Music of the Spheres

Mike Oldfield's first classic record

The legendary composer, author of the famous song Moonlight Shadow Mike Oldfield has been creating his unforgettably beautiful music for more than thirty years now. His breakthrough 1973's album Tubular Bells has brought him the world glory and presented the world with wonderful creations that later got called New Age. Besides there are electronic, dance and ethno-works on his credit, and this year his first classic record Music Of The Spheres is released. Collaborating with another well-known composer Karl Jenkins Mike Oldfield has managed to record a material that on the one hand turns us back to the very beginning of his creative work and can be called a return to the form and on the other hand it is the best and most impressive of his works so far. Although initially the main theme is taken from the good old Tubular Bells the record Music Of The Spheres presents a new word in classic music, and its orchestra performance leaves no doubt concerning its significance.

Vivid, integral and surprising Music Of The Spheres

Divided into two parts album Music Of The Spheres invites you into the magic world of modern classical music that is sure to distract you easily from all the routines and quotidian problems. Wonderful modulations of harps, cellos and violins, piano and flutes create a magnificent background for Mike's amazing acoustic guitar. Besides the choir on the compositions adds a special solemnity to the music which is simply hypnotizing. Joining all the tracks together the elusive theme of the first composition Harbinger (the improved and modified Tubular Bells) leads and carries away. Such pieces as Animus, Shabda, Prophecy and The other Side rather relax and calm one down, and compositions The Tempest, Aurora and final Musica Universalis are exciting and produce the strongest impression. Yet the absolute success is the amazing duet of composer Oldfield and a classical vocalist Hayley Westenra On my Heart – her wonderfully deep and pure voice and the inspiring melody have become the apotheosis of Mike's creative search and are sure to remain in the history of classical music. It is enough to say that many tracks of the album and especially On My Heart will surely send shivers down the spine. On the whole vivid, integral and surprising Music Of The Spheres has become a great part of the composer's repertoire and will serve the best refinement of any music collection.

A grandiose and incredibly harmonious creation

Of course Music Of The Spheres is one of those albums the uniqueness of which is understood to absolutely anyone. Today there are extremely little people in the world who create classical music and this masterpiece is practically out of competition. Although this is still a work of a composer who has recommended himself mainly as a creator of music that is closer to New Age this time Mike has managed to do what is called "to jump above his own head". The participation of his colleague, pianist Lang Lang and a vocalist have certainly added to the success but if it were not for the enthusiasm and the talent of Oldfield not only as a composer but as an arranger and producer it is hardly possible that Music Of The Spheres would have resulted in such a grandiose and incredibly harmonious creation. Proving once again that there is always room for perfection Mike Oldfield continues his brilliant career and hopefully it is not the last of his masterpieces whichever style he prefers to work with the next time.