Vangelis
Sign in to saveEvangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou (, ; 29 March 1943 – 17 May 2022), known professionally as Vangelis ( ; , ), 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 scores 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.
AI overview
Vangelis was a Greek composer and musician known for creating iconic film scores and electronic music, most famously winning an Academy Award for his work on *Chariots of Fire* (1981). He shaped popular culture through his contributions to major films like *Blade Runner* and the Carl Sagan documentary *Cosmos*, establishing himself as one of the most influential composers of the late 20th century.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Person
- Born
- 1943-03-29
- Died
- 2022-05-17
via Open Library + Wikidata
Film & TV
Sound · Volos, Thessaly, Greece
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…
Known for
- Milva, diva per sempre — Himself2024
- Vangelis: The Interviews — Self2016
- Vangelis and the Journey To Ithaka — Self2013
- Sound of Cinema: The Music That Made the Movies — Self - Interviewed Guest2013
- Vangelis – Mythodea (Music for the NASA Mission: 2001 Mars Odyssey) — Himself2002
- ECHO-Verleihung — Self1992
- Vangelis – Eureka (Live at Rotterdam, 1991) — Himself1991
- Georges Mathieu or the Fury of Being — Self1971
Article
19 sectionsContents
- Early life
- Career
- 1963–1974: Move to Paris, early solo projects and Aphrodite's Child
- 1974–1980: Move to London, solo breakthrough, and Jon and Vangelis
- 1981–2002: Mainstream success
- Film and television
- Theatre and stage productions
- Solo albums and collaborations
- Sporting events
- 2001–2021: Music projects with NASA and ESA
- Personal life and death
- Musical style and sensibility
- Instruments and equipment
- Honours and legacy
- Discography
- Studio albums
- Soundtracks
- References
- External links
Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou (, ; 29 March 1943 – 17 May 2022), known professionally as Vangelis ( ; , ), 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 scores 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, 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 ', ', and ''. 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.
Gallery (8)
Connections
Categories
1943 births2022 deaths20th-century Greek classical composers20th-century Greek male musicians21st-century Greek classical composers21st-century Greek male musiciansAmbient musiciansAtlantic Records artistsBest Original Music Score Academy Award winnersCommandeurs of the Ordre des Arts et des LettresDeaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in France