Ommadawn

by

Mike Oldfield

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Which is best? TUBULAR BELLS, HERGEST RIDGE or OMMADAWN? I could make a case for any of them. There is plenty of debate in these...reviews about their respective merits, but frankly it's like arguing over which is the most important bird species.

The simple fact is that you need to own all three albums. There are many who believe that Oldfield was put on this Earth to make OMMADAWN. If Oldfield had disappeared completely from the music scene after recording OMMADAWN, then his place in history would have been assured. Without this trilogy of albums, there would have been no market for the likes of Andreas Vollenweider, and a much smaller audience for composers as diverse as Tangerine Dream, Steve Reich, Arvo Part and even late Jan Garbarek.

With TUBULAR BELLS, Mike Oldfield opened up what would be known as New age music to a mass audience. With OMMADAWN, he sealed his place in music legend, and perhaps unwittingly discovered a new audience by composing a suite of melodies with immense appeal to children. Some time after this, Oldfield was hired to re-work the theme tune to the BBC children's programme, BLUE PETER.

OMMADAWN represented a departure from his previous solo, multi-tracked recording technique. Other musicians were involved, not just in the recording but in the composition and arrangement too. Influences from the folk music of Ireland, Africa and Eastern Europe can be clearly heard. Paddy Moloney of the Irish band the Chieftains contributed the distinctive uillean pipes. It was way ahead of its time, and for me, it confirms the 22-year-old Oldfield as not just one of the great classical guitarists in rock, but as one of its greatest composers.

Everyone peaks at some point in their life, and Oldfield did it between the ages of 19 and 22. What sort of a life can you lead thereafter? Oldfield has enjoyed his wealth and tried to recapture the glory of his prodigious musical achievement, but not with total success.

OMMADAWN is Oldfield at his peak. The 1970s provided the nurturing environment needed to create this extraordinary recording. We are unlikely to witness either again.

I usually don't take the time to write reviews but I feel strongly about this one. IMHO, Mike Oldfield had written one of *the* instrumental masterpieces of all time. And its called "Songs of Distant Earth".

SDE, has been a very influential record for me as a composer and a

music lover. Several people have said to me "oh yeah, Songs of Distant

Earth is great and all but, you do you have Ommadawn?" I had heard bits

here at Amazon in the past and passed on it but being the huge Oldfield fan I am, I bought it and listened. I admit that the 2 records are pretty different in terms of the period and the approach to production but they are both clearly Mike Oldfield. With that in mind combined with the fact that so many seem to proclaim "Ommadawn" as his Masterpiece, I must say that I humbly disagree. I would not hesitate to recommend Songs of Distant Earth to any music lover but honestly would not recommend Ommadawn.

On a side note, I have been listening to the samples of "Music of the Spheres" as I have been writing this and is sounds really good! I am really looking forward to buying it after posting this review.

Thanks for reading. One of the great things about music is there are all different kinds for all different ears and we all don't really need to agree as to what works for us as individuals. :^) Mike if you read this, you are a brilliant composer/producer!!