To celebrate the release of guitarist Taguchi Hiromu's new guitar series "Whispering Guitar I/II/III," we've released explanations for each of the six cover titles!

Guitarist Taguchi Hiromu spoke about the arrangement process based on the theme of this series, "Whispering," his respect for the original song, and even some behind-the-scenes stories about his performance.

Words as the foundation to embody the theme

When I heard about this project, I wrote down the song selections and words that came to mind in a notebook. I think words are the foundation for arranging and performing music.
*Below are the keywords and words that I actually wrote down in my notebook this time.

Silence, peace, death, sleep, sinking, strength hidden in silence, comforting sounds, monochrome, tragedy, empathy, harmony

The instrument used is an 11-string guitar

I decided to use 11 -string guitars as the main instruments. An 11- string guitar has five additional bass strings on top of a regular classical guitar, which allows for deeper bass tones and resonance that cannot normally be produced, making it ideal for fixing the worldview of this project. I also changed the tuning for each song.

I also paid particular attention to the key. Basically, the film music is in the same key as the original song. Traditional songs are performed in various keys depending on the singer, but I chose the key that I felt best suited the music and arrangement to the image above, without referring to previous performances.

About the songs included

1. A Time For Us

I think Nino Rota's music beautifully balances sadness and salvation. The original song has a light, dance-like interlude in the middle, but I cut it out as I felt it didn't fit the theme of this project. The intro is original, and I like how the moderately drab feel of the second chord brings out the transience of the guitar arpeggios. This feeling continues even after the melody begins. The monophonic melody in the middle expresses monochrome - the cessation of time ( life ) .

There is a saying that goes "Until death do us part," but this story is one that I hope ends up being "Until death do us part."

2. Interstellar

This is a song that I was excited about when they suggested it to me during the meeting stage. I'm a huge fan of this movie (it's definitely in my top three), so there was no way I wouldn't want to play it.
However, I struggled a lot to figure out how to express this grandiose worldview with just one guitar, and I think I was able to express distance by making good use of the low notes of the 11-string guitar and the difference in pitch between the harmonics.

3. Playing Love

I think the scene in which this song is used is the most beautiful music video- like scene in the history of film.
I felt that the clarity of the piano could never be matched, so I arranged the piece with the hope of making the most of the guitar's unique charm. In the film scene, the music seems to be inspired by a beautiful woman, but this time I'm playing it with the image of gently smiling at a baby in his arms.

4. Schindler's List (Theme from Schindler's List)

There is a wonderful arrangement of this song recorded by the famous guitarist John Williams, who shares the same name as the composer, but because I wanted to stick to the tonality of the original song, I decided to arrange it from scratch without using the score.

The film is a gruesome and extremely difficult three hours to watch, but it is a necessary legacy that serves as a warning, and I cannot help but feel awe for director Steven Spielberg who produced it. As musicians, we believe that our mission is not only to liberate listeners from their everyday lives, but also to pass on the legacy of the past and sound a warning to the present through our work, and I felt it was meaningful to have the opportunity to perform this piece and record it.

Although I am nowhere near as good as Schindler (the protagonist in the movie of the same name), I played in the hope that it might help save even one person, however small the impact may be.

5. Scarborough Fair

I was asked to create an arrangement that was as quiet as possible, with as few notes as possible, so that it would be like singing quietly alone, and I agonized over it. I didn't think that competing with previous songs for the physical number of notes was the essence of this arrangement, so I defined it as "spiritual stillness and few notes" and proceeded with it.

As a result, I believe I have been able to give this piece a worldview similar to (though nowhere near) the music of Toru Takemitsu (one of Japan's leading contemporary musicians).
I also used "Die Irae," which uses the same mode, as the counter-melody. There is also some influence from Gregorian chant.

6. The Parting Glass

This was also a song that I agonized over, and it took me a while to start arranging it. Once I had the image in mind, it was completed surprisingly quickly. This is one of my favorite arrangements out of all the Whispering Guitar arrangements I've done so far.

The keyword in the order I received was "funeral," so I made the beginning and ending of the song realistic, while the middle parts with their low tones and rich harmonies were created with a nostalgic image.

Listening to this with whiskey that has the scent of the sea and earth might bring you to tears.

--Taguchi Hiromu, who appears in many performances and events, is also active as a lecturer, training and mentoring the next generation.

I look forward to seeing you continue to be active in a wide range of fields. Thank you for your explanation!

(Written by Media Business Department)

Due to the popularity of the series, production is currently underway for the fourth and subsequent installments!

From the fourth release onwards, we plan to release original songs that fans have been waiting for. Original songs that will allow you to enjoy Taguchi Hiromu's charm even more deeply will be released soon. (Coming Soon!)

Hiromu Taguchi

-Profile-
Born in Fujisawa City, Kanagawa Prefecture.
He studied the violin from a young age. In his teens, he began playing the electric guitar, bass, and drums, and performed at local live music venues. In 2002, he entered the International Shinbori Art College. Around the same time, he discovered the classical guitar and became interested in the solo style. That same year, he won first place at the All Japan Guitar Competition. The following year, he performed at the JGA Music Festival and received rave reviews.
While still a student, he joined the professional Niibori Guitar Ensemble and performed as a soloist in Tedesco's Guitar Concerto with the Niibori Guitar Philharmonic Orchestra. After graduating, he became the fourth concertmaster of the Niibori Guitar Ensemble and has led them to great success with numerous overseas performances in Germany, Austria, South Korea, Singapore, the United States, Italy, and other countries.
He also served as the leader of Danrok, making the group a hugely popular group that sold out their live shows. He is also active as a composer and arranger, and has performed at numerous events, including the Niibori Guitar Philharmonic Orchestra and Guitaristas Japan. One of his works, "Yorohana," was reborn as a collaboration of video and music, and attracted attention as a new work of art. He also trains and mentors the next generation at his alma mater, the International Niibori Art Academy.