses, the specter of war is never really far away. From the standpoint of this album, the rumblings of conflict begin with “Crack,” featuring a solo trumpet playing a forlorn melody. The strings also chime in with an overwrought melody, and together, hints at the tragedies that will unfold. “Beginning of the Cataclysm’s” urgency materializes through its militaristic air borne by the short string segments which build up the tension and keep me engaged through their dynamic melody. While these tracks lay the groundwork, “Powerful Russia,” with its domineering chants, gives off a menacing vibe that fits well with the image of a formidable foe. And when you add in “Toward the Decision of Starting a War’s” weighted delivery coupled with the expressions of sorrow borne by the dirge-like melody towards the middle, it leaves you with little doubt that there will be a monumental struggle that will change the destiny of Saka no Ue no Kumo’s characters on both the Russian and Japanese sides.

Powerful Russia

[audio:17 – Saka no Ue no Kumo.mp3]
The war itself is the primary driver behind the tragedies and this is where the dramatic moments come in with the music to back it up. Two examples of such tracks, “The End of the House” and “Longing,” are captivating, if just a bit conventional in the way they draw out the drama. The former utilizes sustained notes, alternating between the strings, which allow the tragedies to sink in, and the woodwinds which cultivate a sense of nostalgia for days now irretrievable. Finally, “Longing” would be the classic melancholy track that incorporates the piano, followed by the woodwinds, then the strings to weave a sorrowful melody that captures the suffering the characters feel. Its success lies in how the melody moves along, ebbing and flowing in a way that takes me through the ups and downs of love and loss without resorting to static, repetitive melodies.

Longing

[audio:21 – Saka no Ue no Kumo.mp3]
When’s all’s said and done, Joe Hisaishi’s compositions for Saka no Ue no Kumo are masterful. Between the upbeatness of the Meiji Era, to the harbingers of war, to the character themes and drama tracks, Hisaishi effortlessly captures the full swath of emotions that include the expression of Japanese nationalism, suffering, and sorrow as the listener is placed in the middle of the action or into the characters’ shoes as we empathize with their plight. Finally, in “Stand Alone,” it must be said that though Hisaishi is already a formidable composer, when you pair him with someone with the vocal chops of a Sarah Brightman, he becomes nearly invincible, a musical force to be reckoned with.

Rating: Excellent