Mike Oldfield has gone classical! His new album, Music Of The Spheres, released March 17th 2008, is a 45 minute long orchestral work in two parts, with many stylistic nods towards both the great classical composers and his own instrumental rock works of the 70s.

Coming out just in time for Christmas is a special new 2 CD edition of the album, featuring the studio recording, plus the recording of the premiere performance in Bilbao.

Universal say:

This release is a double disc album with special packaging (perfect as a gift), which includes a bonus disc of the 'Live at the Guggenheim' performance that occured on 7th March 2008 in Bilbao. The Legendary Mike Oldfield is only one of three artists to ever knock himself off the number one spot (the other two being Bob Dylan and The Beatles.) Mike Oldfield's debut album Tubular Bells has sold over 16 million records worldwide and is still selling. 'Music of the Spheres' sees the collaboration with the highly respected Karl Jenkins. Oldfield has returned to his ubiquitous Tubular Bells and used a theme from it as the theme for his first attempt at a truly 'classical' album. With guest appearances by the divine Hayley Westenra on the vocal piece 'On My Heart' and acclaimed pianist Lang Lang who appears throughout, Oldfield has drawn upon the best the Classical world has to offer for this outing. Music of the Spheres - the double disc Special Edition. Out 24th November.

Make your Christmas shopping easy - pre-order it on Amazon.co.uk now!

Watch video excerpts of the premiere in Bilbao!

Watch the new TV advert!

Watch Universal's video interview with Mike Oldfield and Karl Jenkins!

You can also order the original CD from Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com, Amazon.ca and play.com. Or you can download it on iTunes with the live at Bilbao tracks.

Part 1
1. Harbinger 04:08 * sample
2. Animus 03:09 *
3. Silhouette 03:19 *
4. Shabda 04:00
5. The Tempest 05:48 * sample
6. Harbinger (reprise) 01.30 *
7. On My Heart 02:27 featuring Hayley Westenra sample

Part 2
8. Aurora 03:42
9. Prophecy 02:54 * sample
10. On My Heart (reprise) 01:16
11. Harmonia Mundi 03:46
12. The Other Side 01:28
13. Empyrean 01:37
14. Musica Universalis 06:24 sample

* featuring Lang Lang

In this world, everything has a pulse or a vibration. This sound is unique to each living or non living thing and in itself creates a music that no-one can hear. I believe that this has a very powerful resonance with, and a deep effect, on our lives. What would happen if we took this further and apply this to bigger things, more powerful things: like an entire solar system or galaxy say, what would that sound like?

Musica Universalis is the ancient theory that every celestial body, the sun, the moon and the stars has an inner music. This is a harmonic and mathematical concept derived from the movements of the planets in the solar system. The music created is inaudible to the human ear.

Music of the Spheres is my interpretation of this theory. Every planet and every star: even the whole universe has music within it that no-one can hear, this is what it would sound like if it was set free. This is Music of the Spheres.

Mike Oldfield.