Vangelis - Musician Composer Producer

Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou, professionally known as Vangelis, is a Greek composer of electronic, progressive, ambient, jazz, pop rock, and orchestral music.

He is best known for his Academy Award-winning score for the film Chariots of Fire, composing scores for the films Antarctica, Blade Runner, 1492: Conquest of Paradise, and Alexander, and the use of his music in the PBS documentary Cosmos: A Personal Voyage by Carl Sagan.

Vangelis began his professional musical career working with several popular bands of the 1960s such as The Forminx and Aphrodite's Child, with the latter's album 666 going on to be recognized as a psychedelic "classic". Throughout the 1970s, Vangelis composed music scores for several animal documentaries, including L'Apocalypse Des Animaux, La FÃte sauvage and OpÃra sauvage; the success of these scores brought him into the film scoring mainstream.

In the early 1980s, Vangelis formed a musical partnership with Jon Anderson, the lead singer of progressive rock band Yes, and the duo went on to release several albums together as Jon & Vangelis. In 1981, he composed the score for the Oscar-winning film Chariots of Fire, which won him the Academy Award for Best Original Music Score.

The soundtrack's single, "Titles", also reached the top of the American Billboard Hot 100 chart and was used as the background music at the London 2012 Olympics winners' medal presentation ceremonies.

Vangelis - Blade Runner Soundtrack (Remastered 2017)

Vangelis - Greatest Hits (2021)

 

Vangelis - Chariots Of Fire

Vangelis - Chariots of Fire 1 Hour Version

 

Last edited: May 11, 2022

In the real sense of the word, a genius who hasn't been remembered much lately, for the simple fact of being recluse and for making music for multimedia... is one of those talents that should never leave us

 

http://www.nemostudios.co.uk/.../www.../bladerunner/ )
Synthesisers
The long notes in the film’s opening credits were created on Vangelis’ Yamaha CS-80 synthesiser, an instrument that featured many performance controls, including a ribbon controller that gave Vangelis the flexibility apply a pitch bend to his notes. It also had polyphonic aftertouch, which gave Vangelis control over each note’s inflection and modulation by varying the amount of pressure on each key pressed on the instrument.
Besides the Yamaha CS-80, two other prominent instruments heard throughout Blade Runner are a Roland VP-330 VocoderPlus synthesiser, for the string section, and a Fender Rhodes, for the nostalgic-sounding electric piano.
Other instruments included a Sequential Circuits’ Prophet 10 synthesiser, used for producing low drones and effects, E-Mu’s Emulator keyboard, put to use as a percussive sampler and a sound library, and Yamaha GS-1 for occasional percussion effects.
Vangelis created the enormous spatial distance of the score by running his instruments through a Lexicon 224 digital reverberation sound processor. He used it by applying depths and spaces to his synthesisers and percussion, creating lush spaces to complement the film’s vast landscapes.
For compositions that incorporated the occasional use of pulsating sequencer work, Vangelis had a set-up consisting of several Roland synthesisers and sequencers. This allowed him, during his performance, to adjust, transpose and edit the sequence as he played along. The Roland synthesisers included the Jupiter 4 and the ProMars CompuPhonic, and the Roland sequencers included the CSQ-600, CSQ-100 and System-104.
Vangelis’ studio in London was his own privately funded and operated recording studio, which contained over a million pounds worth of equipment and instruments.
Vangelis’ film score for Blade Runner:
Music composed, arranged, performed
and produced by
VANGELIS
Saxophone on ‘Love Theme’ by
Dick Morrissey
Recorded at Nemo Studios, London
Nemo Studios’ equipment, synthesisers, and instruments, 1982
Analogue Synthesis
Yamaha CS-80 •
Yamaha CS-40M •
Roland VP-330 VocoderPlus MK I •
Sequential Circuits Prophet 10 •
Roland Jupiter 4 •
Roland SH-09
Analogue Drum Machines
Roland CR-5000 CompuRhythm •
Simmons SDSV with drum pad suitcase
CV/Gate Controllers and Sequencers
Roland ProMars CompuPhonic •
Roland CSQ-600 •
Roland CSQ-100
Roland System-100
Moog MiniMoog
RSF Kobol Black Box
ARP Sequencer
Digital Sampling Synthesis
E-Mu Emulator •
LINN LM-1 drum computer (preset)
FM Synthesis
Yamaha GS-1 •
Recording and Mixing
Quad/Eight Pacifica ( 36 channel inline mixing desk) •
dbx 216 16-channel Type I noise reduction (multitrack tapes) •
dbx 158 8-channel Type I noise reduction (multitrack tapes) •
Dolby A-Type noise reduction (mixdown mastering) •
Lyrec TR 532 2-inch 24-track tape recorder •
Ampex ATR-100 quarter-inch 2-track master tape recorder •
Studer 4-track master tape recorder (hired) •
Reverbs and Delays
Lexicon 224 digital reverb •
Master Room spring reverb
Compressors and Equalisers
Klark Teknik DN-27 graphic equaliser
Klark Teknik DN-22 graphic equaliser
URei 1176-LN peak limiter
Microphones
AKG-414, Sennheiser, and Electro-Voice
Monitoring
Tannoy Dreadnought Monitors
BGW 750B amplifiers

