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ThisName Group: Members Posts: 307 Joined: July 2005 Posted: April 23 2006, 06:54 Hi all, its me again. I am thinking about writing my dissertation on mike oldfield next year but am a little unsure as to what specifiaclly to write about. I was wodering if anyone had any suggestions as to what might be a good area of study for an essay that will need to be around 10,000 words. I want to do something very in depth and scholarly about mike but need to refine my ideas down to a more specific question. So throw your own essay questions at me! -------------- www.ryanyardmusic.com Back to top

Alan D Group: Members Posts: 3670 Joined: Aug. 2004 Posted: April 23 2006, 08:20 1. Discuss the relative importance of the folk, rock, and classical musical traditions in Mike Oldfield's music. 2. Does the music of Mike Oldfield possess any significance outside popular culture? 3. To what extent can Mike Oldfield be compared with 20th century classical composers? Back to top

ThisName Group: Members Posts: 307 Joined: July 2005 Posted: April 23 2006, 09:09 Those are very good essay questions Alan, thankyou. I will seriously consider those. Like i said, i want to write an essay on something that i have a real iterst and passion for as well as  broad knowledge of and its also something that im pretty certain nobody else in my college will be doing. I just hope the lecturers agree! Thanks lots those Alan, much appreciated. -------------- www.ryanyardmusic.com Back to top

Marky Group: Members Posts: 390 Joined: Sep. 2005 Posted: April 23 2006, 11:05 Depends what your subject is, if its media and communications, you could try an analysis of the popular music press using Mike Oldfield as an example of an artist they've changed their attitude to, drawing out any lessons for how any artist who challenges the popular perception might be perceived and portrayed. On the other hand, if its biology, you're on your own... Back to top

Morti Group: Members Posts: 103 Joined: April 2006 Posted: April 26 2006, 10:20 I considered this before once, maybe something along the lines of "To what extent has new technology influenced modern music in the last 40 years?", something like that. -------------- The ear worm became the synonym for the commercial side of MIKE OLDFIELD. Back to top

ThisName Group: Members Posts: 307 Joined: July 2005 Posted: Aug. 13 2006, 16:16 Hi all, starting my dissertaion now but am stuck for titles. Basically i am looking at the importance of mike's  msuic as serious art music, to be appreciated and studied as serious music as opposed to popular  music which serves a purpose as entertainment. I am looking only at the first 4 albums up to incantaions. Any thoughts on titles? Cheers! -------------- www.ryanyardmusic.com Back to top

Alan D Group: Members Posts: 3670 Joined: Aug. 2004 Posted: Aug. 13 2006, 17:23 Quote (ThisName @ Aug. 13 2006, 21:16) Any thoughts on titles? "Transgressing the Boundaries of Popular Culture: The Music of Mike Oldfield." Back to top

Inkanta Group: Admins Posts: 1453 Joined: Feb. 2000 Posted: Aug. 13 2006, 19:42 Maybe do what Mike does ..... have a working title, then go back and name it later. ????  Alan's suggestion reminds me...have you read Frans Johannson's Medici Effect? Here is the link to the excerpt of the chapter that discusses Mike's music. Your library would be able to borrow a copy if you want to see the chapter in context. Good luck with your dissertation! -------------- "No such thing as destiny; only choices exist." From:  Moongarden's "Solaris." Back to top

Wayfarer Group: Members Posts: 308 Joined: June 2002 Posted: Aug. 13 2006, 20:47 Quote (ThisName @ Aug. 13 2006, 22:16) Basically i am looking at the importance of mike's  msuic as serious art music, to be appreciated and studied as serious music as opposed to popular  music which serves a purpose as entertainment. Then you should read Balm For The Waking Dead, an article by Karl Dallas in which there are several interesting commentaries by David Bedford. Worth a look. -- Wayfarer -------------- My homepage - www.thewayfarer.info My search - www.cannotbefound.com My community - www.taurusiv.net My luthier - www.artluthier.com Back to top

