Vangelis obit

Vangelis, famed film composer and synth pioneer, dead at 79

 He was not on the list.

Composer Vangelis, who gave the movie Chariots of Fire its signature synth-driven sound, has died. He was 79 years old. According to his assistant Lefteris Zermas, Vangelis died on the May 17 in a hospital in Paris, due to heart failure.

Vangelis was born Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou in the Greek town of Agria. He was a self-taught musician who became a young piano prodigy. Then he moved to Paris and co-founded the popular prog-rock group Aphrodite's Child. The band eventually split and Vangelis got a solo record deal with RCA Records.

In 1981 he composed the score for Chariots of Fire. Its opening theme, with its uplifting inspirational swell and ornate arrangement, was released as a single and reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100. His efforts earned him a win for best original score at the Academy Awards.

The success led him to other film work. Notably, he composed the soundtrack for the original Blade Runner, as well as Carl Sagan's PBS documentary series Cosmos. Outside of composing scores, Vangelis was prolific in his solo career, regularly releasing albums up until last year's Juno to Jupiter.

While he was most associated with the synthesizer, the instrument was also a source of frustration for him. "I've been using synthesizers for so many years, but they've never been designed properly. They create a lot of problems." he told NPR in 2016. "The computers have completely different logic than the human logic." So for his 2016 record Rosetta, dedicated to the space probe of the same name, he simply built his own synthesizer.

Vangelis had a lifelong interest in space which was reflected in his music — in its breadth and atmosphere. He believed that there was something inherent in humans to want to discover — whether that meant up in the sky or in a studio. For Vangelis, becoming a musician was never a conscious decision. "It's very difficult not to make music," Vangelis told NPR in 1977. "It's as natural as I eat, as I make love. Music is the same."

Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou (Greek: Ευάγγελος Οδυσσέας Παπαθανασίου, pronounced [eˈvaɲɟelos oðiˈseas papaθanaˈsi.u]; 29 March 1943 – 17 May 2022), known professionally as Vangelis (/væŋˈɡɛlɪs/ vang-GHEL-iss; Greek: Βαγγέλης, pronounced [vaɲˈɟelis]), was a Greek musician, composer, and producer of electronic, progressive, ambient, and classical orchestral music. He composed the Academy Award-winning score to Chariots of Fire (1981), as well as for the films Blade Runner (1982), Missing (1982), Antarctica (1983), The Bounty (1984), 1492: Conquest of Paradise (1992), and Alexander (2004), and the 1980 PBS documentary series Cosmos: A Personal Voyage by Carl Sagan.

Born in Agria and raised in Athens, Greece, Vangelis began his career in the 1960s as a member of the rock bands the Forminx and Aphrodite's Child; the latter's album 666 (1972) is recognised as a progressive-psychedelic rock classic. Vangelis settled in Paris, and gained initial recognition for his scores to the Frédéric Rossif animal documentaries L'Apocalypse des Animaux, La Fête sauvage, and Opéra sauvage. He released his first solo albums during this time, and performed as a solo artist. In 1975, Vangelis relocated to London where he built his home recording facility named Nemo Studios and released a series of successful and influential albums for RCA Records, including Heaven and Hell (1975), Albedo 0.39 (1976), Spiral (1977), and China (1979). From 1979 to 1986, Vangelis performed in a duo with Yes vocalist Jon Anderson, releasing several albums as Jon and Vangelis. He collaborated with Irene Papas on two albums of Greek traditional and religious songs.

Composer

Nuclear Now (2022)

Nuclear Now

7.3

Composer

2022

 

Para não esquecer (Recollecting) (2022)

Para não esquecer (Recollecting)

Composer

2022

 

Seyed Sadegh Abdosalehi and Almighty Allah in The Sermon (2021)

The Sermon

Podcast Series

Composer

2021–2022

9 episodes

 

Seyed Sadegh Abdosalehi, Farouq Safizadeh, and Masaru Emoto in The Saqar (2020)

The Saqar

Short

Composer (music by)

2020

 

Oreines symfonies (2019)

Oreines symfonies

4.6

Composer

2019

 

Seyed Sadegh Abdosalehi, Farouq Safizadeh, Wafa Mansour Frigui, and Masaru Emoto in The Holy Mecca (2019)

The Holy Mecca

Composer

2019

 

The Third Law (2019)

The Third Law

Short

Composer

2019

 

090909 (2018)

090909

Short

Composer

2018

 

Mr Lonely and Your Soul

Short

Composer (music)

2017

 

Jacob Godschalk and Megan Galloway in Bell Jingler (2017)

Bell Jingler

Short

Composer

2017

 

Twilight of Shadows (2014)

Twilight of Shadows

5.5

Composer

2014

 

White-bordered theatrical One-sheet.

