Yoshiki: Live at Carnegie Hall

[ORCHESTRA MUSIC PLAYING] Hi, I'm Mark Walberg.

You may know me as the host of Antiques Roadshow on PBS.

Today, we have a very special treat for you.

A performance from Japanese composer and musician, Yoshiki, recorded at his sold-out classical concerts at Carnegie Hall.

[PIANO MUSIC PLAYING] MARK: Yoshiki's creative work expands far beyond classical music.

He's the drummer and leader of the rock band X Japan that sold over 30 million singles and albums, sold out the 55,000-seat Tokyo Dome a record-breaking 18 times, and performed at renowned international venues, Madison Square Garden, Wembley Arena, and the Coachella Music Festival.

Yoshiki has contributed music to film and television soundtracks, and collaborated with a wide variety of musicians, such as Sarah Brightman, Skrillex, Marilyn Manson, and acclaimed Beatles producer Sir George Martin, who co-produced and arranged Yoshiki's chart-topping Yoshiki Classical album.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING] MARK: The highlights of the show include original compositions by Yoshiki, as well as the official theme song of the Golden Globes, and his piano concerto, commemorating the Japanese Emperor's 10th anniversary of his reign, a piece that has never before been seen on American television.

So, get ready to experience a once-in-a-lifetime event.

Yoshiki Classical featuring the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra live at the one and only Carnegie Hall.

[APPLAUSE] [PIANO MUSIC PLAYING] [ORCHESTRA PLAYING] [PIANO MUSIC PLAYING] [ORCHESTRA PLAYING] [PIANO MUSIC PLAYING] [APPLAUSE] Welcome to, uh, Yoshiki Classical Special with Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra at, uh, Carnegie Hall.

[APPLAUSE] The next song is also a theme song.

Um, I was asked to compose this song I think year 2012, um, for the, um, awards show called Golden Globe Award.

Um, anyway, the song called "Golden Globe Theme."

[APPLAUSE] [PIANO MUSIC PLAYING] [ORCHESTRA PLAYING] [APPLAUSE] Um...

I was always... thinking, what's pain?

What's the meaning of life?

Why do we have to deal with... pain, um, physically... and emotionally?

But the music I do or the music I listen to sometime takes away from that kind of thoughts.

Um, my father used to buy me vinyl when I was, like, seven, eight years old or so.

First time when I heard Beethoven, I was like, "Wow.

What is this?"

Even though I was very young, that music really hit me.

Since then, the music is always next to me whenever I'm dealing with pain.

The music really support me, surround me with this warm feeling.

But this song, Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata," really brings up that pain.

Uh, I'll take all your pain into this performance and create an art.

I'm gonna play "Moonlight Sonata, 1st Movement."

[APPLAUSE] [PIANO MUSIC PLAYING] [ORCHESTRA PLAYING] [APPLAUSE] Okay.

Um, I was asked to compose for the Emperor of Japan.

It was such an honor for me to do that.

Um, yes, originally, I composed this song somewhere around... 25 minutes.

But during the ceremony, um, people, they do not stand that long, I think.

[AUDIENCE LAUGHING] YOSHIKI: So, I made this song somewhere around seven minutes long.

But I do have a score, you know.

When I compose music, I don't use any musical instrument, I just write in a score.

I guess I do it very old classical way.

Anyway, so I'm going to play this song, a song called "Anniversary."

[APPLAUSE] [ORCHESTRA PLAYING] [PIANO MUSIC PLAYING] [ORCHESTRA PLAYING] [PIANO MUSIC PLAYING] [ORCHESTRA PLAYING] [PIANO MUSIC PLAYING] [ORCHESTRA PLAYING] [PIANO MUSIC PLAYING] [APPLAUSE] [PIANO MUSIC PLAYING] [ORCHESTRA PLAYING] ASHLEY: [SINGING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE] [ORCHESTRA PLAYING] ASHLEY: [SINGING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE] [APPLAUSE] Hi.

[CHUCKLES] [APPLAUSE] It's so cool, huh?

I'm playing Carnegie Hall.

[LAUGHTER] [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] Okay.

The next song I'm gonna be performing, um, is actually American anthem.

Um, okay.

