Greek composer Vangelis passed away last Tuesday night, his lawyers' office announced. The author of the moving electronic theme song and Oscar winner "Chariots of Fire" has died at the age of 79.
Born Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou in 1943, young Vangelis developed an early interest in music, experimenting with the sounds made by banging pots and pans or by placing nails, glasses, and other objects on the strings of his parents' piano.
Despite having no formal musical training, he absorbed the tones of Greek folk songs and Orthodox Christian choral music. Over time he was drawn to the then-new field of electronic synthesizers, which allowed him to create the lush melodic colors that became his signature sound.
In the early 1970s, he retired to the recording studio he created for himself in London, where he wrote the score for "Chariots of Fire," the story of a group of British runners' triumph at the 1924 Olympics.
The success of "Chariots of Fire" overshadowed his other scores, but he wrote the music for several major films, including "Missing," directed by compatriot Costa-Gavras, and Ridley Scott's futuristic thriller "Blade Runner."
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