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From the Hellenistic tradition to "Blade Runner": Farewell to Wangelis, one of the greatest Greek musicians | Israel today

2022-05-19T20:22:11.911Z


The renowned Greek composer passed away at the age of 79 • He is considered a pioneer in his use of the synthesizer, which he used to create new sound worlds • His works were known for the unique combination of futuristic music and ethnic music and melodies associated with ancient Greece • No time machine


Some people conquer paradise with drawn swords, some aspire to reach it in chariots of fire, but Evangelos Odysseus Peplatathensiou did it with synthesizers.

The world knew him by his affectionate name as Venglis.

The musician who created perfect orchestrations from electricity, filters and oscillators, began his musical path in the Greece of the late sixties.

Among the many rhythm bands that hailed the Beatles across the ouzo, Wenglis and Demis Rossos formed the band Aphrodite's Child, which turned to the past to reach the future.

The children of Aphrodite created a new-old sound that connected modernity and ancient Greece.

The highlight was a double album of progressive psychedelic rock called "666" depicting the end of times.

To illustrate the sound of the end of the world Venglis used the best technology to create new worlds of sound and the best then was the new instrument invented and perfected in the late sixties by a bunch of Jewish inventors - the synthesizer.

An electric device, which by means of electric oscillators, can create and synthesize any sound that exists and countless sounds that have not yet been heard.

Wenglis greets his fans with a performance at the Temple of Zeus,

Most of the pioneers of using synthesizers used the tool to mimic existing tools, but Wenglis fell in love with the endless possibilities inherent in the new tool.

Venglis, who did not study music and could not read or write notes, could use the synthesizer to create all the orchestras he had in mind.

He began to create futuristic music that was deeply rooted in the Hellenistic tradition of ancient Greece.

This combination fascinated many ears, even Kol Yisrael's lunch diary flaunted Pulsar as the opening signal, but it was filmmakers who understood the magical dimensions unfolding in the music of Venglis.

Thus, very quickly, Venglis became the ultimate soundtrack maker of the 1980s, and after releasing "Chariots of Fire" in '82, he even won an Oscar.

At the same time, he created futuristic and elegant pop when he collaborated with John Anderson, lead singer of the band "Yes".

However, the creative climax came when Gonglis was required to create a soundtrack for Ridley Scott's Starpiss - Blade Runner.

Without a time machine, Vanglis predicted the future.

He foresaw the rise of musical machines, wrote the dark side blues of the technological age and even predicted the entry of ethnic music and oriental sounds into central pop sound.

The film and soundtrack allowed thousands of creators around the world to get a glimpse into the future, and under the inspiration, began to make Vanglis' vision of the future a reality.

In the 1990s, Wenglis reached a new peak of popularity when he created the soundtrack for another Ridley Scott film - "1492 Conquest of Heaven."

Countless couples entered the canopy as they sailed to discover America with the sound of the rising parade and the endless choruses.

This soundtrack set the standard for the possible grandeur and splendor of film music.

Since then countless soundtracks and commercials are still trying to learn to emulate how to reach it. 

In the early 2000s, Wenglis continued his journey into the depths of space and began working with NASA to create musical pieces that accompanied the expedition to Mars.

Later, he also created a tune inspired by the journey of the Rosetta lander towards the deep space.

Today, Wenglis passed away, apparently from Corona's complications and he is 79. He left behind a rare and influential body of musical works that sound like a future yet to come.

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Source: israelhayom

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