Vangelis
Musician · Greece · 1943–2022
Vangelis was known for his innovative use of synthesizers, including the Yamaha CS-80, which became a signature element of his sound.
Vangelis was a Greek composer known for his diverse musical styles, including electronic, new age, and classical music.
He won an Academy Award for Best Original Score for his work on the film "Chariots of Fire" in 1981.
Biography
Early Life
Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou, known professionally as Vangelis, was born on March 29, 1943, in Agria, Greece. Raised in Athens, he was influenced by a musical family; his father was an amateur sprinter and a music lover, while his mother was a trained soprano. Vangelis showed an early interest in music, composing at the age of four and experimenting with sounds. Despite being enrolled in music lessons, he preferred to develop his own techniques and never learned to read or write music, which he believed allowed him to maintain his creativity.
Career
Vangelis's career began in the 1960s when he formed the band Aphrodite's Child with Demis Roussos and others. The band achieved success in Europe with hits like "Rain and Tears" and albums such as "End of the World" and "666". He later became renowned for his film scores, winning an Academy Award for Best Original Score for "Chariots of Fire" (1981) and composing iconic soundtracks for films like "Blade Runner" (1982) and "1492: Conquest of Paradise" (1992). His music, characterized by a blend of electronic, progressive rock, and classical styles, has been described as symphonic electronica, drawing on folk melodies, particularly from his Greek heritage.
Personal Life and Views
Vangelis was known for his reclusive nature, rarely giving interviews and avoiding the trappings of fame. He expressed a disdain for the music industry's commercial aspects, preferring to focus on his artistic freedom. He had relationships with notable figures, including model Kathy Hill, and was married twice, though he did not have children. Vangelis lived a nomadic lifestyle, often traveling and maintaining a residence near the Acropolis in Athens. He passed away on May 17, 2022, leaving behind a legacy of innovative music that continues to inspire artists across genres.
Collected from open sources (4) · facts link to sources · AI-processed
Discography
Classic Soundtracks2025
- 1.Yoda's Theme - From Star Wars Episode V0:57
- 2.Flying Theme - From E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial1:32
- 3.Mission Impossible Theme0:53
- 4.Captain America Civil War - Cap's Promise2:02
- 5.Blade Runner Theme (End Credits)1:41
- 6.The Terminator Theme2:50
- 7.Kung Fu Panda - Hero Theme1:54
- 8.Band of Brothers Theme1:58
- 9.Cape Fear Theme2:06
- 10.The Goonies Theme3:06
- 11.Robocop Theme1:21
- 12.The Magnificent Seven Theme2:41
- 13.Wallace and Gromit Theme1:00
- 14.Austin Powers Theme (Soul Bossa Nova)1:13
- 15.Licence to Kill1:51
- 16.Dragonheart Theme2:06
- 17.The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe Theme1:03
- 18.Contact Theme (End Credits)2:07
- 19.Escape from New York Theme3:38
- 20.On Her Majesty's Secret Service1:57
- 21.A Summer Place1:51
Juno to Jupiter2021
- 1.Atlas’ Push3:41
- 2.Inside Our Perspectives3:32
- 3.Out in Space4:14
- 4.Juno’s Quiet Determination5:18
- 5.Jupiter’s Intuition3:58
- 6.Juno’s Power4:09
- 7.Space’s Mystery Road4:18
- 8.In the Magic of Cosmos2:07
- 9.Juno’s Tender Call3:42
- 10.Juno’s Echoes3:39
- 11.Juno’s Ethereal Breeze1:31
- 12.Jupiter’s Veil of Clouds5:17
- 13.Hera / Juno Queen of the Gods4:21
- 14.Zeus Almighty11:01
- 15.Jupiter Rex1:36
- 16.Juno’s Accomplishments4:23
- 17.Apo 221:54
- 18.In Serenitatem4:15
Nocturne: The Piano Album2019
- 1.Nocturnal Promenade5:51
- 2.To the Unknown Man5:15
- 3.Movement 9, Mythodea3:49
- 4.Moonlight Reflections3:11
- 5.Through the Night Mist5:13
- 6.Early Years3:33
- 7.Love Theme, Blade Runner6:05
- 8.Sweet Nostalgia3:39
- 9.Intermezzo3:46
- 10.To a Friend5:24
- 11.La Petite Fille de la mer4:45
- 12.Longing3:45
- 13.Chariots of Fire5:27
- 14.Unfulfilled Desire4:24
- 15.Lonesome5:51
- 16.1492: Conquest of Paradise4:52
- 17.Pour Melia1:12
Rosetta2016
- 1.Origins (Arrival)4:21
- 2.Starstuff5:15
- 3.Infinitude4:30
- 4.Exo Genesis3:33
