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What is bitonality? –part 4 —

Bitonality is a musical expression using two tonalities simultaneously.

In this time, I’ll introduce the bitonal music in a Japanese animated film “My neighbor Totoro”(1988)

In the film, two worlds are depicted: the world of children who can see Totoro, and the world of adults who cannot. The piece “The Wind Forest”*, provided for this film, is made with bitonal technique using two tonalities.

In the piece, the same melody is played simultaneously in two keys**, which seems to present two different worlds. So, I would like to suggest that there is a connection between bitonality and two worlds in this film.

In fact, the piece was written before the film, so it seems that the composer had no intention of expressing two worlds through this work. Nevertheless, I think this interpretation is interesting!

＊This piano piece was composed by Jho Hisaishi (1950- ).

＊＊In mm.56-64, the main melody is played in C minor and G minor simultaneously.