R.I.P. Vangelis

[pucho812]

Another great muso and composer has shuffled off to the great gig in the sky.

If there was one last conversation I could have with these people it would just be a big thank you for the music.

 

[AnalogPackrat]

Bummer. He was an inspiration to me in my early synth playing days. Thanks for all the music.

 

[Tubetec]

Not only amazing music , but the sounds he made were cutting really cutting edge ,
The record he made with his pal Demis Rousos and Aphrodite's child (666) set the scene for a lot of prog rock that followed . He seemed to always play the latest and greatest synths of the time like the CS80 , must be an amazing collection he left behind .

 

[pucho812]

This was a video showcasing his rig in the later years.
It's a very unique control system.

 

[Tubetec]

I think I saw that clip before too , he had all kinds of weird symbols to keep his patches in order and about 20 expression pedals .

 

[Spiritworks]

I have several of his albums on vinyl. Have to pull one out this weekend for a listen.

 

[living sounds]

R.I.P.

There really was nor is anyone else like Vangelis. He combined brilliant composition and exceptionally expressive playing of electronic (and acoustic) instruments into legendary recordings. I listen to his music on an almost daily basis, often while I am working.

 

[Tubetec]

Whats really amazing is the his use of polyphonic aftertouch and the triggering of samples which he then deftly uses the pedals to fade in/out , even in the demo video Pucho posted one man sounds like an entire orchestra .
Then he layers up a few vocal patches it sounds like he has a chorus of angels floating on top ,
Heavenly music indeed .
Maybe a deep space transmitter should permanently set to play his music out into the ether just in case any music loving aliens are in the vicinity , they might chose to save us from ourselves .

'Music is science more than art, and it is the main code of the universe '
Evángelos Odysséas Papathanassíou

 

[cyrano]

His last interview:

 

[living sounds]

Maybe a deep space transmitter should permanently set to play his music out into the ether just in case any music loving aliens are in the vicinity , they might chose to save us from ourselves .

I like the sentiment, except that in all likeliness the aliens are so fundamentally different from us, that our music won't sound like music to them.

 

[cyrano]

If these aliens even have ears...

 

[pucho812]

Whats really amazing is the his use of polyphonic aftertouch and the triggering of samples which he then deftly uses the pedals to fade in/out , even in the demo video Pucho posted one man sounds like an entire orchestra .
Then he layers up a few vocal patches it sounds like he has a chorus of angels floating on top ,
Heavenly music indeed .
Maybe a deep space transmitter should permanently set to play his music out into the ether just in case any music loving aliens are in the vicinity , they might chose to save us from ourselves .

'Music is science more than art, and it is the main code of the universe '
Evángelos Odysséas Papathanassíou

All of this from a man who couldn't write or read music. While I don't act snobbish on such things, some people miss out on moments because of that kind of thinking. I find the clip I posted most fascinating, it's worth a study in everything from the technical of midi to the artistic choices of layering and so on. The artistry of humankind.

 

[Tubetec]

Maybe musicians ,broadly speaking, fall into one of two catergories ,
learned by ear and learned by the book ,
by far and away the most talented musicians/composers I know learned by ear and hard graft
and hardly read or write music off paper , its instinctive ,intuitive .
Then you have those who were schooled in music from a very early age and cant jam because there so used to reading music off the page any kind of freeform expressionism is like an alien concept to them .

 

[pucho812]

Maybe musicians ,broadly speaking, fall into one of two catergories ,
learned by ear and learned by the book ,
by far and away the most talented musicians/composers I know learned by ear and hard graft
and hardly read or write music off paper , its instinctive ,intuitive .
Then you have those who were schooled in music from a very early age and cant jam because there so used to reading music off the page any kind of freeform expressionism is like an alien concept to them .

I have seen and heard people excel in both disciplines. Some are snobby about it, most are not.

 

[Tubetec]

Agreed there are some that seem to be able to do both, read music and jam along happily by ear .
people who grow up in musical households tend to learn by ear long before they get to learning to read music off paper .

 

[sodderboy]

Aww MAN!!! Thank you for your beautifu,l thoughtful, music!!
China for me is my favorite LP. . . They used the theme to sell the boxy Chrysler at the time in the mid 70's; they put a lynx or something on top and it jumped off. . . I could not forget the music at the time, 11 maybe 12 years old. . . I had also heard Autobahn late at night on college radio but didn't know who made that cool music. . . Who was doing this cool music? and it took over a decade to find it again. The Bladerunner Soundtrack is pure perfection- so many leitmotifs, just short "toss-offs" that are filled with pure joy and human/machine emotion. He really nailed that movie. His sounds were pure and different from the other electronic performers at the time, I really feel so much true emotion connection through the ages from the Blade Runner scoring. I cannot keep my eyes dry when I listen to any part of that soundtrack, I connects deep. It's wonderful that there were enough choices for the different composers to have their own unique sound in the 70's. Such a wonderful time of electronic growth.
I'm listening to TD live Encore (LP side 2 of 4) so freaking awesome! as I write this, so many greats going kosmisch. . .
Mike

 

[JohnRoberts]

I still have my old Kraftwerk album (Autobahn).

JR

 

[Tubetec]

Mid to late 80's seemed like a barron period in music to me until guns n roses came along , punk ,rock or even pop from the mid to late 70's into early 80's had an edge to it ,now its become so genreless and genitalia neutral it all sounds the same . you know the old saying ,unless someone takes offence ,it aint rock n roll

 

[pucho812]

Agreed there are some that seem to be able to do both, read music and jam along happily by ear .
people who grow up in musical households tend to learn by ear long before they get to learning to read music off paper .

All true. My point was that there are people who can spend a lifetime not reading any music whatsoever and produce amazing musical art the same goes for people who can spend a lifetime reading the language that is music and also produce amazing musical art. Most that fall into either category tend to just enjoy the art. But there some who are snobby about it and often miss out because of it

 

[Tubetec]

Id have never guessed you were into the new wave sounds John .
I was lucky as a kid my buddies dad had a huge record collection spanning every genre ,
I got what was left over of that collection years later when they did a clear out .
I suppose if I was to pick my fav New wave record it would probably be unknown pleasures by joy division

Its hard to believe Vangelis didnt have any classical music training , he stands shoulder to shoulder with all the great composers . I guess his contemporary ,Jean Michel Jarre deserves a mention here too , I remember hearing his music back in the late 70's as a nipper and being absolutely mesmerized . I clearly recall being away on holidays in France and arriving at a hotel , they had a huge lava lamp in the foyer and JMJ oxygene was playing over the speakers , it was like going on a hallucinogenic trip to another planet and I didnt want to stop staring at the globules and glitter .
Another musical moment Ill never forget was the day my grandad took me to a model train exhibition , we drove down to a local coastal town not far from where I live now and just as the yaghts came into view Rod Stewart sailing came on the radio ,picture perfect with the sounds to boot . My earliest musical memory was ABBA dancing queen , I'd dance myself dizzy till I fell on my arse .
I can bang out a few chords on the guitar and maybe holler along if I had a few drinks down the hatch ,but so many of my friends were bursting with musical tallent I decided to concentrate my efforts on the technicalities .
Im interested to hear about other peoples experience of becoming musically aware .