Japanese classical music encompasses a wide range of compositions and styles melding traditional Eastern elements with Western classical structures. With roots extending back to the Meiji Restoration, when Japan opened itself to Western influences, the genre often reflects a unique fusion that reveres the aesthetics of Japanese culture. It utilizes both Western instruments and traditional ones like the koto and shamisen, embracing pentatonic scales and the sensitive subtleties of Japanese nature and poetry. Contemporary composers such as Toru Takemitsu have elevated the genre with their serene yet avant-garde techniques, while others like Joe Hisaishi and Nobuo Uematsu have brought it to broader audiences through film scores and video game music, blending symphonic textures with indigenous melodies to create evocative soundscapes that resonate with emotional storytelling.

MacDowell: Orchestral Works, Vol. 2

Edward MacDowell•

Xiayin Wang•

Peter Dixon•

John Wilson•

BBC Philharmonic

Album - 11 Tracks - Released January 16, 2026