念大學時應是搖滾樂的黃金歲月, 因為一堆大卡斯幾乎每年或隔幾年就有驚世之作。來自英國的Mike Oldfield 自然忝列其中, 初出道發行處女作時才二十出頭的 Oldfield 並未受過正統的科班訓練, 但是除了打擊樂器外幾乎任何樂器都能上手。一鳴驚人的Tubular Bells (1973) 正是由慧眼識英雄的 Richard Branson (Virgin Recrod創辦人) 所贊助發行, 因為母帶錄好時(1971)沒有任何一家唱片公司願意發行如此一張難以分類的純演奏專題。而維京唱片正因此一專輯而一砲而紅, 相片中長的比較抱歉的正是 Branson 爵士, 帥哥自然是初出茅廬時的 Oldfield 。

【天地運行】源於一個古老的哲學與數學概念，這個概念指出音樂與太陽，月亮與行星的運行有關。Oldfield 在此張專輯中擔任音樂作曲、吉他獨奏與製作大任，他同時力邀英國當代最受歡迎的跨界作曲家卡爾傑金斯(Karl Jenkins)，「艾比路錄音室」中的管弦樂團，大陸鋼琴家郎朗與來自紐西蘭的清新美聲海莉((Hayley Westerna) 一起加入這趟延伸聽覺視野與挖掘情感深度的音樂旅程。

Oldfield 從霍爾斯特、拉赫曼尼諾夫的古典作品，還有史提夫萊克與菲利浦葛拉斯這些極簡派音樂大師的樂曲，甚至是電音古典派玩家威廉歐比特(William Orbit)的節奏裡頭尋找創作的靈感。本輯有著渾然天成的古典樂魅力，同時還蘊藏著專屬於Oldfield 的獨特神采, 耳尖的樂迷可以清楚見到"管鐘"(Tubular Bells)的影子。

郎朗不是第一次撈過界與流行音樂合作, Oldfield 也不是第一次找亞裔的音樂家合作。但只要看到專輯名稱便不會期望郎朗用上彈奏匈牙利狂想曲時的那種霸氣進而喧賓奪主。不過, Music of the Spheres (天地運行) 確實像是五十知天命的作品, 與以往同屬 New Age 的專輯大異其趣, 摒棄了尖銳的電吉它與花俏的合成器, 開始探討起哲理層次的題材。負責編曲的不再是搖滾背景的 David Bedford 而是曾擔任 fusion 大團 Soft Machine (1972-1984) 鍵盤手, 畢業自皇家音樂學院 (Elton John 也是) 的 Karl Jenkins。此君當年(1973)曾獲選為年度的最佳多重樂器手, 就一如 Oldfield 本人。離團單飛轉戰跨界音樂, Palladio(智慧女神) 一曲曾在1993 年被De Beers 用來作鑽石廣告配樂。Oldield 找來此君操刀也似乎象徵著對他鍾情已久的搖滾樂展開一場告別式。

如果喜歡從早年到'90年初期的作品, DVD 版的 Elements 是不錯的選擇, 因為有不少 MV含有精緻的動畫。如果想一睽成名作Tubular Bells, 日本版的 Tubular II & III 是最佳選擇, 因為這是 1992 及 1998 年改編自處女作在艾丁堡及倫敦的現場錄影。我個人最喜歡的Incantations (1978) 在 1979 的 Exposed tour 曾發行過雙 CD (包含 1973 版的Tubular Bells 現場版), part 2 的 The Song of Hiawatha (海華沙之歌) 歌詞改編自著名美國作家郎費羅描述美國原著民領袖的故事。 女主唱 Maddy Prior 有若天籟的嗓音比後來唱紅 Moonlight Shadow 的Maggie Reilly 要更加空靈。誠品特賣價 (Exposed DVD, 2005) 比最新專輯便宜一半以上 !

The Song of Hiawatha (Part 2, Incantations)

By The Shore Of Gitche Gumee
By The Shining Big-Sea-Water
At The Doorway Of The Wigwam
In The Early Summer Morning

Hiawatha Stood And Waited
All The Air Was Full Of Freshness
All The Earth Was Bright And Joyous
And Before Him Through The Sunshine

Westward Toward The Neighbouring Forest
Passed In Golden Swams, The Ahmo
Passed The Bees, The Honey-Makers
Burning, Singing In The Sunshine

Bright Above Him Shone The Heavens
Level Spread The Lake Before Him;
From Its Bosom Leaped The Sturgeon
Sparkling, Flashing In The Sunshine

On Its Margin The Great Forest
Stood Reflected In The Water
Every Tree-Top Had Its Shadow
Motionless Beneath The Water

From The Brow Of Hiawatha
Gone Was Every Trace Of Sorrow
As The Fog From Off The Water
As The Mist Of The Meadow

With A Smile Of Joy And Gladness
With A Look Of Exultation
As Of One Who In A Vision
Sees What Is To Be, But Is Not

Stood And Waited Hiawatha
Toward The Sun His Hands Were Lifted
Both The Palms Spread Out Towards It
And Between The Parted Fingers

Feel The Sunshine On His Features
Flecked With Light His Naked Shoulders
As It Falls And Flecks An Oak-Tree
Through The Rifted Leaves And Branches

O'er The Water Floating, Flying
Something In The Hazy Distance
Something In The Mist Of Morning
Loomed And Lifted From The Water
Now Seemed Floating, Now Seemed Flying
Coming Nearer, Nearer, Nearer
Was It Shingebis, The Diver?
Or The Pelican, The Shada?

Or The Heron, The Shuh-Shuh-Gah?
Or The White Goose, Waw-Be-Wawa,
With The Water Dripping, Flashing
From Its Glossy Neck And Feathers?

It Was Neither Goose Or Diver
Neither Pelican Nor Heron
O'er The Water Floating, Flying
Through The Shining Mist Of Morning

But A Birch Canoe With Paddles
Rising, Sinking In The Sunshine
Dripping, Flashing In The Sunshine
And Within It Came A People

Can It Be The Sun Descending
O'er The Level Plain Of Water
Or The Red Swan Floatin, Flying
Wounded By The Magic Arrow

Staining All The Waves With Crimson
With The Crimson Of Its Lifeblood
Filling All The Air With Splendour
Filling All The Air With Plumage

Yes, It Is The Sun Descending
Sinking Down Into The Water
All The Sky Is Stained With Purple
All The Water Flushed With Crimson!

No, It Is The Red Swan Floating
Diving Down Beneath The Water
To The Sky Its Wings Are Lifted
With Its Blood The Waves Are Reddened!

Over It The Star Of Evening
Melts And Trembles Through The Purple
Hangs Suspended In The Twilight
Walks In Silence Through The Heavens!

(H. W. Longfellow. Vocals: Maddy Prior)