The End for Shawn

7.9

Short

Composer

2013

 

Vangelis and the Journey to Ithaka (2013)

Vangelis and the Journey to Ithaka

7.6

Composer

2013

 

Nicole Schach and Hassan Said in La Petite Fille De La Mer (2013)

La Petite Fille De La Mer

Short

Composer

2013

 

Trashed (2012)

Trashed

7.6

Composer

2012

 

Ici rien (2011)

Ici rien

Short

Composer

2011

 

Susret

Short

Composer (music by)

2011

 

Rupture: A Matter of Life OR Death

8.6

Composer

2011

 

White-bordered theatrical one-sheet poster.

Shawn's Final Countdown

8.0

Short

Composer

2011

 

The Seven Sages of Antiquity (2010)

The Seven Sages of Antiquity

6.2

TV Movie

Composer

2010

 

Timewatch (1982)

Timewatch

7.6

TV Series

Composer (background music)

2009

1 episode

 

Swiadectwo (2008)

Swiadectwo

5.9

TV Movie

Composer

2008

 

Aeternus (2008)

Aeternus

6.7

Short

Composer (uncredited)

2008

 

The Electric Dreamer: Remembering Philip K. Dick (2007)

The Electric Dreamer: Remembering Philip K. Dick

7.7

Video

Composer

2007

 

El Greco (2007)

El Greco

6.5

Composer (music composed and performed by)

2007

 

Isbjørner, hunder og videoteip

TV Movie

Composer (music)

2007

 

Modern Greeks: C.P. Cavafy

8.6

TV Movie

Composer (background music to 'Ithaka')

2007

 

Dancing for Oliver (2006)

Dancing for Oliver

Composer

2006

 

Fight Against Time: Oliver Stone's Alexander (2005)

Fight Against Time: Oliver Stone's Alexander

6.9

Video

Composer

2005

 

Resurrecting 'Alexander' (2005)

Resurrecting 'Alexander'

7.6

Video

Composer

2005

 

Perfect Is the Enemy of Good (2005)

Perfect Is the Enemy of Good

6.5

Video

Composer

2005

 

The Death of 'Alexander' (2005)

The Death of 'Alexander'

6.6

Video

Composer

2005

 

Ecuba (2004)

Ecuba

6.0

Composer

2004

 

Anthony Hopkins, Val Kilmer, Angelina Jolie, and Colin Farrell in Alexander (2004)

Alexander

5.6

Composer

2004

 

Vangelis: Mythodea - Music for the NASA Mission, 2001 Mars Odyssey (2001)

Vangelis: Mythodea - Music for the NASA Mission, 2001 Mars Odyssey

8.4

Video

Composer

2001

 

I Hope (2001)

I Hope

9.0

Short

Composer

2001

 

Anil Kapoor, Akshaye Khanna, and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in Taal (1999)

Taal

6.6

Composer (from "The Bounty", uncredited)

1999

 

Vasilis Saleas: The Will of the Wind (1996)

Vasilis Saleas: The Will of the Wind

Music Video

Composer

1996

 

Vasilis Saleas: L'enfant (1996)

Vasilis Saleas: L'enfant

Music Video

Composer

1996

 

Vasilis Saleas: Elsewere (1996)

Vasilis Saleas: Elsewere

Music Video

Composer

1996

 

Cavafy (1996)

Cavafy

5.7

Composer (as Vangelis Papathanasiou)

1996

 

Jacques Cousteau: Rediscover the World II (1992)

Jacques Cousteau: Rediscover the World II

8.1

TV Series

Composer

1992

3 episodes

 

Rio 92 Earth Summit (1992)

Rio 92 Earth Summit

TV Short

Composer

1992

 

Vangelis: Conquest of Paradise (1992)

Vangelis: Conquest of Paradise

8.8

Music Video

Composer

1992

 

Gérard Depardieu in 1492: Conquest of Paradise (1992)

1492: Conquest of Paradise

6.4

Composer

1992

 

Emmanuelle Seigner in Bitter Moon (1992)

Bitter Moon

7.2

Composer

1992

 

La mer volée

TV Movie

Composer

1992

 

Hochu vsyo znat'

TV Series

Composer (Was used track "The Tao Of Love")

1991

1 episode

 

Mouseio Goulandri Fysikis Istorias

Composer

1990

 

Quark

TV Movie

Composer (music)

1990

 

Les dossiers de l'écran (1967)

Les dossiers de l'écran

6.1

TV Series

Composer

1989

1 episode

 

Mickey Rourke in Francesco (1989)

Francesco

6.2

Composer

1989

 

Klaus Kinski in Vampire in Venice (1988)

Vampire in Venice

5.1

Composer

1988

 

Dumb Animals

6.3

TV Short

Composer (uncredited)

1985

 

