Rachmaninoff-style One Summer's Day - Spirited Away [Piano] / Arranged by Birru

Описание: （Given that certain sections were conveyed through a translator, the English used in the description could potentially contain inaccuracies）

Hey everyone!
Here's my new cover of One Summer's Day from Spirited Away, arranged by Birru in a beautiful Rachmaninoff style.

This has always been one of my favorite Ghibli soundtracks. When I first watched the movie as a kid, I only fell in love with the visuals. Revisiting it while learning this piece gave me a whole new understanding of the story and the music itself.

The moment I heard this arrangement, I was instantly hooked. The original arranger's classical technique is stunning: starting simple and delicate, the piece slowly builds in density and range, wrapped in thick, powerful harmonies that turn the gentle nostalgia of the original into an epic, cinematic narrative. It really feels like stepping into the magical spirit world of Spirited Away.

Here are some of highlights I notice:
Around 0:46, those full chords in the high and low registers are pure Rachmaninoff prelude texture, creating a huge, cathedral-like space.

In the following section, dense chromatic lines in the inner voices of the right hand, paired with rising chromatic sequences in the left, darken the harmony and intensify the drive. It's a perfect example of Rachmaninoff's signature chromatic writing, pulling the mood into melancholy and inner conflict.

At 1:21, the left-hand pattern echoes Rachmaninoff's Moment Musical No. 4.

The first chorus reminds me of the 3rd movement of his Second Piano Concerto, with a beautiful hidden counter melody.

The transition hints at Liszt's Mephisto Waltz No.1.

In the second verse, the melody shifts to the left hand while the right plays sweeping, ocean-like arpeggios across four octaves — giving the piano an orchestral sound.

The second chorus draws from Rachmaninoff Études-Tableaux Op.39 No.6, with intense toccata runs that build a storm-like, cinematic climax, matching Chihiro's most tense moments in the film.

After the peak, the diminished and whole-tone scales bring a dreamy, impressionistic color, like a musical sigh, in the style of Ravel and Debussy.

I also made small changes to the ending. The original opens with that iconic Japanese-inspired harmony that captures the wonder of entering the spirit world. I brought back that idea at the end with rising ninth chords, bringing the piece full circle — just like Chihiro's journey: growing up, saying goodbye, and returning home wiser and softer.
We always have to keep moving forward, but we'll always carry that distant, warm summer memory in our hearts.

Hope you enjoy this cover. Thank you so much for watching, and see you in the next one!
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Sheet:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CM_m...

Original Song: One Summer's Day
Anime: Spirited Away
Composer: Joe Hisaishi
Published by: Studio Ghibli
Piano arrangement by: ‪@javierbirruezo‬ （have made revisions)
Original Arranger's Video:    • one summer's day if rachmaninoff composed it  
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#joehisaishi #onesummersday #久石譲 #pianocover #ある夏の日ピアノ
#StudioGhibli #OST #piano #SpiritedAway
#Rachmaninoff #ClassicalPiano #PianoArrangement #AnimeMusic #Liszt #Ravel #Debussy #Animepiano