Let’s Complete Studio Ghibli XI

Good Morning Everyone!

Coming to you live from the third chair of a small town orchestra. Here, no instrument is played, they are just heard. How can that be? Think of it this way: breathing comes natural. No one has to remind us to breathe unless we have become utterly dumbfounded or awestruck. From my third chair you can see the oneness between instrument and instrumenter. It’s almost natural. As they move, the instrument moves. Like breathing…it’s jubilant.

Freude, schöner Götterfunken
Tochter aus Elysium,
Wir betreten feuertrunken,
Himmlische, dein Heiligtum!
Deine Zauber binden wieder
Was die Mode streng geteilt;
Alle Menschen werden Brüder,
Wo dein sanfter Flügel weilt.

There was once a time where I preferred classic music over my usual funk. The reason: a lack of words. But then…then there was the 9^th. (Not to sound like a London droog.) The 9^th was something else. It’s beauty magnified. While feeling beautiful, we continue our journey through the Studio Ghibli Hayao Miyazaki Collection 32.

Disc 11: Goshu the Cellist, Sero Hiki no Gōshu, セロ弾きのゴーシュ
Director: Isao Takahata
Release Date: January 23, 1982

Goshu is a young, mediocre cellist who plays for a small town orchestra. The movie opens with a classically-laced vignette: a rainy-day, a rehearsal of Beethoven’s 6^th and our hero struggling. After a short berating from his instructor, a crying Goshu walks home.

Wem der große Wurf gelungen,
Eines Freundes Freund zu sein;
Wer ein holdes Weib errungen,
Mische seinen Jubel ein!
Ja, wer auch nur eine Seele
Sein nennt auf dem Erdenrund!
Und wer’s nie gekonnt, der stehle
Weinend sich aus diesem Bund!

The 1^st night: Tortoiseshell Cat

The cat bears vegetables and offers them to Goshu and advice in how to become a wonderful cellist. Upon offering, he requests that Goshu play Schumann’s Träumerei. Seeing that the vegetables were picked from his garden, Goshu angrily ignores the request and plays Tiger Hunt in India instead. His rendition startles the cat, causing him to run away.

Freude trinken alle Wesen
An den Brüsten der Natur;
Alle Guten, alle Bösen
Folgen ihrer Rosenspur.
Küsse gab sie uns und Reben,
Einen Freund, geprüft im Tod;
Wollust ward dem Wurm gegeben,
Und der Cherub steht vor Gott.
Vor Gott!

The 2^nd night: Cuckoo Bird

The lessons continue with a cuckoo bird, who literally enough teaches Goshu scale by cuckoo’ing. Goshu plucked “cuckoo, cuckoo” as the bird voiced the same. Feeling that the cuckoo was sounding better than him, Goshu chases the bird away.

Froh, wie seine Sonnen fliegen
Durch des Himmels prächt’gen Plan,
Laufet, Brüder, eure Bahn,
Freudig, wie ein Held zum Siegen.

The 3^rd night: Raccoon Dog

Wanting to practice his timpani, the raccoon dog requests to play with Goshu: together, they played The Merry Master of a Coach Station, with Goshu on the cello and the raccoon dog beating on the cello with a stick. The song finishes, both leave content.

Seid umschlungen, Millionen!
Diesen Kuß der ganzen Welt!
Brüder, über’m Sternenzelt
Muss ein lieber Vater wohnen.
Ihr stürzt nieder, Millionen?
Ahnest du den Schöpfer, Welt?
Such’ ihn über’m Sternenzelt!
Über Sternen muss er wohnen.

The 4^th night: A Mother and Her Son

As Goshu was sleeping, a mother mouse and her sick son pay him a visit. The mother asks Goshu to heal her sick son with his music as his music has already healed a number of animals. Goshu puts the mouse inside his cello and plays. Upon completion, the mouse runs away and the mother thanks Goshu profusely.

Seid umschlungen, Millionen!
Diesen Kuß der ganzen Welt!
Brüder, über’m Sternenzelt
Muss ein lieber Vater wohnen.
Seid umschlungen,
Diesen Kuß der ganzen Welt!
Freude, schöner Götterfunken
Tochter aus Elysium,
Freude, schöner Götterfunken
Götterfunken!

The movie ends with the performance of Beethoven’s 6^th. Goshu plays well. The conductor asks Goshu to play an encore, where he decides to play Tiger Hunt in India, as he thought he was being made fun of. Goshu plays, the audience roars their approval. In the end, Goshu is in his home at peace with all of the animals with Pastoral in the air.

General Comments: a short movie. I enjoyed the soundtrack. The overall look of the movie was flat compared to the past Ghibli flicks. It’s the simple things that are grand.

O Freunde, nicht diese Töne!
Sondern laßt uns angenehmere an stimmen,
und freudenvollere.
Freude!  
Freude!

I thank you for reading. Until next time! Keep watching.