I mean, first of all, it's such an honor for me to be, you know, here, um, playing in front of, um, amazing audience.

Thank you so much.

[APPLAUSE] There's a thing called the American Dream.

I came here to pursue that dream a long time ago.

It hasn't been easy, but I kept trying and will keep on trying.

I really, really respect this country, and always will.

I would like to play this song to thank America for giving me the chance to be here.

[APPLAUSE] [PIANO MUSIC PLAYING] [APPLAUSE] Okay.

Today's concert almost, um, all compositions, uh, songs are composed by me, but the next song, uh, he's one of my favorite composers, Tchaikovsky.

So, I mean, I went to Russia a couple times, uh, for the concert, but when we talk about Tchaikovsky, he's like a rock star there.

Um, anyway, so someday I may be able to compose something like this, then 200 years from now people can listen to my music, that would be my dream.

[APPLAUSE] Okay.

I'm going to play a song called "Swan Lake."

[APPLAUSE] [PIANO MUSIC PLAYING] [ORCHESTRA PLAYING] [APPLAUSE] [PIANO MUSIC PLAYING] [ORCHESTRA PLAYING] [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] Life is very strange.

When you keep on believing in yourself, believing in something, it happens.

Um, when I was I'd say like, um, nine years old, ten years old, in Japan that then was very conservative, um, the teachers asked me, "What do you wanna be?

Who do you wanna be?"

Then, I said, "I wanna be a rock star."

[CHUCKLES] Teacher was very calm, "Be serious."

[CHUCKLES] [AUDIENCE LAUGHS] "Be more realistic."

That's--that was serious.

[CHUCKLES] Anyway, uh, eventually, um, I became a rock star.

[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] YOSHIKI: Also, you know, it was like my father's-- well, my father's wish, I couldn't stop playing, doing classical music.

I said, "Someday, I'm gonna be playing Carnegie Hall."

[APPLAUSE] Here I am.

Here we are.

It's very amazing.

Um, three years ago-- actually 2014, X Japan also came here and performed, um, Madison Square Garden.

[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] Again, I always think nothing is impossible.

Everything can be happening.

[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] Okay.

So, I'd like to play this song.

The song called "Endless Rain."

[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] [PIANO MUSIC PLAYING] [ORCHESTRA PLAYING] AUDIENCE: Endless rain Fall on my heart [SINGING JAPANESE] Let me forget All of the hate All of the sadness Endless rain Fall on my heart [SINGING JAPANESE] Let me forget All of the hate All of the sadness Endless rain Fall on my heart [SINGING JAPANESE] Let me forget All of the hate All of the sadness [ORCHESTRA PLAYING] [PIANO MUSIC PLAYING] [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] MAN: One, I love how honest he is about how he was able to, uh, transform his pain into art.

And I think all great art, you know the artist a little bit.

But he really opens himself up and it makes you open up to his music and the beauty.

And I think knowing that he does this crazy rock 'n' roll, but then he also does this beautiful music, I think it's groundbreaking.

I think eventually people will know who he is.

It was interesting because as somebody who watched his triumph at Madison Square Garden, Yoshiki has achieved his dream.

What else could there be?

Obviously, Carnegie Hall.

He found a bigger mountain, and he climbed it, and he triumphed again.

I'm still, you know, speechless.

I can't really [CHUCKLES] talk.

Yeah.

-That was awesome.

– MAN: Really good?

-Yeah, it was really good.

– MAN: What are you feeling?

MAN: Um, you know, I really did think it's the transference between him and the audience.

Regardless of the audience, he just relates very, very well.

MAN: When you have Yoshiki who is the net-- like, he's the next Tchaikovsky.

He's the next Bach, Beethoven.

He's, like, he's the great composer of our time.

And I feel honored in fact that I got to see this.

WOMAN: How can someone in excruciating pain can create such beautiful music?

A musical genius that has channeled all that sadness, and pain, and things that happen in life to create music that make so many people so happy.

I'm impressed.

I loved it.

I really do love him.

[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] [ORCHESTRA PLAYING] MARK: Wow.

Seven standing ovations.

Now, that's a night that'll go down in history.

Pure magic from Yoshiki and the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra.

I'm Mark Walberg.

Thank you for watching and good night.