Your Lie in April Essay

Introduction

Your Lie in April is a Netflix television series released in 2015. The series is characterized by breathtaking music and fun-filled animation. The series tends to look into the lives of two instrumentalists: a pianist and a violinist. The use of music in communicating messages has been done effectively (Ishiguro, 2014). The series gives a story of a Piano prodigy Kousei who is traumatized and has lost his ability to play the piano.

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Kousei traumatization is triggered by her mother's death, which has an effect on his pianist career. His mother's death is what causes Koisei's inability to hear his own music; it is a heartbreaking situation for Kousei, who was very good at playing the piano. During his childhood, he won most of the piano competitions. However, now, the situation is completely different; Kousei cannot play any instrument. Kousei's life changes when he meets Kaori, a very talented violinist (Ishiguro, 2014). Kaori pushes Kousei to enjoy music, which eventually has an impact on Kousei's music life.

Music in the Series

The series is filled with music in every episode of the series. The use of music to show emotions and send messages has been used effectively. The music flows right from the first episode to the last. The use of tone in music makes it even more interesting, triggering emotions even in the audience (Ishiguro, 2014). Every music piece in the anime was well done and integrated well with the anime. The original soundtrack and the classical music pieces were well done. The background music that plays during the entire series also brings out a musical feeling that is felt by the audience.

The first episode begins with an enticing opening song which is titled "Could you forget?" This song is repeated many times throughout the series. In the same episode, Kaori plays a song to the doves when she is at the playground (Ishiguro, 2014). Her instrumental ability to play the violin is more than amazing and sends an emotional message.

In the second episode, Kaori plays the Beethoven Sonata No 9 Op .47 "Kreutzer." Kousei is fascinated by her performance and is, in a way, attached to her. He feels jealous when he notices that his friend is in a way interested. At the end of the performance, the audience pauses and rises to celebrate Kaori's brilliance in playing the violin.

Kousei plays Twinkle Twinkle little star and shows off his skills. The way he plays the piano makes Kaori sing the song as he continuously plays at a cafe when showing some children how to play the piano (Ishiguro, 2014). The children are astonished by Kousei's piano abilities and tell him that the performance was excellent, and he should have never stopped playing. Kosei also remembers playing the Beethoven - Piano Sonata No. 14 (Moonlight Sonata) (3rd Movement) during a piano competition when he was a child.

During the second violin competition, Kousei and Kaori perform a compelling piece. The piece performed is Saint-Saens - Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso. Kaori's violin performance integrates well with Kousei's piano (Ishiguro, 2014). Kousei plays the piano with a lot of inspiration. The audience praises Kaori and Kousei for their impressive piece. It was not expected that both would perform so well.

Music as Competition

In the series, music is viewed as a competition. When Kousei was a child, he used to attend child competitions. Another illustration is the violin competition in which Kaori participates. The National competition is challenging, and the musicians have to do their best. Kousei says that he will revolutionize music in that competition (Ishiguro, 2014). This shows that music is basically a competition, and the best is always recognized.

Music and Relationships

The emotions in the anime, coupled with the music, show the intertwined element between music and relationships. As it is said, music is the language of love, and in this case, music brings Kouse and Kaori. From its serene musical performances in being gate away to emotions, the series shows how music plays an essential relationship in the series. For instance, during the performance of Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso, Duet showed the singer-accompanist relationship (Ishiguro, 2014). The other relationship is the romantic attachment between Kaori and Kouse, which was initiated because of their passion for music.

Performance

The performances in the series are exciting and have the ability to entice people and change moods. The seamless integration of music and anime performance is astonishing. The performances have been done in such a way that they communicate emotions, and their messages are well understood. Moreover, the use of background music in the series many times brings out a feeling of relaxation.

One of the best episodes in the series is episode 4 because it is the only episode that has a full performance done by both Kousei and Kaori. In this performance, Kaori plays the violin piece while Kousei is the accompanist and plays the piano (Ishiguro, 2014). This episode highlights the challenge that Kousei faces in playing the piano. However, the performance is splendid. The mix of music and art comes in explaining Kousei's situation, isolating the atmosphere as Kousei struggles to play the piano. During their performance, Kaori talks to Kousei, telling him to imagine the sound when he is playing the piano. The performances are very effective, and the expression during these performances meets the composer's needs.

References

Ishiguro, K. (2014). Your Lie in April [Film]. Japan: A-1 Pictures.