I noticed there was a programme on BBC4 last week, (it may have been a repeat), about the making of this album.

I've posted this before, but it's worth seeing if you have not.

Basically it's really a demonstration of vintage electronic musical keyboards, produced over several decades and how huge and very expensive equipment was necessary to replicate the sounds that a much smaller and less expensive keyboard can produce today. To enable some to have a reasonable range of sounds and registrations they used laser discs and even computer punched cards.

The demonstrations are by young female musicians from bands in the New York area playing the basic theme of this composition. They make a good job of it.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeujZtBvMFY

I prefer this one....much more fun


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtVlKon84Xg

I'm not kidding when I say that is possibly the worst cover version I have ever heard. It sounds terrible. Good grief. I need some ear bleach.

Try Tubular Bells for Two in my link...much more impressive, and fun

My reason for posting the link was to show the variety of keyboards that were available over the decades. Not to pass an opinion on just the performance, which was good enough for the purpose of the demonstrations.

It will be of more interest to people who are players of, or are familiar with, keyboards.
It's not really a question of "who's version's better?"

I remember when John Peel played Tubular Bells in its entirety on his Radio 1 show and the next day everyone at school was talking about it. The local record shop owner had never heard of it and gave me a doubtful look when I told him it was going to sell in huge quantities.

The most impressive bit of that BBC Four documentary is when Oldfield plays the complicated bass part from the final section of Side One and gets it spot on despite the pain in his fingers. I'd always assumed the whole album was recorded in tiny sections and edited together afterwards, but maybe in those days it was necessary to do it in one take.

Oh there are some great old synths there. I used to own an SH-101, how I regret selling that

I have tons of VST synths now but it's not the same as having a nice bit of kit to play with. I think I used to have more fun recording on my old Tascam 4 track than I do with my software.

It's amazing how things progress and how like computer kit they quickly devalue. Thirty years ago I had a big Farfisa double-manual. Which really did naff-all, no recording facility.
Followed by a few others mostly Yamahas, currently I've a fifteen year-old Yamaha PSR 1000, which cost me £1,000 new.
I saw a second-hand one in Dawson's window last year, for £69.
But it does me for what I want it. It's been perfect all this time, just need some of the more used buttons given a spray of switch cleaner now and again.

Oldfield's time in the studio was restricted and he had to get as much down as possible in the time he had. He was always unhappy with the technical deficiencies of the end result (show me a musician who isn't!), There's a version of TB that Oldfield did years later which is a note-for-note re-recording of the original; I've never heard it but opinion says although it's technically better it loses some of the original's charm.

I saw TB for 2 at the Edinburgh Festival, very entertaining watching them get through it by the skin of their teeth. I remember thinking that they could have their gear in a more ergonomic set-up, but that would presumably detract from the performance.

I like the female synth performance as well. It's notable how, the older the instrument, the better the sound!

I watched this the first time around, some great players on that. It's great.

I like some of the novel sounds amidst the more obvious. The MiniMoog is strident as always but the Omnichord and the Mass-Rowe Vibrachime were surprisingly effective.
Yet it is the tonality of the 1914 upright Steinway that sounds best.

I bought Tubular Bells, Hergest Ridge and Ommadawn at the time. Arguably, Hergest Ridge and Ommadawn are musically and thematically more mature but Tubular Bells, Part 1 is the greatest work - melodically and atmospherically superior to anything that came after.

But how could he possibly recreate Vivian Stanshall?

The classic Hammond organ has always been the B3 as featured by Jimmy Smith.

But you have to admire the "flying feet," (well...foot) of Barbara Dennerlein on this instrument, still as popular with musicians today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60ut7yIuCEY


The video in my OP opens with a bass note played on an M3, introduced in 1959.
Perhaps the best known recording of a tune played on an M3 is Booker T & the MGs 1962 "Green Onions."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bpS-cOBK6Q

He didn't, John Cleese did the master of ceremonies bit.

Classic album, though - and I know it goes against popular opinion - I like TB3 most

This: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjeMDvCdrtc has always been regarded as one of the worst covers ever, however that TB version gives it a good run for its money.

Possibly, but as you quoted someone's criticism of the link I posted. I would explain again, my reason for posting it was to show the way the development of electronic keyboards has progressed over the decades.

I posted it only because the showing of the "Tubular Bells" programme reminded me of its existence. Not because I thought the performances were that special, although they were good enough for demonstration purposes.

Oldfield is a wonderfully talented nutjob. Has done some great stuff (and not so great) over the years.

Ah, now I see why you were watching it