The Gonzo Daily: VANGELIS: US Review

Tuesday, 25 March 2014

VANGELIS: US Review

http://www.seaoftranquility.org/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=15818

Vangelis: Journey to Ithaka (DVD)

This writing hobby has given me the opportunity to listen to some fantastic new music from independent artists that I might have otherwise missed. It also provides an opportunity to write about some of my favorite artists of all time. Last year it was Peter Gabriel and Greg Lake. This year opens with Vangelis...and his Journey to Ithaka DVD, brought to you by Gonzo Multimedia.

This DVD is the perfect collection of the works of this masterful Greek artist. Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou –Vangelis, is a musical composer and artist whose career spans over 50 years. Vangelis has written and composed over 50 albums. He is regarded as one of the greatest composers of electronic music of all time. This DVD allows you to watch the highlights of that expansive career from the comfort of your easy chair. Vangelis participates throughout the DVD by describing what inspires him to write and compose. He describes his writing and composing techniques personally. He reviews some of his greatest accomplishments as a musician and composer. Vangelis provides a personal description of the love from his family that helped support and nourish his creativity over the years. These moments are deeply personal and shared as a dedication. Vangelis is the complete creative artist, from composing, playing, to actually painting bold and contemplative artwork. One of my new discoveries about this impressive creator. He actually never expected to unveil his private paintings. The story behind this is an important video highlight. The interviews with some of the world's greatest musical, directing and performing talent is worth the price of admission alone. Interviews and discussions from Sean Connery, Oliver Stone, Ridley Scott, Jon Anderson, Hugh Hudson, Gerard Depardieu, and a long list of friends and associates make this journey both personal and prolific in terms of the famous quote from the film, It's a Wonderful Life: "Each man's life touches so many other lives." The record of the story of the life of Vangelis from beginning to today is a wonderful journey that any fan would enjoy. Most people know of Vangelis as the Academy Award winning creator of the score for the film Chariots Of Fire, as well as his composing scores for the filmsAntartic, Blade Runner, 1492: Conquest Of Paradise and Alexander. However, his music was also used in the PBS documentary 'Cosmos: A Personal Voyage' by Carl Sagan. This documentary DVD leaves few stones unturned as a complete journey through the life and works of Vangelis.
If you are a fan of Vangelis, then this is a 'must have'. If not, get this DVD and learn what you have missed and be thoroughly entertained. Track Listing:
1. The Language of Music – Alexander – Jesse Norman and Oliver Stone
2. Classical Opinions – Akiko Ebi and Julian Rachlin
3. Mythodea – The music industry and success – Jon Anderson
4. Music for commercials – Hugh Hudson
5. Electronic sounds – The studio – Transcription: Henry Mancini and Irina Valentinova
6. Music for films – 1492 The Conquest of Paradise – Ridley Scott and Gérard Depardieu
7. World games 1997 – Bitter Moon: El Greco – Roman Polanski
8. Painting is personal – Vangelis Pintura – Consuelo Císcar Casaban and Connie Perez Olarte
9. Ithaka – Constantine Cavafi – Sean Connery and Micheline Roquebrune Connery
10. Slava's Snow Show – Slava Polunine
11. Mythodea – Music for the NASA Mission – Peter Gleb; Jessye Norman; Kathleen Battle; and Scott Bolton
12. Blade Runner – Ridley Scott and Michael Deeley
13. Family & childhood – Musical beginnings – Hugh Hudson; Peter Gelb; David Puttnam; and Julian Rachlin
14. The Prayer – Montserrat & Monsita Caballé
15. Parental encouragement – Chariots of Fire – Hugh Hudson and David Puttnam
16. Music is not a joke
17. End credits