- 5.Celestial Whispers2:31
- 6.Albedo 0.064:45
- 7.Sunlight4:22
- 8.Rosetta5:02
- 9.Philae’s Descent3:05
- 10.Mission Accomplie (Rosetta’s Waltz)2:12
- 11.Perihelion6:35
- 12.Elegy3:07
- 13.Return to the Void4:20
Stream Of Thought2014
- 1.Bittersweet1:47
- 2.The Stranger3:14
- 3.Abschied1:55
- 4.First Sight1:16
- 5.Greek Lament0:54
- 6.Homeless2:27
- 7.In Blossom0:46
- 8.Let Go1:03
- 9.Mirror In A Mirror1:41
- 10.Point Of No Return0:52
- 11.Propriety0:46
- 12.Speaking Of Morricone1:22
- 13.Tear Us Apart3:40
- 14.Tears In Rain1:00
- 15.The Awakening2:01
- 16.The Feeling Begins2:21
- 17.The Girl In The Picture1:21
- 18.The Last Stand3:11
- 19.The Last Temptation3:15
- 20.Urban Spirit2:27
Mythodea: Music for the NASA Mission: 2001 Mars Odyssey2001
- 1.Introduction2:44
- 2.Movement 15:41
- 3.Movement 25:40
- 4.Movement 35:51
- 5.Movement 413:42
- 6.Movement 56:36
- 7.Movement 66:27
- 8.Movement 74:58
- 9.Movement 83:07
- 10.Movement 95:00
- 11.Movement 103:04
- 12.Mythodea (special edit)4:06
Oceanic1996
- 1.Bon Voyage2:33
- 2.Sirens’ Whispering7:59
- 3.Dreams of Surf2:43
- 4.Spanish Harbour6:42
- 5.Islands of the Orient7:24
- 6.Fields of Coral7:44
- 7.Aquatic Dance3:44
- 8.Memories of Blue5:40
- 9.Song of the Seas6:11
Voices1995
- 1.Voices7:02
- 2.Echoes8:25
- 3.Come to Me4:34
- 4.P.S.2:06
- 5.Ask the Mountains7:53
- 6.Prelude4:25
- 7.Losing Sleep (Still, My Heart)6:42
- 8.Messages7:40
- 9.Dream in an Open Place5:57
El Greco1995
- 1.Movement 110:08
- 2.Movement 25:25
- 3.Movement 36:26
- 4.Movement 49:46
- 5.Movement 58:12
- 6.Movement 611:52
- 7.Movement 77:00
The City1990
- 1.Dawn4:16
- 2.Morning Papers3:56
- 3.Nerve Centre5:31
- 4.Side Streets4:13
- 5.Good to See You6:51
- 6.Twilight4:58
- 7.Red Lights3:55
- 8.Procession9:34
Direct1988
- 1.The Motion of Stars4:18
- 2.The Will of the Wind4:44
- 3.Metallic Rain6:09
- 4.Elsewhere5:43
- 5.Dial Out5:21
- 6.Glorianna (Hymn à la femme)4:21
- 7.Rotation’s Logic3:29
- 8.The Oracle of Apollo3:57
- 9.Message7:10
- 10.Ave4:53
- 11.First Approach5:00
- 12.Intergalactic Radio Station7:44
Rapsodies1986
- 1.Ti ipermacho stratigo6:52
- 2.O! Gliki mou ear8:42
- 3.Ton nimfona sou vlepo1:37
- 4.Rapsodia5:26
- 5.Tin oreotita tis parthenias sou4:42
- 6.Christos Anesti7:24
- 7.Asma asmaton11:13
Invisible Connections1985
Tracklist not collected yet.
Mask1985
Tracklist not collected yet.
Soil Festivities1984
Tracklist not collected yet.
See You Later1980
Tracklist not collected yet.
China1979
Tracklist not collected yet.
Odes1979
Tracklist not collected yet.
Beaubourg1978
Tracklist not collected yet.
The Dragon1978
Tracklist not collected yet.
Spiral1977
Tracklist not collected yet.
Albedo 0.391976
Tracklist not collected yet.
Heaven and Hell1975
Tracklist not collected yet.
Earth1973
Tracklist not collected yet.
Fais que ton rêve soit plus long que la nuit1973
Tracklist not collected yet.
Gallery
Label
- Record label
- RCA
- Record label
- Atlantic Records
- Record label
- Deutsche Grammophon
- Record label
- Universal Music Group
Achievements
- Award
- Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres
- Award
- Academy Award for Best Original Score
- Award
- Commander of the Order of the Phoenix
- Award
- Knight of the Legion of Honour
- Award
- Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres
Groups
- Aphrodite’s Childoriginalcurrent
- The Forminxcurrent
Similar artists
Archive
Passport
piano, synthesizer, percussion instrument, Yamaha CS-80, modular synthesizer
Identifiers & aliases
Also known as: E. Papathanassiou, Efangelos Odysseas Papathanasiou, Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou, Evángelos Odysséas Papathanassíou, Papathanassiou, Papathanassiou, Vangelis
Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou, mainly known professionally as Vangelis, was a Greek composer, arranger, performer and record producer. He released material of wide musical genres such as electronic music, progressive rock, ambient, and classical orchestral music. He is primarily known for his film scores, composing the Academy Award-winning score to Chariots of Fire (1981), as well as composing the scores of 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.
Opinions of fans — not verified facts.
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