Composer Reacts to Mike Oldfield - Ommadawn Pt.1 (REACTION & ANALYSIS) 

In nearly 50 years of listening to progressive music this is the one track that I continually return to in order to meditate or calm myself. It’s definitely an eyes closed headphones on and floating off song. In my view it’s better than Tubular Bells and as usual he plays all the instruments on this. In short Mike was ahead of his time and has produced innovative and unique music. Blessed to have seen him perform live, the last time at the Olympic opening ceremony in London. Thanks for reviewing this and keep going.

I must have listened to Ommadawn over 2000 times since the 70s. It's too incredible for words.

Every note of Ommadawn is pure gold.

I love that you listened to this! Ommadawn is so good, you can go back to it a thousand times and enjoy and find new things, and this is the case for most of his stuff. Mike Oldfield is my all-time favourite composer (he usually plays all the instruments too and also sings sometimes), his songs are such journeys with all the instruments, moods and little melodies and sections all contributing to the special and so-so characteristic feeling of his songs. Unique and cohesive for sure. It just all flows so well, exciting and interesting. Lots of folk, lots of prog, lots of imagery. Even when he went (or had to go) pop, or went a bit electronic, it was there, and he did looots of type of music during the years. You gotta check out 'Amarok' at some point just for yourself, although it would be nice to see your reactions! It's an hour-long epic chaos he wrote to spite his label :D It's really my all time favourite from him. But apart from that, 'Tubular Bells' of course is a classic, although 'Tubular Bells II' for me was always a bigger hit. 'The Songs of Distant Earth' is more new-age-y, maybe, but so good. 'Guitars' is... well, guitars... 'Voyager' is Celtic stuff, 'Music of the Spheres' is classical, 'Light+Shade' is electronic... the man has done everything! Can't say he never missed but still x) He even did a sequel to this, 'Return to Ommadawn' in 2016 and it's so nice! Loved your analysis as always. Weird to hear something that's so part of my life being analysed!

Thanks for a lovely analysis and reaction - Ommadawn is an absolute masterpiece. It only gets better with every single listen, I promise you. Mike played and overdubbed most of the track as he did on his previous records "Tubular Bells" and "Hergest Ridge" but also brought in a larger number of guests this time, playing things like the African drums, the trumpet, marimbas and the flute. Paddy Moloney of the Chieftains plays the Uillean Pipes beautifully on side two as well. Do more Mike Oldfield!

Masterpiece! The intensity, the melody, the armony, the rithms changes, the orchestration, the chorus in gaelic, the patterns of timbristics jewels, the power of mindblow for years and years, the guitar fuses, the "neonatal section", the awesome number of organics instrumentation, (most plays for he in self), the editing, the dinamic, recording, etc. IMO, the top of the prog rock, and modern music. Mike is a genius. Greetings from 🗿Chile🇨🇱

I always think of this as a Christmas album, as I can distinctly remember buying it on a cold Glasgow evening after work, mid December 1975. The second side, (part 2), has a section featuring the uilleann pipes played by Paddy Moloney which is just so so beautiful. There is also some really nice acoustic guitar work on part 2, and who can't resist singing along to the final song ''On Horseback''? Absolutely bonkers but, Hey and away we go, through the grass cross the snow.................

You can't really rate Oldfield material if you haven't listened to it a bunch of times. Over the hundreds of times I've listened to tubular bells hergest ridge and ommadawn I've changed my opinion on them multiple times. Learning to appreciate it differently every listen. It's a unique experience.

it's the type of song that you can listen 25 years later and still discovering things and amaze youself like the day one. Finally Mike Oldfield in the channel.... His 70's work it's remarcable for me: Tubullar bells, Omnmadawen, Hergest Ridge and Incantations are the holy grial. And Amarok of 1990 of course.

There is no word's to describe this masterpiece. You listen OMMADAWN WHEN THE WHEEL DISCOVERED....

