MCMXC a.D.
Studio album by Enigma
Released	December 3, 1990 November, 1991 (Reissue)
Recorded	A.R.T. Studios, Ibiza
Genre	New Age, Ambient
Length	40:18 (7 tracks) 60:58 (15 tracks)
Label	Virgin/Schallplatten
Producer(s)	Michael Cretu
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link Robert Christgau (C-) link
Enigma chronology
	MCMXC a.D. (1990)	The Cross of Changes (1993)

MCMXC a.D. (the year 1990 in Roman numerals followed by a seemingly incorrect abbreviation of "Anno Domini") is a concept album created by the musical project Enigma, spearheaded by Michael Cretu. It was Enigma's debut album and one of the most influential albums ever produced in the New Age genre. The project's popularity soon soared beyond Cretu's expectations after the album's launch, as it reached number 1 position in charts of 41 countries. This image is the cover of an album or single. ... A studio album is a collection of previously unreleased, studio-recorded tracks by a recording artist. ... Enigma is an electronic musical project started by Michael Cretu, his wife Sandra Cretu, David Fairstein and Frank Peterson in 1990. ... December 3 is the 337th (in leap years the 338th) day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... MCMXC redirects here; for the Enigma album, see MCMXC a. ... A.R.T. Studios Private music studio of music producer Michael Cretu in Ibiza/Spain located in his mansion in the hills of Ibiza. ... Ibiza (Eivissa) is one of the Balearic Islands located in the Mediterranean Sea (), belonging to Balearic Islands (Spain). ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... New Age music, is a vaguely defined style of music that is generally quite melodic and often primarily instrumental. ... Ambient music is a musical genre that incorporates elements of a number of different styles - including jazz, electronic music, new age, rock and roll, modern classical music, traditional, world, and noise[] . It is sometimes characterised as possessing a sense of resonant sonic space[] , and of being designed to function equally... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Virgin Records is a British recording label founded by British entrepreneur Richard Branson, and Nik Powell in 1972. ... Virgin Schallplatten GmbH is a German record label, which is a branch company of Virgin Records. ... In the music industry, a record producer (or music producer) has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes. ... Michael Cretu being interviewed in 2003. ... The All Music Guide (AMG) is a metadata database about music owned by All Media Guide. ... Image File history File links 4_stars. ... Robert Christgau (2006) Robert Christgau (sometimes abbreviated in print to Xgau), born April 18, 1942, is an American essayist, music journalist, and the self-declared Dean of American Rock Critics[1] His first reviews were published by Esquire in 1967. ... Enigma is an electronic musical project started by Michael Cretu, his wife Sandra Cretu, David Fairstein and Frank Peterson in 1990. ... The Cross of Changes is a 1993 album by the musical project Enigma. ... Roman numerals are a numeral system originating in ancient Rome, adapted from Etruscan numerals. ... Dionysius Exiguus invented Anno Domini years to date Easter. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Enigma is an electronic musical project started by Michael Cretu, his wife Sandra Cretu, David Fairstein and Frank Peterson in 1990. ... Michael Cretu being interviewed in 2003. ... A debut album is the first released music album by an artist or a band. ... New Age music, is a vaguely defined style of music that is generally quite melodic and often primarily instrumental. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

Four singles were excerpted from this album: "Sadeness (Part I)", "Principles of Lust", "Mea Culpa (Part II)" and "The Rivers of Belief". "Sadeness" and MCMXC a.D. itself hit No. 1 on the UK singles and albums charts respectively on its UK debut in January 1991. On the U.S. market "Sadeness (Part I)" reached fifth place on the Billboard Hot 100 and MCMXC a.D. made sixth place on the Billboard 200 and remained in the charts for a total of 282 weeks. Sadeness (Part I) is a 1990 song created by the musical project, Enigma. ... Principles of Lust is a 1991 song created by the musical project, Enigma. ... Mea Culpa (Part II) is a 1991 song created by the musical project Enigma. ... The Rivers of Belief is a 1991 song created by the musical project, Enigma. ... This is a list of the number one singles on the UK Singles Chart, during the 1990s. ... // 1990 The Christians - Colour January 27 for 1 week Phil Collins - But Seriously. ... The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. ... The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. ...

Theme

The main theme in MCMXC a.D. could be interpreted as the struggle that one faces in life, between religion and sexuality. The main song of the album ("Sadeness (Part I)") questions the personal beliefs of the Marquis de Sade, who had an affection towards torture as pleasure. Other themes that appear on the album were based on Christian beliefs, and the end of the world from the Book of Revelation. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Portrait of the Marquis de Sade by Charles-Amédée-Philippe van Loo (c. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Christianity. ... Look up Apocalypse in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Visions of John of Patmos, as depicted in the Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry. ...

