Mononoke Hime Symphonic Suite

One thing that should be made clear right away is that the original motion picture soundtrack to Mononoke Hime (aka Princess Mononoke) is a masterpiece, easily one of the best adventure scores in recent memory, and arguably ranking right up with such orchestral classics as Star Wars and Conan the Barbarian. So there is little question that Mononoke Hime Symphonic Suite will be an excellent album, the only question is whether any differences in arrangement and/or performance warrant its purchase as a replacement or at least supplement to the original soundtrack. The answer in my mind is a resolute yes.

Symphonic Suite consists of eight fairly lengthy tracks, compared to the 32 tracks of the OST. Rather than merging OST tracks together in medley form, Symphonic Suite instead provides extended arrangements of individual tracks. The OST has such a large number of varying themes that there is really little chance for repetition or variation of the particular themes on that CD, so the opportunity to hear such themes built upon in Symphonic Suite is a promising one.

The arrangements are quite faithful to the OST, mostly building upon the original themes through the aforementioned repetition and slight variation. Which in many cases leaves a large part of the task of differing from the OST up to the orchestration and performance. And the strategy succeeds. Hearing extended versions of memorable OST themes with a slight but noticeable difference in their overall sound is a savorable experience for fans of the OST. I won't say that the instrumental changes are necessarily better or worse than the original, just that they are different - and certainly not in a bad way. One thing I will say I definitely favor about Symphonic Suite is that it lacks the slightly muffled recording quality that I seemed to notice in the OST.

Make no mistake though, Symphonic Suite does have its moments to shine in a considerably different light from the original. Scattered about are some arrangements and segues that are noticeably different from the OST. Included among them are a booming, triumphant finale to a "Mononoke Hime" theme arrangement that is already somehow even more beautiful than the OST version. Also worth mention is a long duration of subdued but playful additions to "The Forest of Shishi God", and some march-like percussion and brass segments that really ramp up the power in "The Underword ~The Adagio of Life and Death~". I mentioned that the OST possibly holds its own against such a classic as Star Wars, and these last two tracks actually sound very much like they could fit in a Star Wars movie - the first as a quirky Jawa/Ewok/etc. creature theme and the second as a stirring new Imperial March.

The question of which CD is more worthy of purchase - Mononoke Hime OST or Symphonic Suite - is a difficult one to answer. The U.S. release of the OST is certainly a better deal with its very long running time and low price. But such a debate is hardly worth considering anyway, since anyone who has even moderate interest in adventure scores should own the OST already. So for those who own the OST, are well familiar with its themes, and wish there could be even more to enjoy, Symphonic Suite is a very satisfactory addition.

"Why would I want a symphonic arranged CD when the original was performed by a symphony?" This question can be answered with your own ears, provided you have the Princess Mononoke OST. Play the first track ("The Tale of Ashitaka"), and note the length of the song and how unfulfilling it sounds as it fades after only 1:30. Now play the last track ("The Tale of Ashitaka End Theme"). Composer Joe Hisaishi puts the additional 3:30 to good use - this is not filler material. Does the longer version sound better? If not, I suppose you can stop reading since this is the crux of my argument for Mononoke Hime Symphonic Suite.

Only "The Tale of Ashitaka" receives such a once-over on the OST. I was left wanting by the sheer briefness of the remaining songs. "Departure - Journey to the West" cries out for a bombastic rendition of its main theme. It appears at the end of the OST version after a long (but excellent) intro, and is limited in its dynamic range. The cymbal crash that precedes the main theme in Symphonic Suite carries some real punch, as opposed to the OST version which sounds muffled and not too vibrant.

Hisaishi is wonderful with his performance on the piano in "Mononoke Hime". It doesn't top Yoshikazu Mera's vocal version on the Japanese OST, but it does convey the feeling of "This is the song which Ashitaka is whispering to San in his mind" (www.helsinki.fi/~stvirtan/mh/song.html). Hisaishi brings the proper smooth, supple tone to the song (I found the flute on the OST a bit too harsh).

The remaining tracks hold to the high standard set by the songs mentioned above. From the always-enjoyable "Tale of Ashitaka" to the taunt, tension-filled drama of "The Adagio of Life and Death", Symphonic Suite is solid from start to finish.

Even the physical presentation is excellent - an outer cardboard sleeve, three picture postcards, and full-color liner notes.

The single weakness of the CD is its length, as at only 47:20 there is plenty of space available. "Lady Eboshi" and "Kodamas" come to mind as songs that could have been included, but that's just nitpicking. Don't expect a domestic release of this CD, so think of how much you saved by purchasing the domestic OST, and put those savings towards Mononoke Hime Symphonic Suite to enjoy the songs in their appropriate form.