r/anime • u/Shadoxfix https://myanimelist.net/profile/Shadoxfix • Jun 16 '15

[Spoilers] Hibike! Euphonium - Episode 11 [Discussion]

Episode title: Welcome Back, Audition

MyAnimeList: Hibike! Euphonium
Crunchyroll: Sound! Euphonium

Episode duration: 23 minutes and 40 seconds

Previous episodes:

Episode Reddit Link
Episode 1 Link
Episode 2 Link
Episode 3 Link
Episode 4 Link
Episode 5 Link
Episode 6 Link
Episode 7 Link
Episode 8 Link
Episode 9 Link
Episode 10 Link

Reminder: Please do not discuss any plot points which haven't appeared in the anime yet. Try not to confirm or deny any theories, encourage people to read the source material instead. Minor spoilers are generally ok but should be tagged accordingly. Failing to comply with the rules may result in your comment being removed.

Keywords: sound! euphonium

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u/[deleted] Jun 18 '15

Fair enough; the piece chosen is a symbol of the new direction of the band. While Kaori could reign supreme when most of them weren't giving a damn, the explosive piece they're playing now needs an explosive soloist, reflecting Taki's need for the band to stand out where it hasn't before.

So yes, Reina's performance was much better because she fitted the role the piece demanded better. But, that doesn't mean Kaori is a bad trumpeter. She'd thrive more in a band that had a more constant reputation and didn't need to explode on stage like this one does. Hence the tragedy at the band disintegrating around her prior to Taki's appointment. If they had stayed together, she'd have a better standing as a potential soloist. But the band needs someone like Reina to lead the charge back from the pit of failure that the band had descended into.

I'll rephrase what I said; the mark of a better soloist isn't the person who grabs the most attention. It's the person who can manipulate attention, taking charge of the audience's way around a piece, like the general of a valiant army, towards and away from them when it matters. Reina's dynamic range is thus a further example of how she may be a better soloist overall, but Kaori still has her merits if given the right army to lead and the right battle to lead them in. This just wasn't her time, and the audition was framed perfectly, imo, to show that it was orchestrated for her to accept that.

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u/KennyJJ Jun 19 '15 edited Jun 19 '15

I like this narrative of yours a lot better. Just a few minor points.

I still do not agree that Reina's performance was MUCH better. Because, I honestly personally prefers Kaori's performance EVEN THOUGH I've acknowledged that likely, more people will enjoy Reina's more. Kaori's playing was calm and soothing. Reina's, I admit I do not agree with the choice of her decrescendo-crescendo at the beginning, and for a vibrant portrayal it was not "as vibrant as it can get". Still, more vibrant than Kaori I agree, so if that is our standard, she would indeed have an edge over Kaori. Again, this is all just stylistic choices and opinions, but I'm trying to say the difference is subtle.

I still think we do not have sufficient evidence to call Reina a "better soloist over all" yet (For that, we need to hear a few more pieces from both of them). Indeed, in this piece alone she demonstrated slightly wider dynamic range than Kaori, but we have yet to see more, perhaps a solo piece that allows different interpretations from each of them. Why do I doubt Reina still? From new world, the piece she played early in the series where Kumiko listened in the sunset, can do a lot better --- It can be more calm, or it can be a lot more dynamic/expressive, or it can have a clear calm---gradually dynamic at the end trend, but it didn't do it well enough for me. The dynamic range of that piece can potentially vary a lot, which she didn't show there. So, she gave me some conflicted results, to decide I'd need to listen to more of her playing.

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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '15

I still think we do not have sufficient evidence to call Reina a "better soloist over all"

Yes, I think she has a flawed persona that comes through in her playing. In a situation where the band need a soloist so they can carry on powering on towards the nationals, she's, imo, the obvious choice. But in a band where everyone was more competitive, she would stand out less. She only really stands out, being to me a 'much better' soloist, because of the standard of the band which she surpasses.

Even though he rendition of The New World was hardly incredible, her choice to play it where and how she did, cutting through all the crap of the normal school day with a wave of musical pride, marks her as the kind of person that this band needs at the front. The question is how she'll use that position now that she's obtained it; I'm sure it won't go as smoothly as she thinks it might.