Overview

MCMXC a.D. starts with the mellow sounds of a foghorn, later on to be known as the "Enigma horn" and the voice of Louisa Stanley speaking in "The Voice of Enigma". The Gregorian chant "Procedamus in pace!" then segues into the first three-part movement of the album even before it starts, "Principles of Lust". The first part, "Sadeness", received the most attention through its unique and previously unheard mix of Gregorian chants and dance beat. Triangles and synthesized shakuhachi flutes add to the French vocals and breathy sounds of Michael's wife, Sandra. The song fades into "Find Love", in which Sandra instructs the listeners to follow their lust. Reversed chants signal the start of "Sadeness (reprise)" and continues with a short piano piece, based on the same tunes as the shakuhachi flute earlier. The flute returns as chants of "Hosanna" gradually bring an end to the movement. Foghorns near Lizard Point, Cornwall Foghorns are a navigation aid for mariners. ... Gregorian chant is the central tradition of Western plainchant, a form of monophonic, unaccompanied sacred song of the Roman Catholic Church. ... In music, segue is a direction to the performer. ... Sadeness Part I is a 1990 single created by the musical group, Enigma. ... An old-fashioned triangle, with wand (beater) Angelika Kauffmann: LAllegra, 1779 The triangle is an idiophone type of musical instrument in the percussion family. ... A shakuhachi flute, blowing edge up. ... Sandra Cretu. ... Principles of Lust is a 1991 song created by the musical project, Enigma. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ...

The next song, "Callas Went Away" is a tribute to the opera singer, Maria Callas. Chirps from electronic birds at the beginning, mixed with a slow beat and sounds of a piano leads to Sandra's whispers and ends with some samples of Callas singing the aria Ces lettres, ces lettres from the opera Werther by Massenet. The New Opera in Oslo, Norway The Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Italy. ... Maria Callas (Greek: Μαρία Κάλλας) (December 2, 1923 – September 16, 1977) was an American-born Greek dramatic coloratura soprano and perhaps the best-known opera singer of the post-World War II period. ... Werther is an opera in four acts by Jules Massenet to a French libretto by Édouard Blau, based on the novel The Sorrows of Young Werther by Goethe. ... Jules (Émile Frédéric) Massenet (May 12, 1842 – August 13, 1912) was a French composer. ...

In "Mea Culpa", the chant "Kyrie Eleison" appears predominantly in this song, alongside Sandra's vocals and the same flute. It fades into the experimental track, "The Voice and the Snake", which is based on "Seven Bowls", a song from Aphrodite's Child where a group of people describe the end of the world in an eerie and haunting manner, as mentioned in the Book of Revelation. Mea Culpa (Part II) is a 1991 song created by the musical project Enigma. ... Kyrie is a Greek word that means Lord or Oh, Lord. ... Aphrodites Child was a Greek rock band formed around the time of the student riots in 1968, by Vangelis Papathanassiou (keyboards and vocals); Demis Roussos (bass guitar and vocals); and Loukas Sideras (drums and vocals). ... Visions of John of Patmos, as depicted in the Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry. ...

A bowl falls to the ground and breaks, leading it to "Knocking on Forbidden Doors". The drums beats in the song made to resemble the sound of a door being knocked, before it progresses into a faster beat. A guitar enters and slips aside quietly for more Gregorian chants, and fading into the following track.

The second three-part movement in the album, "Back to the Rivers of Belief", begins slowly with John Williams' five-toned notes from Steven Spielberg's movie, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, which leads to mellow Gregorian chants in the first part of the movement, "Way to Eternity". The same beat from "Sadeness" enters for the start of "Hallelujah" as the strong sounds of violins accompany the beat. The triangle and voices from the first track reappears and repeats itself. A noticeable Arabian style is apparent in this part and segues into the next part, "The Rivers of Belief", the only track where Michael Cretu sings in the album. After Cretu sings the chorus, the music stops completely and an unfamiliar male voice intones Revelation 8:1: "When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, silence covered the sky". This is also sampled from Aphrodite's Child album 666 (the voice here is of John Forst). The music resumes with the shakuhachi flute and Cretu's vocals. The album ends with the falling star effect and the "Enigma horn". Williams conducting the London Symphony Orchestra during the recording of the score for Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. ... Steven Allan Spielberg KBE (born December 18, 1946), commonly referred to as Steven Spielberg, is a highly famous, enormously influential, three-time Academy Award winning American film director and producer who is one of the most prominent figures from the world of cinema and whose very name has become synonymous... This article is about the film; for the classification, see Close encounter. ... The Rivers of Belief is a 1991 song created by the musical project, Enigma. ... Visions of John of Patmos, as depicted in the Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry. ... Aphrodites Child was a Greek rock band formed around the time of the student riots in 1968, by Vangelis Papathanassiou (keyboards and vocals); Demis Roussos (bass guitar and vocals); and Loukas Sideras (drums and vocals). ... 666 (The Apocalypse of John, 13/18) is a double album by psychedelic/progressive art rock group Aphrodites Child. ...

