Joe Hisaishi - Le Petit Poucet (Main Theme) [2001]

"Le Petit Poucet" (Main Theme)
Orchestrations by Joe Hisaishi, Kazunori Miyake & Jun Nagao
Performed by The Paris Philharmonic Orchestra

One of the first European scores renowned composer Joe Hisaishi composed was Little Tom Thumb, or Le Petit Poucet in French. A well known story told all over Europe, Olivier Dahan decided to make a movie about it. However this one wasn't specifically aimed at children because it held many dangerous darker moments. Dahan knew exactly who to bring to the project, Joe Hisaishi. And while somewhat strange for a French movie to hold a Japanese composer's touch, the overall European warmth was always present in Hisaishi's voice and this is translated to the musical core of the story.

As always Hisaishi has got a distinct voice, his scores are full of ideas, sub themes and above all a flair only the man can create. With Le Petit Poucet he just shows it to me again. While not as accessible as his much acclaimed Spirited Away of the same year (because of the more darker score moments), the soundtrack still holds many charming moments where one single theme makes all the fuzz.

The CD opens and closes the album with a song based on the main theme itself. And what better way to accustom you to the French way of life then to have Vanessa Paradis bringing it all to life. "Close your Eyes" in English and "La Lune Brille Pour Toi" in French holds a very warm theme, typical Hisaishi.

With his orchestral version of the theme in "Main Theme" the score is put into motion. And expect the same typical flutes and piano movement you expect to hear of him. "Rose's Forest" starts with percussion but the enchanting light magical touch soon starts to unravel piano, bells and flutes, creating but a fraction of the charm Hisaishi is capable of.

But Hisaishi excels in another thing as well. Namely creating themes and let them build to the momentum. "The Pillagers Attack" is one example where a faster and angrier rhythm is achieved while "Wolves!" is the same, but only capturing a more prominent subtheme. Oh this is a feisty piece all right.

Other moments include the more softer but beautiful moments surrounding the adventure. "On the Road of White Stones" blossoms into a romantic lovely theme and a harp does the same with the theme in "Lost". And another mood carries darker emotions, with "The Red House" containing even a choral moment. This is recapitulated more angrier in "The Ogre", reaching attacking strings and loud brass in almost a Psycho manner.

The Pillagers theme returns in the tracks "The Red Forest" and "Between the Ogre and the Cliff". "The Duel" leads to a brassy finish while the finishing galore is for "The Queen's Messenger", bringing forth relief with choir and bells. "Close your Eyes" brings back Vanessa Paradis and a much longer orchestral version of the theme.

Once again this shows the true quality of Joe Hisaishi's work. He is a master in creating themes and colours, in enchanting magical surroundings and pleasing rhythms. Le Petit Poucet is just one of the many examples of this style. Like I said, it is a bit darker if you compare it with Spirited Away but in all due fairness, once Hisahish starts pushing his brilliance towards you, Le Petit Poucet isn't small anymore.