I have been watching, the last week, the OXYGENE 3D in a Madrid cinema. The proyection was HORRIBLE absolutly bad quality sound, by the cause of the cinema. The music sounds much better in my own PC that in that cinema.
Beyond of the horrible sound, and image quality of the Cinema... 3D???? Very bad 2D... , the music:
INTRO to OXYGENE I..... Despite of the horrible sound quality, maybe the best track of Jarre that i have listened to in the last 15 years. A great fussion toward the OXYGENE I (This is that of the AlJazeera interview excerpt, of course).
OXYGENE I..................... Very fine, one of the best performed tracks, astounding harmonies.
OXYGENE II.................... The worst performed if we compare to the original album.
OXYGENE III................... I liked the Theremin. Some sounds were less fine that in the original album
OXYGENE IV................... The first melody, worst than in the original, but i liked the end of the song.
OXYGENE V.................... The same problem of all the other old tracks: The Jarre´s vintage electronic music is a very personal way of to work in the study through days, weeks and motnhs, searching always by the most perfect thing, like a painter drawing a master work. The music qaulity will never be better playing it live. And besides, Jarre isn´t a good performer. He is a great electronic music composer, but no a good performer. However, yet with the best performer, i think that the essential of the music made in the study can´t be made live. Playing live we can discover a new perspective of the music, but less good, always. Making music in the study is the way of the electronic Jarre´s music. His natural environmet of creation.
So, the final solo of OXYGENE 5 was not very good, other time, if we compare with the original.
OXYGENE VI................... I couldn´t apreciate this track, other time by the cause of the horrible sound system in the cinema.
The Variations: The VARIATION III is absolutly great. The best with the INTRO. The other two are less good, not a fussion with the other tracks. Only a fade out.
Enfin, i will go to Paris the next 22th to enjoy in true live the emotion of this OXYGENE 30 years after, and to discover all the "Campos ElÃseos" with some friends. Since the concert is 95 minuts long, and the cinema was 60 minuts, maybe we will have some nice surprise in the Paris concerts.
Beyond, however, i think that the return to the ancient analogic monsters is first of all like a trademark of this album, and not the most important in this music. I think that Jarre could do a new great album in the ways of the OXYGENE, EQUINOXE, etc with a Reason 4, if he wants. Analogic or digital is not the matter here. All we know that the true inspiration isn´t in the instruments used. Is in Jarre himself. The analogic stuff is only the surface. He can do analogic music with digital intruments.
But now, i know that it was much more difficult to do an album like OXYGENE with these ancient analogic instruments. A kind of music with these instruments that maybe only Jarre could have composed.
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Blah Blah Cafe, the Jean-Michel Jarre forum