Impact of MCMXC a.D.

Controversy surrounded the music in the album for both its religious and sexual overtones, particularly the first three singles. The video clip for "Principles of Lust" was banned from MTV and most TV stations, who were also unwilling to play the music videos for "Sadeness (Part I)". The album itself was banned in several countries because of that same reason,^{[citation needed]} while critics have slammed the songs in the album as blasphemous. Nevertheless, the popularity of the album shot up to number one in at least 24 different countries in where it was released, reaching gold and platinum status. Principles of Lust is a 1991 song created by the musical project, Enigma. ... MTV (Music Television) is an American cable television network headquartered in New York City. ... Sadeness (Part I) is a 1990 song created by the musical project, Enigma. ... Blasphemy is the defamation of the name of God or the gods, and by extension any display of gross irreverence towards any person or thing deemed worthy of exalted esteem. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with RIAA certification. ... In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. ...

The success of MCMXC a.D. influenced the works of B-Tribe (Fiesta Fatal!), Delerium (Semantic Spaces) and even Sarah Brightman ("Eden"). The album was also a stepping stone for the creation of other groups who mainly include Gregorian chants in their music, such as Era and Gregorian, which was founded by Frank Peterson prior to his falling out with Michael Cretu. B-tribe is a band originating in Spain whigh features electronically synthesized sounds, flamenco guitar, and opera-like vocals. ... Delerium is a band from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, formed in 1987, originally as a side project of the influential industrial music act, Front Line Assembly. ... Sarah Brightman (born August 14, 1960) is an English classical crossover soprano, actress and dancer. ... Era is a music project by Eric Levi that is often based around chants in an imaginary language close to Latin. ... Gregorian is a German band, headed by Frank Peterson, performing Gregorian chant-inspired versions of modern pop and rock songs. ... Frank Peterson is a German music producer. ...

In addition, Cretu received a total of 1.4 million pre-orders of their next album, The Cross of Changes which was launched even before MCMXC a.D. fell out of the charts after four years. The Cross of Changes is a 1993 album by the musical project Enigma. ...

In 1994, Polydor Germany sued Cretu and Virgin Germany for infringing on its "right of personality" in the samples used in "Sadeness (Part I)" and "Mea Culpa". The lawsuit was settled out of court after Cretu agreed to pay compensation to the original creator of the samples. Polydor Records is a record label once headquartered in Germany. ...

Sleeve

The artwork on the sleeve of MCMXC a.D. was designed by Johann Zambryski, who also continued to design the sleeves of the next four albums after MCMXC a.D. and its compilation and DVD covers. It depicted a thick, black frame surrounding a silhouette of a figure being enshrouded in a bright light, and a Christian cross in the lower centre of the album for emphasis towards the themes of the album. The Mona Lisa Although today the word art usually refers to the visual arts, the concept of what art is has continuously changed over centuries. ... The traditional form of the Western Christian cross, known as the Latin cross. ...

Track listing

Original album

(Most releases contain these seven tracks; some ulterior releases gave a track to each part.)

1. "The Voice of Enigma" (Curly M.C.) – 2:21
2. "Principles of Lust" – 11:43

   A. "Sadeness" (Curly, F. Gregorian, David Fairstein)

   B. "Find Love" (Curly)

   C. "Sadeness (reprise)" (Curly, Gregorian, Fairstein)

3. "Callas Went Away" (Curly) – 4:27
4. "Mea Culpa" (Curly, Fairstein) – 5:03
5. "The Voice & The Snake" (Curly, Gregorian) – 1:39
6. "Knocking on Forbidden Doors" (Curly) – 4:31
7. "Back to the Rivers of Belief" – 10:32

   A. "Way to Eternity" (Curly)

   B. "Hallelujah" (Curly)

   C. "The Rivers of Belief" (Curly, Fairstein)

MCMXC a.D. - The Limited Edition

Michael Cretu being interviewed in 2003. ... Sadeness (Part I) is a 1990 song created by the musical project, Enigma. ... Frank Peterson is a German music producer. ... Principles of Lust is a 1991 song created by the musical project, Enigma. ... Mea Culpa (Part II) is a 1991 song created by the musical project Enigma. ... The Rivers of Belief is a 1991 song created by the musical project, Enigma. ... Image File history File links MCMXC_aD_Limited_Edition. ... Image File history File links MCMXC_aD_Limited_Edition. ...

MCMXC a.D. - The Limited Edition

(Released in November 1991, included the songs from the original album and 4 additional remixes.)