Wonders of Life

Composer

1985

 

Vangelis in Vangelis - The Man and His Music (1984)

Vangelis - The Man and His Music

TV Special

Composer

1984

 

Savage and Beautiful (1984)

Savage and Beautiful

8.0

Composer

1984

 

L'opéra sauvage

8.4

TV Series

Composer

1976–1984

18 episodes

 

Mel Gibson, Anthony Hopkins, and Tevaite Vernette in The Bounty (1984)

The Bounty

7.0

Composer

1984

 

Skies

Short

Composer

1983

 

Takeshi Kusaka, Shigeru Kôyama, Masako Natsume, Keiko Oginome, Eiji Okada, Ken Takakura, Tsunehiko Watase, and Sô Yamamura in Antarctica (1983)

Antarctica

7.6

Composer

1983

 

Donna Summer in Donna Summer: State of Independence (1982)

Donna Summer: State of Independence

6.1

Music Video

Composer

1982

 

Fur: You Deserve It

6.8

Short

Composer

1982

 

Harrison Ford and Sean Young in Blade Runner (1982)

Blade Runner

8.1

Composer (music composed by)

1982

 

Jack Lemmon, Sissy Spacek, and John Shea in Missing (1982)

Missing

7.7

Composer (music composed by)

1982

 

La perdiz

Short

Composer

1981

 

Pablo Picasso Painter

Composer

1981

 

Vangelis: Chariots of Fire (1981)

Vangelis: Chariots of Fire

7.2

Music Video

Composer

1981

 

Brad Davis, Ben Cross, Yves Beneyton, Colin Bruce, Ian Charleson, Dennis Christopher, Patrick Doyle, Nicholas Farrell, Daniel Gerroll, Stephen Mallatratt, Alan Polonsky, Struan Rodger, Edward Wiley, Benny Young, and David John in Chariots of Fire (1981)

Chariots of Fire

7.1

Composer (as Vangelis Papathanassiou)

1981

 

Parousies: Eirini Pappa (1981)

Parousies: Eirini Pappa

TV Special

Composer

1981

 

Vangelis and Jon Anderson in Jon & Vangelis: The Friends of Mr. Cairo (1981)

Jon & Vangelis: The Friends of Mr. Cairo

Music Video

Composer

1981

 

Vangelis - De Soleil et D'Eau (1980)

Vangelis - De Soleil et D'Eau

TV Special

Composer

1980

 

Prkosna delta (1980)

Prkosna delta

6.0

Composer

1980

 

Mater amatísima (1980)

Mater amatísima

6.4

Composer

1980

 

Death of a Princess (1980)

Death of a Princess

7.7

TV Movie

Composer

1980

 

The Mantle of Love (1978)

The Mantle of Love

6.6

Composer (from the album 'Heaven and Hell')

1978

 

The Empire of the Supernatural: The Hidden Worlds of Power

TV Movie

Composer

1977

 

La fête sauvage (1976)

La fête sauvage

7.7

Composer

1976

 

Karen Black, Omar Sharif, and Joseph Bottoms in Crime and Passion (1975)

Crime and Passion

5.0

Composer (as Vangelis Papathanassiou)

1975

 

Do You Hear the Dogs Barking? (1975)

Do You Hear the Dogs Barking?

6.6

Composer (as Vangiles Papathalnassiou)

1975

 

Le cantique des créatures: Georges Braque ou Le temps différent

Composer

1975

 

Melody

TV Movie

Composer

1974

 

Le cantique des créatures: Georges Mathieu ou La fureur d'être

7.7

Composer

1974

 

Amore (1974)

Amore

5.0

Composer

1974

 

Verve

Short

Composer

1973

 

L'apocalypse des animaux (1973)

L'apocalypse des animaux

8.5

TV Mini Series

Composer (as Vangelis Papathanassiou)

1973

6 episodes

 

Salut, Jerusalem

Composer

1972

 

Frenitis (1971)

Frenitis

5.0

Composer (as Vangelis Papathanasiou)

1971

 

Sex-Power (1970)

Sex-Power

5.9

Composer (as Vangelis Papathanassiou)

1970

 

Aphrodite's Child

Short

Composer (as Aphrodite's Child)

1969

 

The Face of Medusa (1967)

The Face of Medusa

5.9

Composer (as Vangelis Papathanasiou)

1967

 

Alekos Tzanetakos, Giorgos Konstadinou, and Sapfo Notara in 5,000 Lies (1966)

5,000 Lies

6.3

Composer (as Vangelis Papathanasiou)

1966

 

O adelfos mou... o trohonomos (1963)

O adelfos mou... o trohonomos

5.6

Composer (as Vangelis Papathanasiou)

1963

 

Music Department

Beyond, Ode to the Earth (2024)