First time visiting the channel (got promoted because I'm an Oldfield fan) and it's great to hear such a detailed reaction to one of Oldfield's seminal works. This was his 3rd solo album - and he was only 22! and yes he is the sole composer and he plays most of the instruments. His background is folk music but growing up in the 60's meant being influenced by all the rock n roll so his melding of the two pretty much set the benchmark for this kind of epic folk rock fantasy sound. 2 years prior no-one - least of all Oldfield himself - expected his debut album "Tubular Bells" to be the monster hit it became. The closest music to that was probably Pink Floyd but Oldfields folk sensibilities slanted his music much more melodically and the breadth of instrumentation was staggering. This was at the birth of 16 track recording and even that wasn't enough. It's interesting hearing you say how some of the sections of Ommadawn almost out stay their welcome - Tubular Bells is much more episodic (it was really Mike's first chance to just splurge all the musical ideas down for the first time in a proper recording studio as he didn't know when he would be given the chance to do it again) so the amount of ideas in each of it's 2 parts is huge which some find disconcerting - others love how it changes so quickly from one idea to the next. The 2nd album Hergest Ridge was inevitably done in a hurry and Mike was never satisfied with it. Mike at that time was in a bad place mentally with family issues and being very shy and introverted. Music was his release. The success of Tubular Bells meant the pressure was on for the sequel and it's only recently that it has been re-evaluated and is becoming much more respected for what it is - actually a very grown up piece of work. More pastoral in nature, less rock orientated than Bells. The Original Mix is by far the best however Mike re-mixed it 2 years later and decided that should be the one on the records so the original didn't re-surface until 2010 along with a less than satisfactory new version (along with Ommadawn which you have just listened to). Ommadawn Part 1 is probably the apotheosis of this period of Oldfield's music - it's unfortunate that you heard the 2010 mix first as despite the clarity of the instruments it lacks the power and melding of the original and indeed the "Boxed" remix (the surround mix that was done a week after the original). The climax of Part one is basically an allegory of sexual intercourse - the pinnacle of which in the original mix is the main theme being stated on of all things a glockenspiel! (and it works!) the drums at the end are the post coital heartbeats after the climax. HIs next album "Incantations" was a double album - so 4 sides of music. If you found some of Ommadawn repetitive you would probably find this album challenging as he takes repetition to another level experimenting with rounds and full octave progressions - but with just enough variation to not be too minimalist and boring...but it proved a bit too much for some of his fan base. That album fits perfectly what you were saying about background music - you can dip in and out with each transition but concentrate on what it is you are doing. Oldfield is a musical chameleon, you never know what he is going to do next - his long career has many peaks and troughs, some of the music is the most inspiring, spiritual and influential music I have heard in my near 50 years on this planet - but he has also released some disappointing highly derivative material - but he is not afraid to make fun of everything and he has released many jokey and bizarre tracks but all meticulously created and played making a little gem. His guitar work is seriously underrated but unmistakable when heard - he really makes guitars sing. It goes without saying that to get the most out of his music you have to invest in the time to actually listen - preferably in a darkened room with good headphones! If you are at all intrigued I'd say start at the beginning -Tubular Bells Part 1 - and work your way chronologically and ride the peaks and troughs that all his fans endured over the decades. Oh and Always listen to the Original Mixes first ;-)

A ear Ommadawn since 1976. Thousands of times. Never tired. Always surprised with new notes, new tones, new details, new sensations. The very best of Mike. Mike the very best of eternal music.

He composed/recorded this album when he was 21-22 years old.

Mike plays over 20 instruments and multitracks.

Mike Oldfield's music gives me the feeling of travelling through an ancient landscape and then occasionally encountering a glimpse of "stoneage" civilization. I think I prefer Tubular Bells to Ommadawn but this was still a nice piece. PS. I think Mike composed "on the fly" to give that layered texture. It's very English music in my opinion.

When I'm fed up with this insane world this music is my spaceship, at the end I come back energized and happy, ready for a new battle.

My no.1 Album of all time :-)

Shortly after Oldfield started to record, his mother died. He later recalled that working on his new music provided the only source of comfort for him at the time.

Ommadawn is a singular masterpiece that still beguiles and captures me. I first heard it when it came out in 1975 - ish. I have yet to hear any instrumental equal to its complexity, beauty and brilliant, unsettling sections that give way to utter gorgeousness. I doubt it will ever be equalled.

I'm totally with you on this one Bryan. I really enjoy this and his other epics whenever I listen. I rarely get the urge to return to them though. He was only 17 when he composed his classic debute Tubular Bells (also the soundtrack to the movie The Exorcist) and as others have mentioned he played most instruments himself. This was recorded only two years later. Pretty impressive!

The original mix, IMO, is better. The next Oldfield you should listen is Hergest Ridge 1974 mix.

