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. And whilst the piece was entirely conceived, produced and written by Mike, in order to translate his ideas into traditional classical notation arranged for musicians to play, he turned to popular modern classical composer Karl Jenkins.
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.
"A 'Planets' for the 21st century" - Classic FM
'Music of the Spheres' is released in the UK March 17th, 2008.
Tracklisting:
1. Harbinger
2. Animus
3. Silhouette
4. Shabda
5. The Tempest
6. Harbinger Reprise
7. On My Heart (feat. Hayley Westenra)
8. Aurora
9. Prophecy
10. On My Heart Reprise (feat. Hayley Westenra)
11. Harmonia Mundi
12. The Other Side
13. Empyrean
14. Musica Universalis
Music Of The Spheres
Mike Oldfield Official Website
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