Enigma Ringtones
More than 30 million copies sold, 50 number one worldwide, more than 85 platinum and 30 diamonds around the world with only the first four albums on the market. This is just a brief introduction to get an idea of its place in the musical phenomenon called ENIGMA. Able to sell nearly two million more copies with a CD compilation and a Remixes, something very rare in the industry today, after more than one decade at the top and without the slightest intention, has established itself as the best “alternative” unintentionally commercial creations.
The project’s success, according to its creator and director Michael Cretu, it could be “that from the first day was Enigma music is not linked to any mainstream music. It was created as an “unidentified object” appeared in this way and still remains so. “
As he says: “My music sends out signals that encourage and touch” as is “for everyone. It is intellectual but has a feeling of innocence, of simplicity “, which at the time” music for all the senses, reason enough to add to the reasons of his international success.
When in 1990 was released the first single from Enigma, “Sadeness (Part I)” quickly began to speculate about the authorship of this new and powerful musical project. The most frequent question in the world of music was: Who or those behind ENIGMA?. The time it was found that Michael Cretu, producer, musician and singer of Romanian-Austrian resident in Spain. The concern raised by exposing the project manager, even went on to become on obsession for some, it was nothing more than the side effect of concept that was conceived. The origin of this come to realize the dream that had long and increasingly more often manifested in the mind of its creator. As such, the base was drawn on the conceptual model from which it could develop a type of music outside of conventions, creative and experimental. In the words of Cretu: “I wanted the music speak for itself”, it was appreciated by the audience no matter the artist or artists who hide behind the project.
For this reason, at first there were no references to the artists involved, since the objective was to maintain the anonymity Cretu, and the audience reacted so spontaneously to his music, breaking all the rules in this regard. This led to all sorts of rumors spread by journalists and critics about who was behind Enigma, speculating on the names, among many other artists, or Alan Parsons Mike Oldfield as the mysterious creators of this music so unique.
Despite the reference to “Curly MC” appearing throughout the record, no one suspected that “Curly” – Cretu have curly hair then this “nickname” – and the initials of her real name “M. C. “replied the famous producer.
However, Michael Cretu was frustrated their intentions to remain anonymous and perpetuate the mystery when the music of this first album has been accused of plagiarism by the fact Gregorian chants mixed with rhythmic foundation today. At the legal level, Cretu and Virgin’s subsidiary in Germany had to deal with this thorny issue when the choir from the city of Munich, Kapelle Antiqua, denounced them for using without permission his recordings of Gregorian chants on the album, particularly in certain fragments of “Sadeness (Part I) ‘and’ Mea Guilt (Part II).” The case was solved with a financial compensation to the injured party, a retrospective request permits for BMG / Ariola and Polydor for the use of these coral fragments, and a written apology. Despite this, and from a legal standpoint, had not breached any copyright, strictly speaking, since such recordings of the choir Kapelle Antiqua in the public domain.
However, that incident was enough to end the “enigma” and the names of Michael Cretu as promoter of the project, and Sandra Cretu, his wife and closest collaborator, came to light following it.
And while the wishes of Cretu came to naught in this direction, eventually won the court case.
Michael Cretu was born in Bucharest on 18 May 1957. An Austrian mother and Romanian father, emigrated to Germany in 1975, where he studied at the Frankfurt Academy of Music, graduating in composition theory with first class honors. Soon become a renowned studio musician specializing in keyboards, pointing as an arranger and producer. Start a solo career with the publication of his albums “Moon, Light, and Flowers” (Polygram, 1979), “Legionäre” (Virgin, 1983) and “Invisible Man”, English version of “Die Chinesische Mauer (The Wall China).
Throughout her career, Michael Cretu is the recipient of numerous awards and honors for his work as producer, working with various internationally renowned musicians such as Mike Oldfield (Island), Moti, Thiers and Sandra Lauer, European pop singer whom he married in 1988 and that also stands out for her own solo career. Both currently reside in Spain, Ibiza, and are parents of twins, Nikita and Sebastian, born in 1995.
Michael and Sandra continue their musical careers both Enigma and in other solo projects or collaborating with various artists and musicians, while their own and others produce albums in his home studio in Ibiza in Spain (ART Studios), and reference common in all the scripts of the Enigma albums and those of all the works produced by Cretu.
As ENIGMA, his success came hand in hand with this first album, MCMXC a. D., where, true to his idea of making music take precedence over the artist, he would not use their real names or include clear references to the people involved in their implementation.
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