Mike Oldfield honed his compositional skills and musicianship on Tubular Bells, and Hergest Ridge - enabling him to realize his full potential and create this masterpiece. Artificial substances are redundant when submerging oneself in this, the greatest and the most fully realized evocation of the British countryside - nirvana is assured. The original 1975 mix is superior. Mike Oldfield does not have a great track record of remixing his own material. The original Hergest Ridge recording from 1974, which was abandoned latterly, has far more subtlety and colour than his preferred mix; and his subsequent remix. Ironically, when he re-recorded Tubular Bells in a desire to eradicate faults and blemishes, it sanitized the piece, and amusingly, introduced a blemish in the finale of side one, where John Cleese replaces Viv Stanshall as Master of Ceremony. Mike Oldfield is a unique and hugely gifted guitarist, but unfortunately does not receive the recognition that his talent and rich catalogue deserves. He has a unique ability to generate joyous, uplifting, climactic electric guitar passages, in particular on Ommadawn, Incantations, Platinum, QE2, Five Miles Out, Amarok, and Discovery.

Great analysis... Mike Oldfield is awesome and one of my all time favourite musicians. He's hugely underatted unfortunately after his first 3 albums. But he's done so many great albums after them covering many different genres. Please do some more reactions on Mike Oldfield.

This is a masterpiece, but unfortunately this 2010 mix is too clean, without the soul of the original. Sometimes gives an amateurish feeling to the work, and the climax less effective as it was.

it's probably just because I listened to the original LP less than 2 weeks ago, but I am really not a fan of the 2010 remix. I'm sure it would be incredible if I didn't have the LP version so fresh in my mind. Still, thanks for being willing react to this piece. Mike's first 3 albums are some of my favorite prog. Just picked up a used copy of Hergest Ridge at a Record Fair last weekend. Tomorrow will be my first time listening to the album in over 20 years. Should be a real treat.

Amazing. I loved every second of it!

Huge Mike Oldfield han here. Ommadawn is considered by many his masterpiece (but some of us think Amarok is the one who takes the cake). Anyway, not only Oldfield composed all of it with minimal knowledge of music sheet reading or writing, but he plays 90% of the instruments himself (search online for a picture of him with all the instruments around him). The darkenss you hear in the piece is becasue around that time Mike's mother, Maureen, died, and he has a very big moarn for her, barely coping with life. Clodagh Simonds, the singer, told that at times the recording studio was filled with cigar smoke, alcohol and XXX magazines. Anyway, not only Ommadawn is a ride, the whole work of Oldfield is a ride.

"They" on a Oldfield-album is usually only himself.. ;) Please do some more Oldfields!

Thanks for this one. One of my favourite pieces of lead guitar,by anyone at anytime is on the back end of side two. Worth a listen if you get the chance. Whenever you are feeling adventurous give Amarok a go but read the backstory first to give you context. Its eclectic genius.

Love this =)! been a fan since I was born in 1989.. even got a tattoo of tubular bells on my back =)

Mike oldfield is the composer and plays all the instruments

Great song, great album. Mike Oldfield is one of my favorite composers. A Genius. Thanks for this reaction.

Mike Oldfield is not only the composer, but most instruments player, producer, etc.

Looking forward to this. First time watcher. Please don't be a pauser, otherwise I am GONE

This was an absolute treat to watch!

Yessssssss

Just come right out and say it, it’s one one the most amazing things you’ve ever heard..

What a song! A complete universe in this song.

Thank you to everyone for providing insight on Mike and the track for Bryan! And thank you Bryan for the 25 minute thoughtful, critical analysis. As a bonus I'm glad you seemed to really enjoy it! It's high praise for you to elevate this above other similar rides/journeys. Have to add my obligatory comment that I keep bringing up about wanting a reaction to his 60 minute song/album Amarok lol.

To me, the complex works that you tend to react to, my appreciation always grows over time. In fact, many of my favorite pieces start out being from "meh" to "ick" but something compels me to come back. MO stuff usually starts great and just gets better. Amarok took some getting used to, because the parts can be jarring. But, after becoming more familiar, the anticipation of the changes adds greatly to the enjoyment. *Knowing* the contrasts enhances the piece. Bands like Yes, are more often WTF (W being what or why)!? Songs like "Heart of the Sunrise" and "Gates of Delirium" in particular were almost "bad" and are now faves.

A genuine masterpiece transcending all genres- bravo Mike. Mike really understands the balance between essential predictability and unpredictably in music.

