TUBULAR BELLS 2003

A lot of sources inform that the artist Mike Oldfield was deeply dissatisfied with his first solo effort Tubular Bells since its release date. On the other hand, this album was internationally recognized as Oldfield's very best. And this contradiction is unsolvable. Perhaps that's why Oldfield returned to the 'tubular bells' subject again and again throughout his creative life. Orchestral Tubular Bells, Tubular Bells II, Tubular Bells III, The Millenium Bell... The musician circled above the subject like a kite, widening or narrowing his circles from time to time. And while he fantasized over the 'tubular' theme offering one derivative product after another to the public, the 1973 prototype wasn't getting better. (And I must agree with the author, the album is full or even overfilled with gorgeous musical ideas but was done very sloppy, untidy I'd say...) Of course this story had to end up with something sooner or later. And it came to end in 2003 when Oldfield stopped producing 'variations upon the tubular theme' and re-arranged, re-performed and re-recorded the original album as it should be done 30 years before to be done well. Who knows, maybe the 1973 original version was conceived too profound and wise for a young artist, maybe he created a stone which he could not lift up himself in those days, and that's the reason for his continuous dissatisfaction? Anyway, the 2003 version is perfect in any respect. At the same time it probably even has no independent value, it cannot assert itself in its own right if you like. It exists only as the evidence that the 1973 album is (or at least should be) a real masterpiece.