• Indicates known or strongly suspected use on Blade Runner
Electro-Acoustical Keyboards
Fender Rhodes 88 suitcase piano •
Yamaha CP-80 piano •
Acoustic Keyboard
Steinway & Sons Concert Grand Piano •
Acoustic Instruments
20-inch circular saw blade
Bell trees
Crotales
Gamelan
Glockenspiel
3 hand-tuned Timpani
Koto - Japanese stringed instrument •
Standard drum kit
Symphonic gongs
Symphonic snare drum
Thunder sheet
Tubular bell
Vibraphone
Wind gong
Organ
Hammond B3

 

Vangelis - Odyssey (Full Album) 2003

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

 

Welcome to the independent Elsewhere Vangelis site.

With this unofficial fan project we hope to share our passion for the music of Vangelis, provide an introduction into the broad scope of his work, as well as keep you informed on all the latest news out there. We try to confirm and verify all of that as well as we can.

Since the 2011 redesign editorial control involves team work, with Sufian having joined Dennis' ongoing maintenance of the Elsewhere site.

http://elsew.com

Sounds: "Shaping the studio to suit yourself" (Sounds music newspaper, February 5 1977, United Kingdom)
Text - English - Another article from British music paper "Sounds", this time with Vangelis and engineer Keith Spencer-Allen, focusing mostly on the recording process at Nemo studios.

"Vangelis: machine head" (Melody Maker, October 2 1976, United Kingdom)
Text - English - An interview taken during the preparations of the postponed Albedo concert, printed in "Melody Maker".

"Heaven and Hell - Radio Special" (Promotional LP release, 1976, USA)
Text - English - This represents the text of a special promo LP released after Heaven and Hell, where Vangelis talks about the album and many other topics.

Sounds: "Vangelis - The Complete Orchestra" (Sounds music newspaper, June 19 1976, United Kingdom)
Text - English - UK music paper Sounds had another interview with Vangelis, focusing on his instruments and recording technique.

Crawdaddy: "VANGELIS IN CONCERT: TIERS OF RAGE" (Crawdaddy magazine, May 1976, USA)
Text - English - This progrock magazine from the USA visited Vangelis' press conference after the Heaven and Hell concert. Descriptions of the show, and an amusing conversation between Vangelis and an RCA official.

Oor '76 interview, "The Child Of Aphrodite Explodes!" (Oor music news paper, February 25, 1976)
Text - English, translated from Dutch - Dutch music newspaper (at the time) "Oor", was one of the many to interview Vangelis during this period.

"Sounds '76 interview" (Sounds music newspaper, February 7, 1976, United Kingdom)
Text - English - Sounds interviewed Vangelis in his Nemo studio after the release of Heaven and Hell.

Beat Instrumental: "Vangelis' Heaven and Hell" (Beat International magazine, December 1975, United Kingdom)
Text - English - This magazine had a special on Synthesizers and started off the issue with a small interview with Vangelis about the Heaven and Hell album.

"Ichos" magazine interview (Ichos magazine, September 1975, Greece)
Text - English, translated from Greek - The Greek musical press was still following Vangelis, even though he had left since long for Paris and then London. This interview was published in Ichos magazine.

"The Greek Connection" (New Musical Express music newspaper, August 16 1975, United Kingdom)
Text - English - A small and peculiar interview in UK music paper "New Musical Express" paints more scenery than interview quotes but has a happy end.

"Greek keyboard revolutionary VANGELIS PAPATHANASSIOU - the man who slams the stars"
(New Musical Express music newspaper, October 12 1974, United Kingdom)
Text - English - An article about the new star in London's musical skies, from their '70s perspective.

