As to the question of genre…well, that’s rather vexed, since if anything the whole notion of genre is under question these days. Sure, Oldfield’s pieces may not be structured like Western art music of the classical era (to use a clumsy locution that at least clarifies what I, at least, mean…), but then very little 20c and 21c orchestral and small-ensemble compositions are. (See what I mean about genre? It’s hard even to name them any more…)

Regardless, I think you’re probably correct that Oldfield’s recognized he’s not going to be a pop star – and that long-form, relatively complex pieces are what he does best. He is enamored of melody (or was, at least), but then melody’s made a bit of a comeback in the “classical” world anyway.

Hmm. Local ensemble Present Music might illustrate some of these points. I know Tim W.’s a fan of Amy X. Neuberg…but here’s someone who sings, plays keys and samples, and sorta does a Laurie Anderson-type thing…but who also is, increasingly, regarded as a “serious” composer…even though her recordings would probably go down pretty well with prog/avant crowds, and she most often works in “song” form, loosely speaking. So what genre is she working in? Who cares?

It’s really not unusual these days for someone to, say, compose a fifteen-minute piece that takes inspiration from Turkish music, incorporates jazz saxophone solos, samples sports broadcasts, and requires hotshit rock’n'roll electric guitar soloing. So if Oldfield wants to be taken seriously as a composer, he’s in the right place, I guess.

Thanks for the RoF kudos. Smallberries does know how to produce. I’ve never heard of Bernard Fanning, though I have heard of Powderfinger. If I were going to have an Australian singing on our songs, I’d hire InfK (though he’s not strictly an Australian yet).

By the way, another thing I found surprising during my “alphabetical songs” fest was how well the occasional Reign of Frogs songs sounded when they came up. The production quality is right up there with the high-budget big-names songs they wound up mixed in with. Needs a good vocalist, though. Maybe if there’s a Frogs reunion you could see if Bernard Fanning’s not busy.

My favorite album, which was probably Oldfield’s worst seller, is “Incantations”. It’s not very accessible music (hence the poor sales) but I think it’s his best work. In one sense it is orchestral because most of the instruments played in it are in orchestras, but in another sense I think of it as orchestral because I can image it being orchestrated and played by real symphony orchestras. I was listening to it recently and in my mind’s eye (or ear) I could imagine how it would sound as an orchestral piece, and I think it would remain true to the work, and still get played on the symphony orchestra circuit. Much more so than any of Oldfield’s other work (including “Music of the Spheres”).

The “Orchestral Tubular Bells” was awful, but the original “Tubular Bells” was full of gimmicks, so it didn’t translate well. “Incantations” doesn’t really have any of those, and is in a more “classical” form than any other Oldfield work. Hell, if symphonies will play Ive’s music, “Incantations” ought to be a shoo-in. In my opinion, if you’re willing to call “Incantations” a “classical” piece, it’s the best classical piece written in the latter 20th century.

I like the Oldfield “half pop” phase, especially the Five Miles Out – Crises – Discovery trilogy. Which probably means I’m not a real Oldfield fan. “Taurus II” on Five Miles Out is my favorite Oldfield instrumental, even though it’s basically just a really long instrumental version of the title track.

Mostly I was skipping anything longer than 5 minutes or so, which includes most Oldfield material, since the idea was to sample this and that. But I was pleasantly surprised at how listenable the songs from his 1984 album “Discovery” were as they came up.

Some find it strange to be here, on this small planet and who knows where…

But classical music? I just can’t see it. I think he’s squarely in the Canterbury prog tradition (after all, he did get his start playing with Kevin Ayers), and I would relate him much more to Camel, Caravan, or Jade Warrior than to anything classical. I’ve never heard any of the orchestral versions of his stuff, or the new one, but the prospect has little appeal.

The “greatest composer” tag came from Robin Denselow, a newspaper pop critic, rather than a “respected musicologist,” by the way…