Vangelis - Chariots of Fire
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Music CD Cover
Artist: VangelisEdition: Music CD
Audio: English (Unknown)
Format: Import, Original recording remastered, Soundtrack
Published: 2006-11-28
CD Release Date: 2006-11-13
Music Label: POLYDOR UK
Soundtracks:
- Titles
- Five Circles
- Abraham's Theme
- Eric's Theme
- 100 Metres
- Jerusalem
- Chariots Of Fire
Free Music Notes for Chariots of Fire
Free Music Review: A pinnacle for Vangelis
Hit: 5 Stars
This version of Chariots of Fire, personally remastered by Vangelis, is a welcome edition to be sure. Many older editions, and especially vinyl records, were clearly mastered from tape reels that had a slight flutter. The sound quality of this recording is now to a level of perfection that I never imagined existed even on the original tapes.
During the late 1970's, Vangelis rose to prominence in Europe with his unique efforts to fuse "classical" styles---in particular the sweeping melodies characteristic of the Romantic period---with a minimalist style that was typified by repeating "ostinato" patterns played on electronic instruments. This approach reached a pinnacle, at least for its time, with the music for Chariots of Fire. The short but effective, and now world-famous, "Titles" track crystalizes this fabulous and absolutely unique fusion of styles, as if Vangelis had channeled Wagner (the original "movie music" composer) over an electronic minimalist continuo. Still one of the most remarkable examples of innovative musical style in the 20th century, and also commendable for its early effort to create much of the the sound of an orchestra using the rudimentary synthesizers of the period. Carrying the lead using an acoustic piano was perhaps the wisest choice of all for this piece.
Modern electronic composers can have little understanding of what efforts went into these multilayered tracks, when many synthesizers were still analog, and the ubiquitous Musical Instrument Digital Interface had yet to be developed. Tracks 2, 3, 4, and 5 show many interesting constructive features musically, which would have been very difficult to achieve at that time with the layering of synthesizers using analog multitrack tapes. The sixth track is not a Vangelis performance, but was included originally because it was indeed played in the film, and is rather nice to listen to anyway.
The piece de resistance of the whole affair is, ironically, a piece that does not appear in the film at all, so far as I know. The final track, exceeding 21 minutes in length, actually bears the title "Chariots of Fire," and should be regarded as Vangelis's effort to impart something of the flavor of the entire film through an extended orchestral suite with a piano lead and, naturally, an electronic minimalist backdrop framing the whole piece like bookends. Where "Titles" crystallizes the fusion of Romance and minimalism that became a Vangelis trademark, "Chariots of Fire" stretches out and explores the fusion in an extended format, with breathtaking results. While largely unsung in popular music writing about Vangelis, it is really this final track that makes the album one of the greatest in the Vangelis catalogue, and "Chariots of Fire" will one day deservedly take its place alongside the greatest music of the 20th century, even if today it is given short shrift.
Chariots of Fire Poster
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of one of the most successful British films of all time, Polydor and Universal Music Catalogue are proud to announce the release of a newly remastered edition of the classic Original Soundtrack by Vangelis. The album has been personally re-mastered by the maestro Vangelis at his home studio in his native Greece and really shines. The Chariots of Fire theme is surely one of the best-known film themes of all time. The soundtrack won its composer - the great Vangelis - an Oscar in 1981 and now, 25 years on, the music has been remastered and reissued on Universal Music to mark this important anniversary. 2006.Dance & DJ Music CDs
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