The Millennium Bell
The Millennium Bell | ||||
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Warner | ||||
Producer | Mike Oldfield | |||
Mike Oldfield chronology | ||||
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Tubular Bells series chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [1] |
The Millennium Bell is the 20th
Recording, release and Millennium concert
Oldfield recorded the majority of the album at his home studio, Roughwood Studios, Berkshire, and then recorded the orchestrations in just one day at
It was Oldfield's third album within one year, after Tubular Bells III in late 1998 and Guitars earlier in 1999. It was the third Mike Oldfield album available on the MiniDisc format, after Tubular Bells and Tubular Bells II were both released on MiniDisc in 1992.
A free live performance of the latter half of the album plus some older tracks was given in Berlin, Germany on New Year's Eve 1999, with an estimated audience of 500,000 people.[2] This concert was released on a DVD (and later CD) with the title The Art in Heaven Concert.
Album analysis
This section possibly contains original research. (April 2010) |
The main theme of The Millennium Bell is the view on the two thousand years after the birth of
"Peace on Earth"
The opening track, "Peace on Earth", is essentially a Christmas carol, referring to the newborn Jesus Christ, the bringer of peace on Earth. The main aspect of this track is hope.
"Pacha Mama"
Mixing electronic and ethnic sounds, namely the ethnic percussion, "Pacha Mama" was based on the music of
"Santa Maria"
"Santa Maria" – taking its name from
"Sunlight Shining Through Cloud"
The verse from "Sunlight Shining Through Cloud" is taken from
"The Doge's Palace"
Driven by the electronic percussion's relentless pulse combined with male operatic vocals, strings and solo oboe, "The Doge's Palace" makes a leap to Europe, to the
"Lake Constance"
"Lake Constance", the first fully orchestral track on the album, refers to the age of
"Mastermind"
"Mastermind" leaps forward to 1920s, the time of
"Broad Sunlit Uplands"
Another fully orchestral piece, "Broad Sunlit Uplands" takes its name from one of Winston Churchill's famous speeches, and refers to the beginning of World War II. To experience what Churchill felt during the days of Operation Sea Lion, Mike Oldfield visited his war room, Blenheim Palace. The track refers to the grimy phenomenon of war.
"Liberation"
The spoken word on "Liberation" is an excerpt from
"Amber Light"
"Amber Light", with some words in Xhosa, translating to "There is light at the end of the tunnel", refers to the end of apartheid in South Africa and also the turn of the 3rd millenniums – a look into new, unknown, but hopeful future.
"The Millennium Bell"
The album concludes with the title track, musically referring to all the other tracks in the album as well as the
Track listing
- "Peace on Earth" – 4:10
- "Pacha Mama" – 4:05
- "Santa Maria" – 2:44
- "Sunlight Shining Through Cloud" – 4:33
- "The Doge's Palace" – 3:07
- "Lake Constance" – 5:16
- "Mastermind" – 3:03
- "Broad Sunlit Uplands" – 4:03
- "Liberation" – 2:38
- "Amber Light" – 3:42
- "The Millennium Bell" – 7:37
Personnel
- Mike Oldfield – Producer, performer and writer
- Ben Darlow – Engineer
- Robyn Smith – Conductor, Arranger
- London Session Orchestra
- The London Händel Choir
- The Grant Gospel Choir
- Nicola Emmanuelle – Vocals
- David Serame – Vocals
- Miriam Stockley – Vocals
- Camilla Darlow – Vocals
- Andrew Johnson – Vocals
- Gota Yashiki – Drums
- Martay – Vocals
- Pepsi Demacque– Vocals
- Greta Hegerland-Oldfield – Narration
- DJ Pippi – Arrangement
Charts
Chart (1999) | Position |
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Austria | 43 |
Germany | 39 |
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[4] | 5 |
Switzerland | 94 |
Certifications and sales
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[5] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
References
- AllMusic
- ^ Martin, Carole (Spring 2000). "Ringing in the Millennium in Berlin". Dark Star magazine. Retrieved 2 August 2006.
- ^ "Biography". DJ Pippi. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
- ISBN 978-84-8048-866-2.
- ISBN 84-8048-639-2. Retrieved 20 May 2019.