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Vangelis Appreciation

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Jared View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Jared Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 10 2024 at 00:33
Originally posted by Saperlipopette! Saperlipopette! wrote:

L'apocalypse Des Animaux is an album I've listened to countless times. It's beautiful and gentle... Progressive Electronic/Ambient. Very unique for 1973. It resembles some of the music Brian Eno would start making a few years later.

agreed... I feel very similar about Soil Festivities; very delicate, subtle and beautiful... 
Music has always been a matter of energy to me. On some nights I believe that a car with the needle on empty can run 50 more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio. Hunter S Thompson
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Starshiper Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 10 2024 at 03:09
For me, Vangelis' Albedo 0.39 remains the benchmark of space-orientated yet organic electronic music from the 1970s because of its masterful blending of cosmic soundscapes, innovative synthesiser methods, and profound thematic study of space and humanity's role within it. All of these elements evoke a transcendent auditory experience that still sounds fresh to these ears.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote moshkito Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 10 2024 at 06:09
Originally posted by Starshiper Starshiper wrote:

For me, Vangelis' Albedo 0.39 remains the benchmark of space-orientated yet organic electronic music from the 1970s because of its masterful blending of cosmic soundscapes, innovative synthesiser methods, and profound thematic study of space and humanity's role within it. All of these elements evoke a transcendent auditory experience that still sounds fresh to these ears.

Hi,

In one of the Vangelis Documentaries there is a scene that is the perfect explanation of a lot of his talent and ability ... and it is a shot of him playing/composing the music for Blade Runner, and it goes on for a good minute or two  ... and all you can see is the film looking at the building and the camera moving upwards (think of whatshisname's mobile moving up to the sky) and the music follows ... and stays with it bit by bit ... and it fits beautifully ... and it shows/explains something about composing that is not everyone's thought or idea ... he's all visual, and he is literally following the visual in front of him ... and this is also very clear in Chariots of Fire ... when you can see his keys match the pace and the movement.

I suppose that you can suggest that the film director is the one that can see that and use it, but Maurice Jarre, also did that with his soundtracks and they fit beautifully in many places. Ryuichi Sakamoto might not have done the same but he had a magic touch for several moments and always came up with the far out bit, again, some of it might be the director of the film, but that is unlikely, since Ryuichi, like Vangelis and Maurice, had done this "touch" before and it was a matter of the director being smart enough not to waste some great music.

This is not "commercial" music, as Vangelis has suggested in many a special, and this is the hard part of explaining a lot of this ... we are way too attached to a lot of "commercial" works and materials, in order to be able to find/discern materials that are not onto the "commercial" sounding thing, and you can see this in a lot of Hollywood films with generic music at the start and at the end ... or worse ... during a romantic scene ... and sometimes some well known songs to make you think this is far out! The group Mogwai has also done a couple of things really well, also suggesting a touch of the appreciation of the visual side of things.

It's all about the touch ... and some have it and some don't ... the REAL composers always have it. The rest, for me, are merely doing notes and (sometimes) the worse ... the director is horrible at using the music ... Babylon 5 had this problem, and never used Christopher Frank's music to make the show better ... I don't think any of those directors ever knew what music was for other than sweeping the floors!


Edited by moshkito - October 10 2024 at 06:14
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Starshiper Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 10 2024 at 07:19
Originally posted by moshkito moshkito wrote:

Originally posted by Starshiper Starshiper wrote:

For me, Vangelis' Albedo 0.39 remains the benchmark of space-orientated yet organic electronic music from the 1970s because of its masterful blending of cosmic soundscapes, innovative synthesiser methods, and profound thematic study of space and humanity's role within it. All of these elements evoke a transcendent auditory experience that still sounds fresh to these ears.
/..../ Blade Runner /..../
Even though I am aware why so many people are enthused about the Blade Runner movie, I, for one, do not count among its fervent fans. Not even the Blade Runner soundtrack works to me as much as "See You Later" album featuring Jon Anderson from the same period of the early 1980s; that's possibly Vangelis' most "prog-rock" record he ever released as a solo album. The strange fact that "See You Later" was never released in the United States before being added to the 2017 "Delectus" compilation box set may be the cause of the lack of attention that Vangelis enthusiasts from the U.S. typically give to the "See You Later" LP from 1980.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote richardh Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 10 2024 at 22:36
^ Memories Of Green from See You Later was actually later used on then Blade Runner soundtrack. For a long time the Blade Runner soundtrack was unavailable and only an orchestral version was released which was distinctly odd. I would have liked the soundtrack of The Bounty to be released, I loved that for the music even more than Blade Runner which I loved mainly for the film itself. I like the See You Later album and the modern (for the time) electro beats of Multi Track Suggestion especially. Clever clever artist. He was able to be a lot more eclectic than most music composers but Hollywoood wanted that Chariots Of Fire thing after that movie became a massive hit and that somwhat bedeviled him for years and seemed to create a source of resentment from then great man which was a shame.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote richardh Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 10 2024 at 22:43
Originally posted by Dellinger Dellinger wrote:

Besides Pulstar and the Blade Runner end titles, which other electronic songs would be up there?

I would refer to his album Themes. Love that as a compilation album as it includes previously unreleased Vangelis music from the Bounty as well as a few other films.


