Vangelis: Chariots of Fire and Blade Runner composer dies at 79

Vangelis in 2001

Greek composer Vangelis, who was known for his celebrated film themes for Chariots of Fire and Blade Runner, has died at the age of 79.

He won an Oscar for the stirring score to 1981’s Chariots of Fire, which was followed by Blade Runner a year later.

Paying tribute, US composer Austin Wintory wrote on Twitter that Vangelis “changed an entire era of music”.

Daniel Pemberton said it is “hard to underestimate the colossus impact of Vangelis on modern film music”.

The Oscar-nominated British musician added: “It is also hard to understand how groundbreaking Chariots of Fire was. A period British film with a phenomenal synth score.”

Wintory added: “What a legacy.”

Vangelis’s Chariots of Fire theme famously accompanied shots of athletes running along the beach in St Andrews, Scotland, at the start of the film, which was set before the 1924 Olympics.

It went to number one in the US, and later topped the UK’s classical singles chart in 2012 after being performed by Mr Bean at the opening ceremony of the London Olympic Games.

His other film credits included The Bounty, Francesco, Bitter Moon, 1492: Conquest of Paradise and Alexander.

Vangelis once said: “My interest was not to create a symphony orchestra, which I can very easily, but to go further than that and do things that the symphony orchestra can’t do.

“And I think that I succeeded to create something like this.”

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis tweeted: “Vangelis Papathanassiou is no longer with us. The world of music has lost the international (artist) Vangelis.”

Vangelis pictured surrounded by recording equipment in 1976

Vangelis first tasted fame as the keyboardist in the band Aphrodite’s Child with singer Demis Roussos in the late 1960s.

He went on to be an acclaimed and groundbreaking electronic solo artist beyond his work in film, making his most recent albums with record company, Decca Label Group.

Its presidents Tom Lewis and Laura Monks said: “The world has lost a genius. Vangelis created music of extraordinary originality and power, and provided the soundtrack to so many of our lives.

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“We will miss him enormously. His music will live on forever.”

He was nominated for Baftas for his scores on Blade Runner, Missing and Chariots of Fire.

The official Bafta account tweeted that he was a “trailblazing composer” and that its thoughts were with Vangelis’ family and friends.

US composer Bear McCreary wrote that he was “A true musical pioneer”, saying: “Chariots of Fire and Blade Runner were among the most innovative and influential scores in the history of the medium.”