"Oldfield without Oldfield"
Revista Musical Catalana published a review of our concert at the Palau de la Música Catalana in Barcelona, written by Carlos García Reche.
The music critic, pianist, and composer highlights the presence of Rosa Cedrón—a solo singer and cellist—as well as the contribution of the African percussion quintet Djilandiang.
Oldfield without Oldfield
Opus One wraps up the trilogy to asold out at the Palau de la Música
Palau Fronteres. Rosa Cedrón, solo voice and cello; Pello García, Uillean bagpipe player; Esther Pinyol, harp; Jaume Yelo, percussion and recorder; Ivó Oller, recorder and trumpet. Djilandiang. Children's choir. Opus One. Xavier Alern, guitars and other instruments, conductor. PALAU DE LA MÚSICA. FEBRUARY 13, 2026.
A sudden, heavy downpour did not stop a packed Palau from once again welcoming Opus One—the ensemble dedicated to Mike Oldfield’s repertoire, formed to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the legendary album Tubular Bells. Part of the Palau Fronteres series, the evening offered an alternative musical experience designed to bring classical music lovers closer to other genres—and, depending on one’s perspective, vice versa. There is no doubt that the formula and format have once again proven successful in this third installment, which saw all nearly two thousand tickets sell out.
On this occasion, the ensemble led by Xavier Alern once again presented a two-part program—this time featuring the aforementioned Tubular Bells (1973) and Ommadawn (1975), the artist's third album. Although Maggie Reilly was not present—unlike three seasons ago or at the recent concert at the Auditori del Fòrum—the Barcelona-born musician once again surrounded himself with the group's regular members, including close Oldfield collaborators such as singer and cellist Rosa Cedrón (known for Tubular Bells III, 1998), who provided one of the surprises of the second half.
In 1973, a curious case of musical recontextualization occurred: a melody—incidentally, one apparently inspired by Bach’s famous Toccata and Fugue—composed by a virtually unknown nineteen-year-old and devoid of any specific programmatic meaning, became associated not only with the film itself but also, unintentionally, with the genres of horror and mystery in the collective popular imagination. While the anecdote is well known, the music in question is perhaps less so.
At this point, and regardless of the generation to which the reader belongs, Mike Oldfield does not require too many introductions. Without going too far, we could say, first of all, that this is not an artist that can be reduced, in terms of acceptance, to a radical black or white, but rather that he admits a wide range of grays; a range with as many nuances as there are albums in its extensive catalogue. He progressively became a media phenomenon and the connection with The Exorcist was a fortune that simply amplified the recognition of a musician who was destined to arrive sooner or later. Their proposal was too eclectic to be considered one of the sacred cows of progressive and symphonic rock; a peculiar mix of Celtic folk, classical music, melodic rock and New Age spirit that gave rise, despite not being excessively cerebral music, to several albums considered cult, both by critics and the public. This position of respect was kept well protected from the later and specific derivations towards pop –especially hits–, and especially towards chill out from the nineties; a stage that undoubtedly separated him from the most select listener who had accompanied him for more than fifteen years. In short, we could say that he is a multi-instrumentalist composer who, regardless of taste, became undeniably capable of moving naturally between experimentation and the general audicence.
In any case, this review does not aim to dissect Mike Oldfield’s career point by point; instead, focusing on the value of performing his music—given that the British artist has shown little interest in doing so himself for years, possibly for personal reasons—we welcome the fact that a local ensemble is driving the most significant initiative of its kind right now. To begin with, one need not have a particularly discerning ear to acknowledge that Opus One undoubtedly delivers on its promise: “a meticulous performance free of anachronisms.” Indeed, last Friday the group presented a faithful rendition marked by remarkable musical and timbral precision.
The first part was particularly solid, with the band members navigating the various thematic sections of Tubular Bells, kicking off firmly with Santiago Galán and Adrià Bravo on keyboards. "Fast Guitars" and "A Minor Tune" were among the highlights of the opening segment, which proceeded smoothly—save for a somewhat less consistent "Blues" section. The second part, which also played out without interruption, offered memorable moments such as "Peace" and the subsequent "Bagpipe Guitars." The instrumental performance was well-balanced at the mixing desk, concluding with a charming rendition of "Caveman" by Xavi Lite, shortly before getting the audience to clap along to "The Sailor's Hornpipe," featuring Alern on mandolin and precise, steady timing.
The second part of the concert was dedicated to Ommadawn—an album described by Alern himself as truly "special and magical," and an adaptation achieved only "after a great deal of work." After a quick costume change, the ensemble skillfully and cohesively navigated the piece's undulating opening passages, despite the usual quirks of a live performance and vocal reverb that felt perhaps a bit too understated. The subsequent sections were executed well—particularly the folk passage—and the contemplative atmosphere unfolded at the right pace. The appearance of Djilandiang during the African-inspired section was a positive addition that the audience clearly enjoyed; however, it must be noted that the high-energy rhythmic fusion inevitably diverged from the original material—where the percussion is far more restrained. Yet, this artistic choice did not feel out of place; it could well be justified by the spirit of improvisation that, to some extent, shaped the album's creation. Ultimately, the blend of instruments created a compelling spectacle that culminated in one of the concert's finest climaxes, capped off by a generous, thunderously applauded solo performed by the Senegalese musicians.
The second segment was highlighted by bagpipe passages and Manu Suárez’s highly polished guitar work—firmly in the “Oldfield style”—just before tackling the final passages with the precision of the wind instrumentalists, maintaining the high standard set in the first half. A moving rendition of “On Horseback”—satisfying despite the understated contribution of the youngest performers, who took the stage near the end—officially closed the program. Alern kept the promise he had jokingly made at the Fòrum “never to play ‘Moonlight Shadow’ again,” yet he did choose to gift the audience a fitting encore featuring the climactic passage of the second half—“Ommadawn Pt. 1”—capitalizing on the presence of the guest ensemble, which immediately afterwards got the Palau dancing with its African rhythms.
The Opus One project—set to tour various venues in 2026, with stops in Madrid, the Valencian Community, and Tarragona, among others—thus concludes its first trilogy: an adventure warmly received by Mike Oldfield fans that makes it clear the group is not merely a “tribute band,” but something more ambitious, capable of capturing and projecting his musical spirit with professionalism. We hope the journey continues with new installments—perhaps Incantations, following the chronological approach?—and, although Oldfield currently shows no signs of wanting to return to the stage, we certainly want to return to his music. Because music is music, and it transcends both time and space.
You can access the original article, in Catalan, at this link.
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