Takatsugu Muramatsu wrote a score so gentle it barely touches the ground. When Marnie Was There is Studio Ghibli's quietest film and the music matches, all soft piano and strings that feel like watercolor brushstrokes. Anna's theme carries this lonely ache that just stays with you, and the Piano Version strips it down even further.
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The Marsh House builds atmosphere with these delicate textures that make the whole setting feel dreamlike. Kazuhiko and Marnie Dance brings this brief moment of warmth before everything gets bittersweet again. The restraint here is unreal.
If you thought Only Yesterday or Ocean Waves had understated scores, this one goes even quieter and somehow says more.