This is the first time pretty much hearing of Mike Oldfield and certainly first time listening to this song but I wonder if the Lord of the rings or high fantasy was any kind of inspiration to this piece because I am getting a strong fantastical vibe from this

Mike’s first 4 albums were something else. I wonder what would have happened if he’d been allowed to keep developing music like this

True genius of music.

Um álbum sublime!!!!❤

oldfield for ever

I always like to listen to this one with the lights off & let my imagination run-I always imagine being in a giant garden with running streams, trees & ponds & lilypads. It is hugely relaxing, but with a huge air of menace at the beginning. Tubular Bells was his first album & is a quite remarkable work-especially as he wrote it in his teenage years.

Les Penning on the Recorder (Flute) and he is a genius in his own rite. It was amazing to hear Mike and Les collaborate at Penrhos on this album. If you enjoyed this as much as you appeared to have, you should also find Mike's "Return to Ommadawn" album and Rob Reed's collab with Les Penning "Return to Penrhos" which was sort of a dig at Mike for not including Les in the return album. Amazing work from all parties. But I am biased because I've always enjoyed Mike's creativity.

If you flip immediatly onto part 2 you are thrown into a massive primal scream which put that final section into context. The cut away to drums at the end make more sense in that context. The album was recorded around the time Oldfield's mother died and I think that has a significant impact on the work.

Yes, Mike Oldfield was the composer and instrumentalist, though he did have a few guest musicians on this album (for the wood drums at the end and something else in Pt. 2)

The most classical of all the prog rock exponents except perhaps David Bedford. The first three albums were so fresh and new compared with anything that was around at the time. And by the way there was not even space invaders when this was created…… Mike your song sounds like a video game soundtrack …….Mike Oldfield …..What’s a video game….?

This music feels kind of perfect as we reach Midsummer's Day here in the UK........beautiful

Ommadawn is the opposite of background music.

Why am I crying?

The end was African drums played by Jubala

There is a short documentary on here showing how he recorded the piece. Just search Mike Oldfield Ommadawn. It was precisely because he was putting together these pretty much solo multitracked albums at the age of 17 that he became a name.

Never thought I wouldn’t hate a slide-whistle.

Oldfield is God!🙏🏻

Esta canción es altamente adictiva, y no solamente a las personas que gustan del rock progresivo, sino que hasta a mi mamá le gusta y me dice que la coloque cuando salimos en mi auto.

l'oeuvre d'un génie musical en fait !

Extra props for the Cesar Romero 'Joker" t-shirt!

On the compositional level you should check out "Incantations", the vast majority of which is based on a single stepwise chord building progression stated at the opening. I'm told its simply a cycle of 4ths,

y pensar que hizo esto como con 22 años

I dont know if this is not the original mix or if its just the sound on this video, but the mix doesn't sound like the original, to me, and quite a lot of the power of the buildup seems drowned out in this. I have listened to this many times and this really sounds 'thinner' somehow. I have a feeling it's a digital remaster with new reverbs and I prefer the analogue original.

Terry Oldfield play the flute and Jabular is the African percussion group who pretty much make the p1 and Sally on Vocals. Incantation have similar sections.

I listen to return to ommadawn constantly

I only know of Mike Oldfield from Tubular Bells, which is a fantastic album and was actually a surprise "hit" (both critically and commercially) in the early 70s that now has something of a cult status. It's one of those albums that feels strangely outside time. It gets labeled as "progressive rock" but it's really more "soundtrack to a non-existent film" than anything traditionally rock or prog. Given how great Tubular Bells is I really should've checked out more of his music by now. This is definitely a good piece as well, but on an initial listen it doesn't seem as catchy or as complex as Tubular Bells. This also feels slightly more... traditional? Like, it definitely sounds more like 70s prog, with certain sections being very reminiscent of Yes and Genesis especially. That's not a bad thing by any means, and I don't want to compare everything I hear from Oldfield to Tubular Bells, but it's hard not to with an album/track that iconoclastic. Perhaps the best thing about this piece is that it's extremely listenable. That almost sounds like damning with faint praise, but given that it's a 20-minute instrumental that's no mean feat. This seems like it would be a lovely piece to put on while lounging outside on a windy, cloudy day while getting nice and high.

It’s a new day at the Ren-Faire and all things are possible… except LARPing… no LARPing.

Our Music teacher said house started with the drums at part one. I guess he was right .

