Vangelis Dies at 79

Vangelis, the Greek composer best known for his film themes for Chariots of Fire and Blade Runner, died at the age of 79.He earned an Academy Award for his dramatic score for Chariots of Fire in 1981. Lord Puttnam, the film's producer, told the BBC that Vangelis had created "a new musical environment. Others who spoke about him included French artist Jean-Michel Jarre and Dutch trance DJ Armin van Buuren, who described him as "a tremendous inspiration."

Vangelis was "one of my heroes" and "simply a wonderful person," according to Van Buuren, who added that "I still listen to his albums a lot." "We will all remember your distinctive touch and your affecting melodies forever. You and I have always shared the same passion for synthesizers and electronic music since so long." Jarre wrote in a tribute.

Vangelis "changed an entire era of music," according to US composer Austin Wintory. "Chariots of Fire and Blade Runner were among the most inventive and important compositions in the history of the medium," remarked fellow composer Bear McCreary, describing him as "a true musical pioneer."

"It's hard to ignore Vangelis' huge impact on modern film music. It's also difficult to comprehend how revolutionary Chariots of Fire was. A fantastic synth score graces this vintage British film," stated Oscar-nominated British composer Daniel Pemberton.