Symphony 3 “Metaphysica” & Harp Concerto is released on 24th of July 2026
First IG “Harp Concerto – Movement 2” will be released on 26th June 2026
Listen to full album here
26 JUNE 2026 (TORONTO, ON) — Internationally acclaimed Japanese composer and conductor Joe Hisaishi leads the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, with celebrated harpist Emmanuel Ceysson, in a major world premiere recording that pairs his Symphony No. 3 ‘Metaphysica’ with his new harp concerto—a virtuosic, genre-defying work written for Ceysson.
The origins of the Harp Concerto date back to August 2023, when Hisaishi conducted the Los Angeles Philharmonic to an audience of 17,500 at the Hollywood Bowl. During this visit, he met with Ceysson, the orchestra’s principal harpist, to begin shaping a new concerto—jointly commissioned by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Opéra National de Bordeaux, Philharmonie de Paris, and the Singapore Symphony Orchestra.
Following an intensive period of international touring, Hisaishi completed the concerto in summer 2024. The work received its world premiere at Walt Disney Concert Hall on 14 November 2024, performed by Ceysson and the Los Angeles Philharmonic under the composer’s direction.
Drawing on his decades of experience in film music, Hisaishi crafts a concerto that challenges traditional perceptions of the harp. Far from the instrument’s conventional delicacy, this three-movement work reveals a bold, dynamic voice—one that aligns closely with Ceysson’s distinctive, powerful playing style. Shifting between urgent rhythmic drive, haunting introspection, and electrifying, dance-like momentum, the concerto culminates in a striking and energetic finale.
The recording also features Symphony No. 3 ‘Metaphysica’, commissioned to mark the 50th anniversary of the New Japan Philharmonic and premiered in 2021 under Hisaishi’s baton. Conceived as an exploration of “sonic movement,” the symphony unfolds in three parts: existence, where are we going?, and substance—each built on tightly controlled rhythmic and tonal frameworks that evolve into vividly expressive musical landscapes.
From the intricate interplay of instrumental textures in existence, to the poignant, unfolding variations of where are we going?, and the propulsive, puzzle-inspired energy of substance, ‘Metaphysica’ demonstrates Hisaishi’s mastery of large-scale orchestral writing while reflecting the influence of his symphonic hero, Gustav Mahler.
Across the two works, this recording highlights a composer at the height of his creative powers, bridging cinematic sensibility with symphonic ambition and redefining the expressive possibilities of the modern orchestra.
