-----In the case of X JAPAN, you have certain regulations that go along with having drums, piano, and guitar as well as needing to make sure Toshi's vocals fit with the pieces, but when you as YOSHIKI do classical pieces, do you have any musical rules to follow?
YOSHIKI : Not really. Tentatively, the strings become the main part, that's about it. For example, when I did the “Golden Globe Theme” for the Golden Globe Awards, while it could be called classical, there were also drums in it, and actually, there was some subtle guitar as well. Almost to the point that you can't hear it at all...just enough that you can feel it...there's some subtle bass in there as well.
-----You put in some band sound components, then.
YOSHIKI : Yeah, they are included. In my current song “Miracle”, there's also a choir...or a sort of chorus group, as well.
-----Is it not difficult switching between the rules of making a band sound and the compositions with no such restrictions?
YOSHIKI : That's true. But, classical music has its own unwritten rules as well, and since I grew up as a classical artist myself, I think it's okay if I just work within the parameters of my origins. I do go a little out of bounds, though...(Laughs.) But, it's not as if I'm completely going entirely outside of those boundaries. That's the feeling I have.
-----Speaking of freedom, “Miracle”'s lyrics are Italian, aren't they.
YOSHIKI : Yes. At first, I wasn't sure if I wanted to do them in Latin or Italian. Originally, I had written the text itself in English, but I thought that something wasn't quite right...that it didn't sound classical. So, as a result, I consulted with an Italian acquaintance of mine and we wrote it together.
-----Does that have to do with your fixation with the “resonance of sound”?
YOSHIKI : Italian has an amazingly fitting resonance.
-----In terms of balance in an ensemble, the musical resonance of the vocal part is extremely important, isn't it.
YOSHIKI : English and Japanese, of course, have their own unique resonances as well. The content of the lyrics themselves are important, certainly, but these were written with that “resonance” in mind.
-----It's really like you, YOSHIKI, to pay extremely special attention to the meaning of lyrics and how they sound at the same time, isn't it.
YOSHIKI : I...suppose...so. In pieces for VIOLET UK, I've used French and Russian too, you know.
-----It's an amazing thing to be able to work with no restrictions, but could it be somewhat of a poison to you, YOSHIKI, as a person who doesn't know compromise when it comes to his work?
YOSHIKI : That feeling that maybe I'm stepping out of bounds, or I've totally gone away from what I thought I would...I guess I just pretend like it's okay. (Laughs.)
-----The 11th track of the album is the “Golden Globe Theme Quartet Version”, but what kind of composition is it?
YOSHIKI : As the title says, this is a song that was performed for me by a group called Quartet San Francisco. It's close to the original, but I suppose you could call it what they call “chamber music” in classical circles. I deliberately made it sound as if they were playing extremely close to the listener.
-----So, is it that the arrangement is different, or the presentation of it is different?
YOSHIKI : I suppose. The arrangement is slightly different, but if you're asking me about my personal impressions, I feel as if the original “Golden Globe Theme” is really majestic and grand, but the quartet version is something you could listen to yourself over dinner.

——On the album, you've collaborated with several artists, but I heard that the first one you met was George Martin...?
YOSHIKI：That was...some time ago, but what really allowed me to hit it off with George Martin was that he came to me and said, “Let's bring the wonder of classical music to rock and pop fans”. Originally, he was a classical artist, and he played the oboe. “Eternal Melody” was the first song to come out of this agreement we reached about bringing classical music to others.
——From that point on, you've had a long personal and professional relationship?
YOSHIKI：There was an event at Todaiji Temple, “The Great Music Experience”, that featured many artists, like Bon Jovi and Bob Dylan. At the time, George Martin was producing the event, and came to me personally asking me to participate, and that's how I ended up doing it together with Roger Taylor. But, the version of the song that is on this most recent album is one that I've written since “Eternal Melody” was done, so that's the old version of it now.
——It seems as if this work will be rich in both variation and tone, both musically and periodically.
YOSHIKI：That's true, but when I tried listening to it all the way through, I thought, “No matter how many years it's been, my melodies really don't change that much, do they?” As I said when I first released “Eternal Melody”, I really think that melody is universal. And so, I made this album, thinking of how happy I would be if people would listen to it 100, or even 200 years from now.

——It looks like we'll be able to enjoy the vision of “YOSHIKI CLASSICAL” at the Grammy Museum event on Aug. 26.
YOSHIKI：If I had to say, I would call the Grammy Museum a showcase. But, I guess that was an unexpected development as well. (Laughs.)
——Um...but that's not the only reason why you've been allowed to appear at the Grammy Museum...after all, it has an illustrious history. (Laughs.)
YOSHIKI：No, this time, that's really all it is. (Laughs.) For example, in regard to this album, my fans worldwide felt from the beginning like, “Huh, YOSHIKI's doing classical music, that can't be bought anywhere in the world.” My friends mentioned that to me too from the start, and I felt the same, but as it happened when we were thinking about the release, I heard from someone connected with the Grammys who told me, “It'd be a good thing for you to perform at the Grammy Museum, YOSHIKI, after all, you're a voting member of the Grammy Committee.” I hadn't really thought about it at all beyond saying “Yeah, you might be right...”, but then things just gradually got decided, and I ended up doing it.

——You can't really call that an “outcome”, though. That was a story born of necessity.
YOSHIKI：But, I mean, even though I thought I was going to be releasing something from X JAPAN or VIOLET UK first, why did I end up putting out “YOSHIKI CLASSICAL” first? Though having that question about it come to mind is why I ended up releasing it in the first place (Laughs). I'm sure I'll be hearing a lot from the fans saying “Why are you doing classical now?” but I think that I'm thinking “Why?” myself. (Laughs.)
——It's been often pointed out in the news that this work has never been sold overseas before. With a worldwide release, what new way of listening will this afford “YOSHIKI CLASSICAL”?
YOSHIKI：I never planned to become a success in classical circles with this, or anything. After all, for me, classical music has been more of a hobby. But, I've also heard a lot from people in the classical world, telling me, “this is a really good piece, you should release it,” and through that gained a great amount of self-confidence regarding “Miracle” and the other works involved, and that's how they ended up being released. I think the album itself is more classical-contemporary, but “Miracle” contains some modern-classical elements, and some traditionally classical elements, and components of recent spirits, as well. I thought that I wanted to try my hand at succeeding with this album, so that's how it ended up being my first release.
——That's good.
YOSHIKI：Fundamentally, I think of myself as a rock artist, but I've been taking my classical music much more seriously; so even within myself, now I have no idea what direction I should take anymore. (Laughs.)

1. 照老板的话，各种事情都是不知怎么就水到渠成的。
2. 即使是古典专辑，但仍有些band的元素在里面。
3. Soundcloud的miracle仍然不是最终version.
4. 有用到一些耳朵听不到，但身体能感受到的音效。（比如比低音提琴更低的一些声音）
5. 存在即是奇迹。

……耳朵听不到，但身体能感受到的音效？

额，感知和认知的又一升华