8. "Sadeness (Meditation)" (Curly, Gregorian, Fairstein) – 2:43

9. "Mea Culpa (Fading Shades)" (Curly, Fairstein) – 6:04

10. "Principles of Lust (Everlasting Lust)" (Curly) – 4:50

11. "The Rivers of Belief (The Returning Silence)" (Curly, Fairstein) – 7:04

MCMXC a.D. with bonus disc

(Released in November 1999, included re-release of the original album and 6 remixes of 2 songs from the album on a separate disc.)

1. "Sadeness - Part I (Meditation Mix)" (Curly, Fairstein) – 3:00
2. "Sadeness - Part I (Extended Trance Mix)" (Curly, Fairstein) – 5:01
3. "Sadeness - Part I (Violent U.S. Remix)" (Curly, Fairstein) – 5:03
4. "Mea Culpa - Part II (Fading Shades Mix)" (Curly, Fairstein) – 6:13
5. "Mea Culpa - Part II (Orthodox Version)" (Curly, Fairstein) – 4:00
6. "Mea Culpa - Part II (Catholic Version)" (Curly, Fairstein) – 3:55

Singles

• 1990 – "Sadeness (Part I)" (Virgin Schallplatten GmbH)
• 1991 – "Mea Culpa (Part II)" (Virgin Records)
• 1991 – "Principles of Lust" (Virgin Schallplatten GmbH)
• 1991 – "The Rivers of Belief" (Virgin Records)

Sadeness (Part I) is a 1990 song created by the musical project, Enigma. ... Mea Culpa (Part II) is a 1991 song created by the musical project Enigma. ... Principles of Lust is a 1991 song created by the musical project, Enigma. ... The Rivers of Belief is a 1991 song created by the musical project, Enigma. ...

Credits

• Michael Cretu (credited as Curly M.C.) – record producer, lead vocals
• Sandra Cretu – lead vocals
• David Fairstein – lyrics
• Louisa Stanley – voices
• Frank Peterson (credited as F. Gregorian) – samples

Michael Cretu being interviewed in 2003. ... In the music industry, a record producer (or music producer) has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes. ... Ercole de Roberti: Concert, c. ... Sandra Cretu. ... Ercole de Roberti: Concert, c. ... Lyrics are the words in songs. ... Ercole de Roberti: Concert, c. ... Frank Peterson is a German music producer. ... In general, a sample is a part of the total, such as one individual or a set of individuals from a population (of people or things), a small piece or amount of something larger, a number of function values of a function, or part of a song. ...

Charts

The album reached number 1 in 41 countries.

The worldwide sales aren't known exactly, but estimated to be 20 - 25 million copies. Official information for 1993 - 12 million; for 1994 - 14 million copies[1].

4.700.000 copies of the album have been sold in the USA by 2006.

Album - Billboard (North America) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry. ...

282 weeks (over 5 years) in Billboard Top 200 Albums

Album - UK Album Charts The UK Albums Chart is a chart of the sales positions of albums in the United Kingdom. ...

184 weeks in UK top 200 Album Charts

Singles - Billboard (North America) The UK Albums Chart is a chart of the sales positions of albums in the United Kingdom. ...

Miscellanea

• MCMXC a.D. was one of the first albums to be recorded on a hard disk after Cretu's upgrade to the A.R.T. Studio.
• Close Encounters of the Third Kind is one of Michael Cretu's favourite movies.
• In the last (seventh) track of the album, the sentence about the Seventh Seal enters at the 7th minute and 7th second, although in some pressings, it appears at the 7th minute and 17th second.
• Cretu only describes the male voice speaking in French in "Sadeness (Part I)" as a good friend of his.

Typical hard drives of the mid-1990s. ... This article is about the film; for the classification, see Close encounter. ...

References

• BBC News (14 November 2003). Enigma founder's lone project. bbc.co.uk.
• Billboard, U.S. (26 January 1991). "Sadeness" Tops On Euro Charts. Billboard, United States.
• Ellie Weinert (14 September 1991) "Sadeness" Creator Settles Sample Suit; Will Compensate For Unauthorised Usage. Billboard, United States.
• FPWeb (2003) Biography of Enigma. Retrieved 4 March 2005.
• Enigma in UK Charts [3]

November 14 is the 318th day of the year (319th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 47 days remaining. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The URL bbc. ... Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry. ... Motto: (Out Of Many, One) (traditional) In God We Trust (1956 to date) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington D.C. Largest city New York City None at federal level (English de facto) Government Federal constitutional republic  - President George Walker Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence from... January 26 is the 26th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... September 14 is the 257th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (258th in leap years). ... 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... March 4 is the 63rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (64th in leap years). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Short article from MichaelCretu.com
• Details of its release in different countries
• Lyrics to the songs in the album