Sounds: "Surprise surprise" (Sounds music newspaper, August 10 1974, United Kingdom)
Text - English - Vangelis must have just entered the UK, but Sounds already managed to get an interview with him. The "joining Yes" rumors, the many keyboards, the record contract, all the Brits' favorite topics of the time where covered in this article.

"Vangelis Papathanassiou - one of those rare rock characters" (Melody Maker music newspaper, August 10 1974, United Kingdom)
Text - English - British music paper Melody Maker had a lengthy chat with Vangelis that resulted in a colorful interview article, published the same day as the Sounds article.

"Vangelis - Obscure genius" (Sounds, March 9 1974, United Kingdom)
Text - English - When he just moved from France to Britain the UK music paper "Sounds" featured an article with interview quotes.

"The Greeks have a word for it." (Melody Maker, August 19 1972, United Kingdom)
Text - English - Melody Maker had an article about Vangelis after Aphrodite's Child split up. It has only one quote to make it qualify as an interview, but finding something else from that era is almost impossible.

Interview in Rave magazine (Rave teen magazine, January 1968, United Kingdom)
Text - English - The earliest Vangelis interview in English that we found was published in a UK teen magazine, when Aphrodite's Child was still busy scoring hits on the continent.

 

So much respect to this man. Incredible feeling to his music and his use of the CS-80 is inspirational.
I used to sample to make hip hop beats often and he was one of my go to sources for wild samples.

 

Beside the wonderful OST (included also Tomita tracks) I think Sagan Cosmos is a milestone in knowledge spreading. His ability to make easy any concept was unique.
I miss him much.

The suitcase is very rare.

 

He lives in the centre of Athens a place called Plaka . i have seing him many times and saluted him . You have to listen to Mythodea ( Ode to Zeus - Dia ) , which is incredible and was played simultaneously in the Spaceship which was travelling to Mars and Live in the Temple Of Zeus - Dia here in Athens ! They did it because they wanted Zeus to allow their Spaceship to leave Earth and travel to Mars ...... !!

 

I love V's sound design. His sounds are iconic. The music itself can be a little... somnambulant... for me LOL he was considered for Yes back when Pat Moraz got the gig.

 

What there is to say about the big V that hasn't said already? The man's a stone cold genius.

Though I don't listen to his stuff as much as I used to the music is still fantastic.

More often than not I listen to his earlier band, Aphrodite's Child, which is genius prog. The band was Vangelis, Demis Roussos, Loukas Sideras, and Silver Kouloris, all of whom have enjoyed success on their own.

The whole album, "666" (supposedly about the Book of Revelation) is... something else.

 

Would this also be the case with the following drum reverb? Which is absolutely insane!
Lame movie btw (except for Rosario Dawson in certain scenes haha), but this piece of music really made the battle sequence more exciting.

Starting @ 0.35

 

If I was working on an album and could have any keyboard player from the past several decades I would choose Vangelis. Earlier than that Bach...

 

I find it ridiculous that most people think of Chariots of fire when they hear the name Vangelis. His is an extremely versatile artist who created art in so many different forms of music. Ballads, epic symphonic music, pop, prog rock, ambient..The man is an endless fountain of creativity.
In 1973,while his country was under an ultra nationalistic fascist military junta, while so many other places in the world were under generals preaching purity of races and whatever, Vangelis released his Earth album. Inside he says that we are all "an unnamed nation of bastards".

We were all uprooted
The earth was stolen from beneath our feet
We became a Diaspora
An unnamed nation of bastards
We channeled our roots to the pulse of light
deep within the galaxies of our mind
Our breath was the sky
Our dreams were water
We claimed the wilderness
We recognized each other

and here is a little sad story about Vangelis and his infamous Chariots of fire.
not many people outside Greece know about this, but Vangelis was once sued by another Greek artist for Chariots of fire.
Stavros Logarides had written a track called City of violets. The track was written for a Greek tv show that was aired in 1975.
The show was called Menexedenia Politea/City of violets and with Greece only having state TV, the track was heard by millions of Greeks.
Vangelis won in court but the situation is complicated. For years there was a version of the original Logarides song on youtube.
Hearing it caused shock to many Greeks and fans of Vangelis, as it definitely sounds like Chariots of fire. I am reminding you that Logarides had written and released the track in 74-75. And since it was on national TV, it was heard millions of Greeks as it was the soundtrack of a series with 36 episodes. Vangelis had released Chariots of fire in 1981. With no internet during the time of the court, the case was quickly forgotten. But after many years, someone uploaded a version of the Logarides track. People started taking sides and fighting. There is no doubt that the Logarides track is like a twin of Chariots of fire. Hear it here.

