Merry-Go-Round of Life - Howl's Moving Castle [Piano] / Joe Hisaishi
Sheet music โ https://mymusic.st/animenzzz/48839
Merry-Go-Round of Life is probably one of the most famous Anime Soundtracks which has ever been composed and I spent a lot of time to think of the best way to create a satisfying piano arrangement.
0:00 Introduction
0:53 Variation 1 โTempo di valseโ
2:15 Intermezzo
2:40 Variation 2 โScherzoโ
3:25 Variation 3 โDolcissimoโ
4:31 Finale
I started by re-watching the movie again and analyzing as many scenes as possible to gather inspiration for my arrangement. I realized that the famous main melody has been used in 12 different occasions in the movie and each of them are arranged in a different atmosphere by the brilliant composer Joe Hisaishi.
Inspired by the 12 original soundtracks, I decided to create a variation arrangement, showcasing different moods of the music. The arrangement structure is mostly based on the official video โMerry-Go-Round of Lifeโ on Joe Hisaishi YouTube channel. I only added a new variation in 3:25 and extended the finale in 4:31.
Since the title of the song is quite literally โMerry-Go-Round of Lifeโ, I designed the flow of music to retell the life story of Howl.
0:13 A simple melody describing Howl's childhood and his humble beginnings.
0:57 Once he has reached Adulthood, he is being faced by the reality of society as a professional wizard. Symbolized by the complicated octaves in the right hand and multiple voicings.
2:06 Finally met Sophie and slowly develops a romance with her. The left hand is playing a different harmonization now, this time in a major key.
2:40 This playful segment represents the various adventures he is having with Sophie and the other characters. Interestingly, it also reminds me of the symphonic poem โThe Sorcerer's Apprenticeโ from Paul Dukas.
3:23 Howl is finally opening his heart to Sophie and showed her the flower garden - his secret hideout from his childhood days. Represented by sorrowful piano notes in the high register.
4:24 Gathering his determination to do the right thing. The โintroductionโ melody from the very beginning is being cited here again to build up the music.
4:31 Finale and conclusion of his story with a virtuoso octave passage at the end.
The final chord (E6/9sus2) in the original song is especially interesting, because it is an open chord without a definite conclusion in the music. I have a feeling, Joe Hisaishi created this chord on purpose to let the viewers know, that Howl's story will still continue - similar to a Merry-Go-Round which continues to spin around.
It is hard to describe which composer has influenced me the most for this arrangement. Iโd say I was inspired by the rich texture of Liszt music, the sensitivity of Chopin music and the romantic harmonization in Rachmaninoff music. But most importantly, I had the desire to tell a story with the music alone. Perhaps this is what motivates me to continue creating Arrangements in the "Animenz style"...
Well then, thank you reading my โAnimenz explainsโ column this week! I hoped you liked my analysis and gained some insight behind the creation of this arrangement!
See you next time again!
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๐นPiano arrangement by Animenz
Original Song: Merry-Go-Round of Life / ไบบ็ใฎใกใชใผใดใผใฉใณใ
Anime: Howl's Moving Castle / ใใฆใซใฎๅใๅ
Published by: Studio Ghibli Records (2004)
Composed by: Joe Hisaishi
Performed by: New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra
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#ghibli #joehisaishi #merrygoroundoflife #howl
๐ Video Statistics
๐ง About This Track
This 5 minutes audio journey has been thoughtfully composed to provide a rich musical experience centered around piano, orchestra, with each note chosen to promote calm and well-being. Every element has been balanced to ensure a consistent experience throughout, without jarring transitions or sudden changes that might disrupt your relaxation. The audio quality maintains professional standards, making it suitable for high-quality speakers, headphones, or sleep systems.
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Published by Animenz Piano Sheets, this audio has been mastered for optimal streaming quality across all devices. At 5:28, this track works excellently with the built-in loop feature for extended listening sessions. The consistent audio levels throughout ensure no sudden volume changes that might disrupt your experience.
โจ Highlights
- ๐ Over 10 million views - a proven favorite
- ๐น Beautiful piano compositions
- ๐ต Professional musical composition
๐ฏ Best For
๐ก Listening Tips
- ๐ Enable looping for continuous relaxation
- ๐ต Pairs beautifully with reading or journaling
- ๐๏ธ Try the Ambient Sound Mixer to customize your experience
- ๐ฑ Works great through phone speakers or Bluetooth
๐ฌ What Listeners Say
"every time someone likes I will remember to never give up on this song. Edit: I WILL FINISH THIS SONG NO MAYTER WHAT!!!โคโค๐๐"
โ @capybara9099 ๐ 5,098
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โ @Yashiro8957 ๐ 15,585
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โ @syvestria ๐ 3,139
๐ How to Get the Most Out of This Audio
To fully enjoy "Merry-Go-Round of Life - Howl's Moving Castle [Piano] / Joe Hisaishi", we recommend the following approach:
- Set the Scene: Find a comfortable position, dim the lights if possible, and minimize distractions.
- Use Quality Audio: Headphones or quality speakers will enhance the experience significantly.
- Adjust Volume: Keep the volume at a comfortable background level - loud enough to hear, quiet enough to relax.
- Enable Loop: Click the Loop button above for continuous play during your session.
- Try the Mixer: Use our Ambient Sound Mixer below to customize the audio with additional sound layers.
This 5:28 track is ideal for relaxation, focus, sleep. With 16.9M views, it has become a trusted choice for thousands of listeners worldwide.