Beyond, Ode to the Earth

6.7

Music Department

2024

 

« 2084 » par Softhera: le making of (2023)

« 2084 » par Softhera: le making of

Short

additional music

2023

 

El club lento (2022)

El club lento

Podcast Series

composer: Main Titles, Love Theme, Tales Of The Future, Memories Of Green, Blade Runner Blues, Rachael's Song, Pris Meets JF Sebastian, One More Kiss, Dear, Tears In Rain & End Titles

2023

1 episode

 

Granny (2022)

Granny

Short

music

2022

 

Anafora ston Ioanni Kapodistria (2021)

Anafora ston Ioanni Kapodistria

music courtesy of: Rapsodies

2021

 

Reflections (2020)

Reflections

7.4

Short

original theme

2020

 

Tobias Bastian Them Burø, Bastian Lars Andreasen, Vigga Rohweder, and Morgan Batchelor in BaseBoys (2018)

BaseBoys

6.9

TV Series

music

2018

1 episode

 

Leonardo Thimo, Tony Meramveliotakis, George Hulk, Manos Papadakis, Popi Kavoy, Aifnidios Manos, and Marina Rina in Captain Jokes Parrot's Disaster of the Caribbean (2017)

Captain Jokes Parrot's Disaster of the Caribbean

7.3

TV Movie

composer: theme music

2017

 

Lakis Papadopoulos and Leonardo Thimo in Leo & Tony's Parody Center Show (2011)

Leo & Tony's Parody Center Show

7.8

TV Series

composer: theme music

2017

1 episode

 

Gintberg på kanten (2011)

Gintberg på kanten

6.9

TV Series

music

2015

1 episode

 

Island Peak 2011

composer: additional music

2013

 

The Real Chariots of Fire

TV Movie

composer: stock music

2012

 

Beach Memories

Short

stock music

2012

 

El Greco (2007)

El Greco

6.5

music arranger

music producer

2007

 

Anthony Hopkins, Val Kilmer, Angelina Jolie, and Colin Farrell in Alexander (2004)

Alexander

5.6

music arranger

music producer

2004

 

Troldspejlet (1989)

Troldspejlet

8.8

TV Series

composer: stock music

2000

1 episode

 

Poslední zvonení

Short

composer: song "Alpha"

1998

 

Andrea Del Boca in Perla negra (1994)

Perla negra

6.7

TV Series

composer: additional music (uncredited)

1994

1 episode

 

The Plague (1992)

The Plague

5.6

composer: theme music (uncredited)

1992

 

Emmanuelle Seigner in Bitter Moon (1992)

Bitter Moon

7.2

musician

1992

 

Terminator II (1989)

Terminator II

4.3

composer: stock music

1989

 

Im Schatten der Angst (1988)

Im Schatten der Angst

7.3

TV Movie

music performer

1988

 

The Rose King (1986)

The Rose King

6.5

composer: song "Je te dirai les mots"

1986

 

Lucho Graves and Chelín Díaz in Sirenata en B (1984)

Sirenata en B

Short

additional music

1984

 

River Journeys (1984)

River Journeys

TV Series

composer: title music

1984

6 episodes

 

Mel Gibson, Anthony Hopkins, and Tevaite Vernette in The Bounty (1984)

The Bounty

7.0

musician

1984

 

Takeshi Kusaka, Shigeru Kôyama, Masako Natsume, Keiko Oginome, Eiji Okada, Ken Takakura, Tsunehiko Watase, and Sô Yamamura in Antarctica (1983)

Antarctica

7.6

music arranger

music producer

music programming (uncredited) ...

1983

 

Crystal Eyes (1982)

Crystal Eyes

music

1982

 

Lee Horsley in Matt Houston (1982)

Matt Houston

6.5

TV Series

composer: opening music (uncredited)

1982

1 episode

 

Harrison Ford and Sean Young in Blade Runner (1982)

Blade Runner

8.1

music arranger

music producer

musician

1982

 

Q.E.D. (1982)

Q.E.D.

6.0

TV Series

music by

1982

1 episode

 

Jack Lemmon, Sissy Spacek, and John Shea in Missing (1982)

Missing

7.7

music arranged by

1982

 

Brad Davis, Ben Cross, Yves Beneyton, Colin Bruce, Ian Charleson, Dennis Christopher, Patrick Doyle, Nicholas Farrell, Daniel Gerroll, Stephen Mallatratt, Alan Polonsky, Struan Rodger, Edward Wiley, Benny Young, and David John in Chariots of Fire (1981)

Chariots of Fire

7.1

original music arranger

performer: original music (as Vangelis Papathanassiou)

1981

 

ERT Eidiseis (1975)

ERT Eidiseis

TV Series

title music

1975–1987

 

Salut, Jerusalem

performer

1972