Mike Oldfield - Music of the Spheres

Mike Oldfield has always been famed for his unconventional approach to music. Throughout his career he has consistently broken musical boundaries, and with Music of the Spheres he continues to do so. Taking influences from Holst and Rachmaninov as much as Steve Reich or William Orbit, this piece is classical in nature, but yet is also immediately identifiable as classic Mike Oldfield. Using a full concert orchestra and choir, and with solo parts from Mike himself on guitar, legendary soprano Hayley Westenra and renowned pianist Lang Lang, this is a work with huge emotional and musical scope. The title of the piece is a reference to something that Mike feels strongly: that all music should aim to represent the spriritual, or otherworldly elements of life: something beyond the mundane and everyday. In this he has clearly succeeded. Music of the Spheres is by turns epic, tender, mournful and triumphant. It is the work of a composer who above all can make beautiful and substantial music, regardless of genre or instrumentation. Album Description

Music of Spheres

One of the best cd's i now own. This is an Orchestral venture that is a timeless piece of music that takes you on a journey of so many emotions. I feel it is the best creation Mike has composed. I write this so that Mike Oldfield receives more of the credit he so rightfully deserves. This cd has brought us much enjoyment and July 12, 2008

Tubular Bells (Again).

I like Oldfield, I have all of his albums including this one, but "Music Of The Spheres" is just more of the same. Oldfield has been spinning his creative wheels for over a decade now. I'd say the last Oldfield album I really enjoyed was 1994's "The Songs Of Distant Earth". Since then, Oldfield has been doing variations on the same themes with "Music Of The Spheres" being pleasant, but as another reviewer said, not innovative.

Yes, Oldfield utilizes real instruments and an orchestra and opera singer, but when it's all said and done it's not memorable. Some tracks standout more than others, and for me that moment comes in the middle of the album with "On My Heart" and "Aurora". I know I'm going to be lambasted for what I'm going to say next, but I'd really like to hear Oldfield utilize singers again and make more pop albums like "Five Miles Out", "Crises", "Discovery", "Islands" and "Earth Moving" as much as many fans would gasp in horror. It's been almost 20 years since he tried his hand at making a pop album, and I still think Oldfield excels at making good pop songs.

So, "Music Of The Spheres" is merely a rote exercise. Pleasant, inoffensive, average Oldfield. It did not excite me as some of his past work has. Good, but not above average or great. May 31, 2008

nice addition

The latest of Mike Oldfield's work is a nice addition to his collection of music, definitely would recommend buying this cd! May 30, 2008

A Heaven Sent Opus

Within the first 5 seconds of the first song on the first listen - I was hooked - Didn't matter what was to come - I KNEW I'd love it. I've always admired Mike Oldfield's works. Sometimes they are great and sometimes they are outstanding. This falls in the later. Absolutely an exceptional piece of music. You cannot possibly go wrong with this one. May 29, 2008

Tubular Bore

I've heard this before, only when it was new and fresh and original back in the 70's. Not many artists, especially one of Oldfield's stature, can continue to make music of unending brilliance and creativity. Asking him to match his best work (TB, Hergest, Omma, Incantations, Platinum, etc.) 30 years out is probably not realistic. Every artist has a season when the work is strong and perfect and compelling. Oldfield has been repeating himself for quite some time now, and creating an "all-orchestral" work can't disguise the fact that Music of The Spheres is yet another version of Tubular Bells (listen to "Harbinger").

For my money, no popular artist has created work that approximates the grace of of a Bach concerto, except for Oldfield. No one has created largely instrumental music with such devastating emotional resonance. Oldfield created the genres of Ambient (before Eno) and New Age music and Classical Rock (if you're thinking Yes and Tull you're wrong). But that was some time ago. Some of the passages in Music of The Spheres are quite lovely: "Aurora" for one. But the creative engine that powered the early work is laboring and tired.

His earlier, long form works were focused with energy and inspiration and ideas. "Music of The Spheres" seems like an "average" of past work, a dash of TB and a shot of the ghastly "Voyager", warmed over and presented as a new work. As such, the emotional impact is minimal and my interest is therefore minmal.

In popular music there has been no one comparable to Oldfield (if Phillip Glass is a classical composer) and his stunning body of work, with the possible exception of Van Morrison during his "new age" period and maybe the Cocteau Twins. So I hope Oldfield continues to create new work. Maybe inspiration will strike again, but if not, there is his past catalogue to listen to. And that music is better than 99% of anything I've ever listened to. May 28, 2008

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