There are other 'songs' such as Alpha, To The Unknown Man, Multi Track Suggestion plus everything off his lovely 90's album Voices which I personally adore.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote moshkito Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 11 2024 at 07:19
Originally posted by richardh richardh wrote:

...
He was able to be a lot more eclectic than most music composers but Hollywoood wanted that Chariots Of Fire thing after that movie became a massive hit and that somwhat bedeviled him for years and seemed to create a source of resentment from then great man which was a shame.

Hi,

I think (do I think at all???) ... he had the best with a few directors and what Hollywood had to offer was not a director that knew music, and worse ... could use it. 

Hollywood, is not exactly "known" for music ... more likely what radio calls "jingles" in their films to help decorate the bathroom ... so to speak. I get really tired of that piece of music during the kissing scene ... goodness, how that seems ugly these days ... and so not sexy! I keep thinking that Prince Charles, drunk and kissing a lamp post would be more fun and the music more interesting ... but Hollywood? I would almost state that Hollywood is better known for MUSICALS, than the music, and both you and I can hum a few tunes off those .... easily enough!

But in the specials about Vangelis, both on video and LP (promos from the record company in the old days of FM) what he is against is what he calls "commercial music" ... and he wants his freedom, and both directors for "Chariot of Fire" and "Blade Runner" allowed him the freedom to look at the dailies and such. And it makes a difference, although I am not sure that Hollywood will allow that with any composer, as that is one person that is not in the "top tier" for a movie ... the producers first, the stars second, the coke dealers third, the caterers fourth, the extra girls fifth, the script handlers and page turning duty girls sixth ... and somewhere AFTER the film is made, comes the composer of the music, hopefully create something memorable ... I doubt that any of these movies will allow a composer a name anywhere near the Cruise! Other than a girl, of course!Wink
Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote verslibre Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 11 2024 at 10:17
Originally posted by richardh richardh wrote:

^ Memories Of Green from See You Later was actually later used on then Blade Runner soundtrack. For a long time the Blade Runner soundtrack was unavailable and only an orchestral version was released which was distinctly odd. I would have liked the soundtrack of The Bounty to be released, I loved that for the music even more than Blade Runner which I loved mainly for the film itself. I like the See You Later album and the modern (for the time) electro beats of Multi Track Suggestion especially. Clever clever artist. He was able to be a lot more eclectic than most music composers but Hollywoood wanted that Chariots Of Fire thing after that movie became a massive hit and that somwhat bedeviled him for years and seemed to create a source of resentment from then great man which was a shame.


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psychedelic Paul Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 11 2024 at 11:01
Vangelis - Theme from Cosmos - in memory of Carl Sagan, who's now up there somewhere amongst the billions and billions of heavenly bodies. 


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Starshiper Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 12 2024 at 00:46
Originally posted by richardh richardh wrote:

^ Memories Of Green from See You Later was actually later used on then Blade Runner soundtrack.
And in my opinion, the greatest track in the Blade Runner soundtrack is Memories of Green.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote moshkito Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 13 2024 at 06:48
Originally posted by Starshiper Starshiper wrote:

Originally posted by richardh richardh wrote:

^ Memories Of Green from See You Later was actually later used on then Blade Runner soundtrack.
And in my opinion, the greatest track in the Blade Runner soundtrack is Memories of Green.

Hi,

This is tough ... because SOUNDTRACKS are not exactly about "songs" and things for us to like or not like ... they are about pieces of music that decorate the picture even better, and I do not think this specific track used was meant to be a "song" for our enjoyment ... it is a part of the romantic notions and expressions that were used in this film, many of which are very different to our ears ... but to determine a soundtrack by its songs? I'm not sure it is the right thing at all ... 

And, in the end, Vangelis' talent ended up with an OSCAR and he will be remembered for a long time for his incredible musical legacy, soundtracks or not. 

This is specially important in regards to the very open and lively discussions that Vangelis offered many times in regards to "commercial music" ... and his work was very important in this area ... just hard to believe that all we can think of is a "song" ... and not even how it was used in the film, which was done beautifully and with a lot of care and appreciation for Vangelis' touch on the keys. Very few ... VERY FEW ... film directors have a love and respect for the music, to make sure it is VISIBLE in the whole thing and an important part of the film ... Maurice Jarre, Ryuichi Sakamoto and a couple of others, come to mind ... and all three have OSCARS in their closets! And they got those for a good reason.


Edited by moshkito - October 13 2024 at 06:51
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Starshiper Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 13 2024 at 08:24
Originally posted by moshkito moshkito wrote:

Originally posted by Starshiper Starshiper wrote:

Originally posted by richardh richardh wrote:

^ Memories Of Green from See You Later was actually later used on then Blade Runner soundtrack.
And in my opinion, the greatest track in the Blade Runner soundtrack is Memories of Green.

Hi,

This is tough ... because SOUNDTRACKS are not exactly about "songs"
I agree, of course, that soundtracks are not exactly about the tracks, but Memories of Green—which infuses the ambience and permeates with its ethereal atonality and minimalistic sounds—features in the scene of Blade Runner when Rachael first visits Deckard's flat, and in my view, it is the central piece of the film's score. Only Vangelis' detuned piano sound can evoke such a wide range of emotions.
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