Sincere thanks for all the kind messages. It is much appreciated. I will overcome and be back.
Sincere thanks for all the kind messages. It is much appreciated. I will overcome and be back.
Member since:11.06.2004
Reviews:265
Members who trust:66
This is the latest offering by Mike Oldfield released in March 2008. Let me start by listing all the tracks and the times of them. I will get into the why later.
The tracks are:- 1. Harbinger - 04.04 2. Animus - 03.09 3. Silhouette - 3.19 4. Shabda - 3.56 5. The Tempest - 5.48 6. Harbinger (reprise) - 1.30 7. On My Heart - 2.27 Hayley Westenra lead vocals 8. Aurora - 03.42 9. Prophecy - 02.54 10. On My Heart (reprise) - 01.16 Hayley Westernra lead vocal. 11. Harmonia Mudi - 03.46 12. The Other Side - 01.28 13. Empyrean - 01.37 14. Musica Universalis - 06.24
Total playing time 45.20
This CD has a sticker on the case stating "Planets for the 21st century" By Classic FM and indeed tracks are played on that station. It was after listening to one that I decided that I would have this disc. Generally I have this station playing more or less continuously in my work room. I happen to prefer classic music though there are some modern artists that I do appreciate.
Just when does a piece of music become "Classical"? This is contemporary and not classic in the sense that it is an older piece of music. However this is fully orchestrated music and
has classical orchestral instruments used. The vocal talents of Hayley Westernra are used as are the talents of Lang Lang, a classical pianist.
I find that the music is rhythmic and harmonious rather than minimalist and discordant as are some modern pieces. It would have been very easy when making this disc to separate each track by a short period of silence. As this was not done I can only assume that it is deliberate as these tracks blend seamlessly from one to another. The only period of silence lasted only perhaps 1 second between tracks 7 and 8. Unless you were watching a track counter, you would not realise just which track was playing. And this is not to the detriment of the music. I feel that it helps each track fall into a greater whole than just a set of individual tunes on separate tracks. Each seems to lead into the next and add to the pleasure. There are no sudden chord changes from major to minor key. The closest Classical comparison I can make is in Beethoven's fifth symphony where the third and fourth movements seem to blend into each other.
There are both solo and chorus vocals. I did not try on this listening to hear just what words were spoken though they were clearly audible, I was just listening to the sounds. The blended in to make a greater whole. Sometimes with vocal it is a singer with accompaniment. Here is was a fusion of harmonies, instrumental and vocal.
Some tracks featured one instrument prominently but again this was not a virtuoso solo performance with an orchestral accompaniment. Lang Lang is a great classical pianist and can produce exceptional works. Here he was an outstanding part of a team.
I understand that whilst Mike Oldfield wrote all the themes and had the inspiration he did not do the orchestration as he is not a composer in the classic sense. This was done by Karl Jenkins. Some criticism has been levelled at him for this but then not everybody is a classical trained composer. Even Sir Paul McCartney had help in orchestration of his "Liverpool Oratorio" I believe. It is NOT easy to transpose any music theme to a full orchestral score.
I have noted that some reviews on Amazon have rather likened this to film music whilst others are very positive. I do not see this in any way like any soundtrack album. A soundtrack album reflects the images that are already projected onto a screen. Here you can create your own images in your own mind.
I do not feel that this would be a disc to play in the background of a party. Any conversations would drown out the music. This, I feel, you should sit quietly and perhaps even close your eyes and let the music flow over you and through your ears. The radio station, Classis FM, does sometimes play some of the individual tracks from this CD. They are quite enjoyable as individuals though I do feel they there is something lacking having listened to the whole at a single sitting. But that may be just me.
I find that I cannot go on at any length about most individual track as you would about an album of songs or, say, a Vivaldi concerto because of the way one slides into another. The one exception is the final track. In this I heard echoes of the first Tubular Bells album, in the way that various instruments started to play a short rhythm and were in turn superseded by others whilst continuing to play softly in the background until the bells themselves came in. This was not a great crashing crescendo but rather a gradual build up and a slower, restful fading away again. And no, the instruments were not introduced as they were in Tubular Bells. I have the feeling that this whole CD is music of two movements rather than 14 individual tracks.
Audio CD (17 Mar 2008) Number of Discs: 1 Label: UCJ Mercury ASIN: B000T6K8KW You get the CD and a small 4 page booklet for your money. The booklet gives credit to each musician, far too many for me to list, a list of tracks, though not a list of each instrument playing on that track and some promotional information. In a small foreword is an explanation by Mike Oldfield. There was also some promotional info about Lang Lang and Hayley Westernra and a web address for more information. I got my copy from Amazon.co.uk where it cost £8.98 There may be other deals to be had by shopping around.
Final Thoughts. Some early philosophers though that each object in the heavens moved at it's own pace and rhythm. That each vibrated and produced some form of celestial music. Whilst this is Mike Oldfield's interpretation I have to wonder that with the current physics of quantum mechanics, string theory and membrane theory where everything is vibrations, just how did these ancients know? and why has it taken us so long to think as these ancients did?
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Mike Oldfield is sadly lacking in ourcollection - this would appear as good a place as any to start collecting his music. Richard.
jm160 10.06.2008 01:58
For me, classical music is the particular type which dates from the sixteenth century to the present day and never alters or wanes in its styles and productions. Whenever you hear a piece of classical, it should, if the composer orchestrated it himself, sound roughly the same. One needs only to listen to some of the disasterous revamps of more modern or popular music to realise why this is a virtue! How well Mike Oldfield will fit into the classical mould only time will tell. An excellent and thought provoking review. Good stuff! Joe
martinwi 20.05.2008 20:37
A great review. I do like (most) of Tubular bells so this may well appeal as well. Martin.
very helpful by (98%):
helpful by (2%):
![I'm Not Dead [PA] - Pink](http://imagesa.ciao.com/iuk/images/products/small/580/prod_small-6397580.jpg)
![River Is Wide, The [Remastered] - Forum (The)](http://imagesb.ciao.com/iuk/images/products/small/251/prod_small-6006251.jpg)
