Robin A. Smith - Mike Oldfield : Reimagined For Piano CD

For me, it has been such a pleasure throughout my career to play the music of Mike Oldfield.

In this album of piano music, I want to celebrate Mike’s beautiful melodies, having such a huge admiration for his detail to beauty and unparalleled originality. We often connect Mike with his music and his guitar playing, but here I wanted to strip it right back to just purely the melody and the music. I have taken some of my favourite segments of Mike’s compositions and reimagine them as piano solos. From the outset of just playing them I realise the inequality that each one creates from a sublime tranquillity to a musical landscape that can transport you anywhere you like. Oddly enough I created this album whilst looking at the beautiful Cotswold countryside where I live, which is located literally two miles from where Mike once lived, so the inspiration is all around both visually and in my heart. No computers, no electronics, just going back to basics of playing the piano and letting these beautiful melodies flow through me and hopefully flow through you also. Through my work here, and through the reimagining of Tubular Bells, my wish is that Mike’s standing as one of the great British composers is held full and centre. Through these inspired folk melodies, and almost classical breadth of structure, I hope my journey here reaches your hearts and gives you as much pleasure as it has for me just closing my eyes and playing this beautiful music.

Robin Smith 2023