Piltdownboy on horseback 22 Group: Members Posts: 1548 Joined: Sep. 2005 Posted: Aug. 14 2006, 06:35 Interesting indeed. I remember reading a good in depth storie about Ommadawn, that was made in the form of an essay as well... Curious to what it will be like when you're finished. Hehe... I wanted to help with a title, but just spent 5 minutes staring at this blank space... I'm sorry, the best I could come up with was 'The story of Bells and Guitars' , or 'From shade to light and back'       -------------- "And now we're going to play Platinum!" Back to top

ThisName Group: Members Posts: 307 Joined: July 2005 Posted: Aug. 18 2006, 14:10 Hey all, still having trouble settling for essay ideas, but have some more that i could do with opinions on: 1. Tracing the compositional development of Mike Oldfield from Tubular Bells to Incantations. 2. How important is contextual knowledge to the understanding and appreciation of Mike Oldfield's music? 3. With reference to the music of Mike Oldfield, how does the role of mental illness affect the creative output of a composer? 4. Do the first four studio albums by mike oldfield posess any significance outside of popular music culture? 5. How does mike oldfield utilize different musical traditions to create his original and distinctive compositional voice? The titles are only rough, but i can decide which area to take as the main focus of the essay. I feel the first 4 albums are significant from a scholarly point of view so want to concern myself with those only really. Any more thoughts? ps. Sorry to keep asking, but i want it to be good! -------------- www.ryanyardmusic.com Back to top

Alan D Group: Members Posts: 3670 Joined: Aug. 2004 Posted: Aug. 18 2006, 17:06 This is just a gut reaction, but number 4 is the most interesting (to me). It's closer to your original brief, and  there's the promise of being able to reach a significant answer. If you can demonstrate (as I'm sure you can) that there's something about the musical construction and development of those 4 pieces that is closer to (say) symphonic development than to the structure of a typical pop song, then you've done the business. When art straddles boundaries, it's always interesting, there's always a likelihood that new windows might be flung open, and that's why, fundamentally, I've been listening to Mike for so many years. Back to top

Inkanta Group: Admins Posts: 1453 Joined: Feb. 2000 Posted: Aug. 18 2006, 22:56 Not to do a "me, too, me too!" post (ok...to do one)....I'd have to agree with Alan. Not to harp on the Medici Effect but if you pursue that concept, it would be very helpful to read the pertinent section of that book. -------------- "No such thing as destiny; only choices exist." From:  Moongarden's "Solaris." Back to top

ThisName Group: Members Posts: 307 Joined: July 2005 Posted: Aug. 19 2006, 15:02 Hey thanks for that alan, you always have good input that always helps me! I think i will go for that essay question and look into the way the music stands out as being constructed on alarger scale to conventional pop/rock music. I think iits useful to look at the development he went through with the first 4 albums, quite prodigious in my opinion! Hopefully will get it up on the site like my ommadawn analysis when its complete! -------------- www.ryanyardmusic.com Back to top

ThisName Group: Members Posts: 307 Joined: July 2005 Posted: Sep. 25 2006, 07:12 Just as a final update on my mike oldfield essay. It will be an essay looking at his development between tubular bells and incantations. I will be giving comparative analysis of the pieces and looking at the composition and also orchestration and evaluating how he evolved and developed as a composer and how tubular bells has unfortunately blighted the appreciation of his later work. Just though I would update everyone on it! -------------- www.ryanyardmusic.com Back to top

Piltdownboy on horseback 22 Group: Members Posts: 1548 Joined: Sep. 2005 Posted: Sep. 25 2006, 07:48 I'm looking forward to reading it!! Good luck!   -------------- "And now we're going to play Platinum!" Back to top

Inkanta Group: Admins Posts: 1453 Joined: Feb. 2000 Posted: Sep. 25 2006, 19:59 Thanks for the update! Wishing you clarity of thought and pen! Have fun with it, and good luck! -------------- "No such thing as destiny; only choices exist." From:  Moongarden's "Solaris." Back to top

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