The Songs of Distant Earth, and the Passing of Arthur C. Clarke
I had already decided to blog about my experiences with The Songs of Distant Earth before I read the news that author Arthur C Clarke had died this morning. Given that The Songs of Distant Earth was one of his more ‘human’ novels, the synchronicity was rather sombre - but the huge body of work that he has left behind (A Fall of Moondust and Rendezvous with Rama would be my two picks for Clarke beginners) speaks volumes for the artist in him.
But I actually wanted to talk about one of the works that he inspired, namely Mike Oldfield’s musical suite of “The Songs of Distant Earth.” Composed and performed by Oldfield after reading the novel, this is a powerful concept album, and though many will point out Tubular Bells to be Oldfields master work, this is the quiet gem that I have turned to on many occasions.
It;s very tough to describe - it’s ambient, it’s chill, it’s powerful and moving, it’s quiet and personal, it’s just a fantastic album - allegedly split into 17 tracks but it all runs through as a single experience. I’ve used this as background music to when I’m writing, I’ve used it to lift me, to keep me smiling, and I know that if I need to relax or sleep (say on an 11 hour cramped economy flight from London to Los Angeles…) then playing Oldfield’s Opus very quietly will do the trick, every time.
At many points in his writing, Clarke’s view of technology and exploration reached out to me. The novel of The Songs of Distant Earth is very much one based on emotion - a bold step from a Hard SF writer such as Clarke. And Oldfield captures that and moulds it as only he can.
I’ll miss Clarke, and I’m sure the next time I crank up the MP3 player, I’ll have a smile on my face as I discover yet another layer to the music.
Arthur C Clarke, Dec 1917 - March 2008
March 18, 2008; Daily Links;
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