Great song to react to. A composer's playground this tune is. Too bad the requester has questionable taste in choosing which mix to listen to. The original mix from 1975 is MUCH better. Mike Oldfield himself mixed the original and made infinitely better choices regarding instrument placement and relative volumes of instruments. It affects so much the transitions between sections. The transitions are smoother and are more epic where required. Do yourself a favor and listen to the 1975 mix immediately. With your musical mind Bryan you will hear the vast improvements and really be able to appreciate Oldfield's genius. The final section sounds weak in this 2010 mix. In the original it becomes HUGE, and the whole song has a dynamic action, a musical drama, that is so much more apparent than it is in this mix. The ending "wood sticks" that you say seem inappropriate to you are a clear example of the horrible mix decisions made in this 2010 mix. It is supposed to fade out with just the African drums pounding out their hypnotic groove. That is how Oldfield did it in '75 and it is the most awesome fade out. Oldfield always puts the composition first. The song itself is most important, not the player, and certainly not the engineer! Video game music composers wish they could write stuff as good as this. Cheers!

When you are used to the original mix, the changes are quite jarring and, to my ears, detrimental. If you react to Hergest Ridge, for pity's sake, DON'T listen to a remixed version. I've heard one and it ruins it. Subtle elements are wiped out and others are brought into unnecessarily sharp relief. Basically, unless the artist has expressed dissatisfaction with their original mix, don't mess with it!

The drums are JABBULA

Do "Return to Ommadawn" as well.

Without doubt his masterpiece is tubular bells, but for me crises and five miles out and songs from distant earth are oldfields best works....

Please listen to the original. Far more superior.

Like u will discover if u complete the researche Oldfield plays ALL the instruments on this (exept recorders I think).

Ah! 'Composer'. That must mean YOU and Oldfield are, like, the same thing, right?

Imagine your alone in a space craft in the middle of a battle. Ommadawn is far more fluid than Tubular Bells both are equal in quality.

Amarok next??

Gonna be frank: Glad you did the 2010 mix. I don't know if I'm in the minority, but I believe it's way better. And now for some fun facts: - The ending is meant to represent a birth, and the pain, intensity and exhaustion that comes with it, and the guitar solo was recorded during a rainy stormy night. Not making any of this up. - The African drums used in Ommadawn were sampled and reused for the track _"Far Above the Clouds"_ that closes out the album *Tubular Bells III* from 1998.

Did you ever listen to the rest of the album?

"That trumpet is crisp". It's an electric guitar.

I think, Crises would do for you!

I kinda like the original better, because the sound is more raw or authentic.

This 2010 remix is an abomination, an insult to the original 1975 masterpiece. The same applies to Hergest Ridge. I don't know if Mike Oldfield was needing some cash badly or just went plain insane when he committed these criminal acts against his own legacy.. And it gets worse. While the 2-CD Deluxe Edition released in 2010 included a CD with the original 1975 mix, the single CD re-releases only contained the 2010 remixed monstrosity without a single mention that it was a remix - people hearing the album for the first time were led to believe that that was the original version. The same thing still happens today on streaming services - the "default" version is the 2010 cancer, and first-time listeners will think that's the original version.

Man I usually prefer original mixes but I understand why the requester wanted the 2010 mix, because it was brilliant. One of the best albums in the history of albums. Period.

Ascolto Mike dall' 80 e non ho mai smesso. Ommadawn e Incantations i suoi capolavori. Grazie Mike.

Hi i am alex i am from Romania and if i can request some folk metal Romanian the band its called E-AN-NA and you can check any of their songs if you will like

LSD required

Think the chip tune comment was spot on. Totally sounds like a game soundtrack.

i have to say that unfortunately the recomendation to listen to the 2010 remix was a bad choice, the 75 mix is so much more atmospheric and dramatic. Oldfield did these remixes to all the first three albums and in my opinion lost the original feel...all that you're suggesting that would be better in the mix strangely enough exist in the 75 mix...

'Tubular Bells' was a must album of the early seventies. It was so unique. 'Ommadawn' I found a total yawn. Sorry. For excellent long tracks try Edgar Froese and 'Epsilon in Malaysian Pale'. ETA The second side of the album of the same name is even better - I've just re-listened. 'Maroubra Bay'. Such a groove!

2010 terrible remix. You should listen the original... 1975.

Not talk please

A genius ....