Hearing the track makes you feel bad for Logarides. It really sounds like Vangelis ripped him off. But there was a twist in this whole story..
For years some Vangelis fans were claiming that the uploaded Logarides track, was not the original recording of 1974-1975, but a version recorded and released after Chariots of fire. People were going nuts, asking everywhere for someone to find the original track from 1974 and upload it so they could finally decide who is right and who is wrong..
And here is the original Logarides track from 1974.

The whole thing is crazy..Hearing the 3 tracks in chronological order and according to the year they were recorded, it sounds like Vangelis kind of took the basic melody from Logarides and transformed it in a whole new track, and then Logarides, after he heard Chariots of fire, recorded another version of his song that reminded exactly the sound of Chariots of fire!!

It is always unfortunate when real artists fight in courts.
I love both Vangelis and Logarides.

 

Last edited: May 12, 2022

The second video - supposed to be the original - doesn't sound exactly like Vangelis, it sounds more "Greek Traditional", because the scale used for the harp melody is more oriental by essence. Because of this choice, the mental images suggested by the Stavros Logarides' melody and orchestration are completely different than with the "Chariots" which evokes a big, powerful, and epic drama .

The ambiance is not the same, the Stavros Logarides composition is sensibly less dark (it sounds more "optimistic" to my ears) than the Vangelis one.

You're right, this case is really a sad, sad story. Both composers have immense talent.

 

I guess there's a lot to be said about Greek inventiveness. To wit: the Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos. Many moons ago, when I was homeless, I borrowed a film called Dogtooth from the Seattle Public Library and watched it on my laptop. To say the film knocked the stuffing out of me is the statement of the year! Yes, it's one of those films that stays with you years after viewing, kinda like Irreversible or Pan's Labyrinth.
[Back on topic]. As an aspiring ambient composer myself, I list Vangelis, along with Brian Eno, Klaus Schulze and Tangerine Dream, as influences

 

It's a sad story. Maybe Vangelis is guilty of not checking that the melody he came up with already existed. That seems likely given no artist would deliberately and blatantly rip off something so well known. I've done this myself with a classical themed piece and I had no idea until I heard the original several years later. Our artistic choices are connected with what we've heard throughout our lives and this episode illustrates that we need to tread carefully, especially when we come up with something that sounds really great - which happened to Paul McCartney with Yesterday:

'He had to verify that it was in fact an original song. He said, “I didn’t believe I’d written it. I thought maybe I’d heard it before, it was some other tune, and I went around for weeks playing the chords of the song for people.”'

https://medium.com/getting-art-done...-dream-was-it-a-creative-miracle-79839cb303fe

 

My own personal opinion is that Vangelis along with Jarre and a few others are among the fathers of Ambient music. They managed to create the sounds and moods people now take for granted as being bundled in a new synth or library and programmed it all on analog synthesisers that did not have the polyphony, or multi-timbral default settings of today's digital counterparts. For a greater part they had to manipulate oscillators, envelopes and frequencies manually with no guarantees it would be exactly the same next time they turned it on.

As for anything related to copyright, the only way any human being can limit the possibility of ever regurgitating something they have heard is to never listen to any other music again. The subconscious is a double-edged sword there and our minds are like a human filing cabinet.
Even if someone did manage to never listen to any music again there are no guarantees that someone won't fluke someone else's melody. George Harrison (My Sweet Lord) and many other artists unconsciously (or not) copied tunes they had heard.

Vangelis was and is simply great at what he does.

 

Vangelis never received classical music lessons and later consciously refused to take any.

However, his talent is already evident in his early childhood: according to legend, he is said to have
already composed when he was four years old. Later, Vangelis studied painting, but not music.

Vangelis creating "China" (1979)

 

Last edited: May 12, 2022

One of my favorite musicians of all time. I've listened to two of his albums literally thousands of times. Damn, I listened one of them last night.
The "conquest of paradise" OST is one of them. Oh man, with a gorgeous symphonic choir at his disposal. I keep drooling every time I listen to it.

Genius among geniuses. Can't say enough good things about this man