Incantations (album)

Incantations is a record album written and mostly performed by Mike Oldfield. It was his fourth new album, and the first to feature a piece divided into more than two movements. The LP consists of two albums, the CD release fits the entire piece onto one disc (but see below). It is the longest work Oldfield has ever released. The cover was once again done by Trevor Key.

Related Topics:
Record album - Mike Oldfield - CD - Trevor Key

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Compared to the complexity of Oldfield's three previous albums, Incantations is minimalist, featuring melodic lines repeated in simple forms with only a few instruments at a time.

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Incantations was recorded at Througham, Mike Oldfield's home after he completed Ommadawn. It was his desire to create an album that would make use of a small orchestra, and some of his own statements indicate that he may have moved into his new house simply because it had room for one. He had used "extra-instrumental" ensembles previously, such as the brass ensemble on Ommadawn and the string/choir group on Hergest Ridge before that, but they form a major part of Incantations.

Related Topics:
Brass - Ommadawn - Hergest Ridge

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It was during the creation of Incantations that Mike Oldfield underwent the assertiveness training course "Exegesis", and between the earlier parts and the later parts of the album there is a definite difference in style, possibly due to the course. The course may have had added effects to bolster his confidence, as it was almost immediately thereafter that Oldfield went on his first live tour with Incantations.

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The lyrics for Part II are taken from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's "The Song of Hiawatha", though rearranged in places to conform more to the music.

Related Topics:
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow - The Song of Hiawatha

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The lyrics for Part IV are Ben Jonson's "Ode to Cynthia" from Cynthia's Revels, but adjusted again to match the music.

Related Topics:
Ben Jonson - Cynthia's Revels

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A different version of Part IV was used for the soundtrack of The Space Movie, the lyrics there are from Kathleen Raine's "A Spell for Creation".

Related Topics:
The Space Movie - Kathleen Raine

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The beach in the cover photograph is Cala Galdana, in Menorca.

Related Topics:
Cala Galdana - Menorca

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When the CD version was released, due to the shorter length of the format at the time, many early pressings have Part III shortened from 16:59 down to 13:49 by cutting from the beginning. When 74-minute CDs became the norm and quality control was increased, the full cut of Part III was restored. All modern pressings have the full version of the piece.

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