The best of Vangelis: cinema’s greatest composer

By Bridget Holt 

Music Journalist 

Greek composer Vangelis is often recognized for his genius in composing some of the greatest and most iconic film scores of all time – and for good reason. Working almost exclusively with electronics and synthesizers, his scores –along with being fantastically dynamic and commanding pieces of stand-alone music– capture a sound like no other; a sound characterized by its abstractness and illusive, hypnotic melodies. 

Born in 1943 as Evangelos Odysseas Papathanasiou, Vangelis would begin playing music at the age of 4 with his first major creative project being for the French nature documentary, L’Apocalypse des animaux in 1973. This project would not only feature his most seminal work but would also position him for success in a lengthy career as a film scorer and electronic musician until his unfortunate passing in 2022. Vangelis is regarded as a revolutionary in the world of new-age and electronic music, with his film scores being some of the most recognizable and interesting sonic moments in cinema history to date. 

When it comes to blockbuster films, Vangelis’ score for 82’s Blade Runner is arguably his best; the soundtrack being front-to-back with interesting futuristic ideas and aesthetics. Weaving from lush ambient soundscapes into action sequences, the soundtrack holds its own as being just as much of a sci-fi stand-out as the movie itself. The composition feels alien; uneasy and stripped back with unfamiliar cadences and free-form melodies that rightfully capture the surrealist, destructive identity of the film. Even without the movie, the soundtrack is masterfully composed and is sure to transport you into a dystopian future. 

The 1984 film score for The Bounty features some of Vangelis’ most intense work, with the music at times feeling gruelingly uneasy and anxious, yet endlessly gorgeous at others. Almost as if Vangelis himself was able to slip behind the characters, you’d think that he’d have had to be on the ship himself to fully understand and realize such complex emotional concepts into music; to fully capture the rock of the boat or waves crashing against the hull. In true Vangelis fashion, the music is captivatingly emotive, all the while remaining hypnotizing and meditative, making Vangelis’ score for The Bounty undoubtedly deserving of a listening experience apart from the movie.

It’s almost impossible to bring up Vangelis’ work without mentioning his score for the 1981 film Chariots of Fire, with the soundtrack being just as, if not more memorable than the movie itself. Even if you’re yet to see the movie, you’re sure to have heard the music, with the classic Vangelis track garnering a cultural reach transcending that of the film. The famous composition would win Vangelis an Academy Award for Best Original Score, the track becoming only more relevant with a growing association with the Olympics. 

Vangelis’ work continues to set the groundwork for film scores even today, his contribution to Cinema being some of the greatest must-hear works in ambient and electronic history. If you haven’t yet, explore his discography or revisit one of his film scores with your utmost attention and experience the music as the great pieces of stand-alone music they are.