Japanese composer and conductor Joe Hisaishi made his BBC Proms debut at the Royal Albert Hall, greeted by waves of screaming fans and raised phones. At 74, Hisaishi is the John Williams of anime, famed for his scores to Studio Ghibli films such as My Neighbour Totoro and The Boy and the Heron.
The concert opened with the European premiere of Hisaishi's symphonic suite from The Boy and the Heron, with the composer alternating between piano and conducting the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Quacking brass mouthpieces provoked giggles, and the orchestra luxuriated in the expansive majesty of the scoring, though the suite was described as a short recap of one of Hisaishi's blandest film scores.
Hisaishi's suite The End of the World, another European premiere, was more ambitious, blending hints of Stravinsky, atonal lyricism, and big band jazz. The RPO, BBC Singers, and Philharmonia Chorus created sweeping waves of sound, with frothing strings and colourful post-minimalism. Countertenor John Holiday delivered a starkly beautiful solo in the central movement and a crooning rendition of Skeeter Davis's The End of the World, with eerie 'wrong' notes from violins souring the texture.
In a flash of inspired programming, Steve Reich's The Desert Music followed, led with tireless concentration by Hisaishi. This epic minimalism demanded immense stamina from performers over 50 minutes, with two percussionists assigned page turners. The BBC Singers and National Youth Voices produced a studio-mixed choral blend, while the RPO's intricate loops and licks were hypnotic and moreish.
