Mike Oldfield

Today’s piece of music is Tubular Bells by Mike Oldfield.

Daniel Holdsworth and Aidan Roberts

Multi-instrumentalists Daniel Holdsworth and Aidan Roberts have arranged the entire score of Tubular Bells to be played out by just two blokes, bringing the influential masterpiece to life with all of life's multi-layered madness and subtle beauty intact.

Tubular Brass and Synths playing Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells

You can catch Hannah Peel’s Mary Casio: Journey to Cassiopeia tour at Liverpool’s Philharmonic Hall on Saturday, September 23rd; Stockton-on-Tees’ The Arc on Saturday, September 30th; Barnsley’s Civic Theatre on Saturday, October 21st; and Basingstoke’s Anvil Arts on Saturday, October 28th, all four shows also featuring Tubular Brass and Synths playing Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells.

The BBC broadcaster John Peel

In 1973, The BBC broadcaster John Peel played the electronic album Tubular Bells, by the then unknown Mike Oldfield, in Tubular Bells's entirety: the album subsequently topped the UK charts, so giving Richard Branson's fledgling Virgin Records a massive boost.

Antony Cotton on the tubular bells, Carley Stenson on the recorder, Adele Silva on the xylophone and Kelvin Fletcher on the swanee whistle

The celebrity instrument players were Antony Cotton on the tubular bells, Carley Stenson on the recorder, Adele Silva on the xylophone and Kelvin Fletcher on the swanee whistle.

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

The Orchestral Tubular Bells was an orchestral version, arranged by David Bedford and recorded in 1974 by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

the legendary 50 minute suite , that sold a gajillion albums

Tubular Bells is the legendary 50 minute suite that sold a gajillion albums, made Mike Oldfield an instant star and turned Virgin Records founder Richard Branson into a mogul.

the

what is the name given to a set of bells for playing tunes?

The BBC broadcaster John Peelplayed

In 1973, The BBC broadcaster John Peelplayed the electronic album Tubular Bells, by the then unknown Mike Oldfield, in Tubular Bells's entirety: the album subsequently topped the UK charts, so giving Richard Branson's fledgling Virgin Records a massive boost.

by Austin Cernosek

The harps were played by Liesl Erman and Elisabeth Zosseder, and the tubular bells were played by Austin Cernosek.

the 2nd timpani player

- The tubular bells are played by the 2nd timpani player.

Nik Powell

Mike Oldfield recorded Tubular Bells when Nik Powell was only 19 years old, playing most of the instruments himself, which was uncommon in the early 70's.

Fragile a few rock operas of minor note, and then, in the late 70s and early 80s, by Music for Airports, by Brian Eno; No Pussyfooting, by Robert Fripp and Brian Eno; Metal Machine Music, by Lou Reed; Music for Eighteen Musicians, by Steve Reich; Einstein on the Beach, by Philip Glass; Dolmen Music, by Meredith Monk; Symphony No. 3, by Glenn Branca

In my development, Fragile was followed by Tubular Bells, by Mike Oldfield (used to spooky effect in The Exorcist film of 1973), a few rock operas of minor note, and then, in the late 70s and early 80s, by Music for Airports, by Brian Eno; No Pussyfooting, by Robert Fripp and Brian Eno; Metal Machine Music, by Lou Reed; Music for Eighteen Musicians, by Steve Reich; Einstein on the Beach, by Philip Glass; Dolmen Music, by Meredith Monk; Symphony No. 3, by Glenn Branca.

Marc Bolan's

Tubular Bells was Marc Bolan's to start off with.

Styles

The synth hook sounds like warped steel drums, with tolling chimes at the end — Styles is credited with playing “tubular bells.”

The 9-piece band

The 9-piece band, consisting 5 males (a percussionist, a drummer, 2 keyboardplayers and a guitarist) and 4 females (percussion, bass, piano and cello) started playing the original version of Tubular Bells.

carillonneur Malgosia Fiebig

To close out the series, carillonneur Malgosia Fiebig, along with pianists Sandra Mol, Jeroen van Veen, and Marcel and Elisabeth Bergmann, performed Mike Oldfield’s classic Tubular Bells.

Martin Pearson

The bells were played by Martin Pearson and both pieces were composed by Anne Gregson.

Albert Benzler

Albert Benzler was, very likely, the most often recorded artist on wax cylinders - heard as an accompanist in hundreds of records, most often as the pianist, but also playing the bells, xylophone, chimes, and organ.

by Michael Riesman

The bells are played by Michael Riesman, normally musical director of the Philip Glass Ensemble – and that is far from this record’s only reference to an illustrious predecessor.