Named in honor of the Greek composer and multi-instrumentalist Vangelis Papathanassiou (1943– ). Vangelis began to compose and play the piano at age four. At six, without any formal training, he gave the first public performance of this own compositions, and soon developed the unique, spontaneous sound for which he has become world renowned. In addition to numerous studio albums and scores for theater and ballet, Vangelis has also composed numerous film soundtracks, including 1492-Conquest of Paradise
(1993), The Bounty
(1984), Bladerunner
(1983) and Chariots of Fire
(1981), the last of which won him an Oscar for Best Original Score. (M 25978; M 34089; M 42649) _ _.