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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Seamus Duff

Vangelis dies: Iconic film composer of Chariots of Fire and Blade Runner

Legendary Hollywood composer Vangelis has died after being treated in hospital for Covid-19.

The Greek musician – whose real name was Evángelos Odysséas Papathanassíou – was 79.

The film composer – famous for writing the iconic score to 1981's Chariots of Fire and for the music of 1982 flick Blade Runner – died in a hospital in France on Wednesday.

According to the Athens News Agency Vangelis died in a French hospital while being treated for Covid-19.

Legendary music maker Vangelis has died aged 79 (Redferns)

The musician was hugely accomplished in his lifetime, with his Chariots of Fire soundtrack bagging him an Oscar for Best Original Score in 1982.

The musician refused to attend the ceremony in person, however, due to a fear of flying.

Lord Puttnam, who won the Best Picture Oscar for Chariots of Fire as a producer, told the BBC: "I think Vangelis created a new landscape, a new musical landscape, that many other composers have taken advantage of".

He added that: "every single hair at the back of my neck stood up" when he first heard the music for the film.

While musician Daniel Pemberton told the outlet: "It is also hard to understand how groundbreaking Chariots of Fire was. A period British film with a phenomenal synth score."

American composer Austin Wintory took to Twitter to add to the online tributes relating to Vangelis' death.

He wrote: "Wow, an icon leaves us. Farewell Vangelis, who changed an entire era of music, and has subsequently been rediscovered a few decades later by a whole new crop. What a legacy."

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis tweeted: "Vangelis Papathanassiou is no longer with us. The world of music has lost the international (artist) Vangelis."

As well as creating music for the film industry, Vangelis also released solo electronic music.

Tom Lewis and Laura Monks , presidents of Decca Records, who released the musician's music. said: "The world has lost a genius. Vangelis created music of extraordinary originality and power, and provided the soundtrack to so many of our lives.

"We will miss him enormously. His music will live on forever."

The musician was fiercely private and rarely gave interviews.

Reports have stated Vangelis battled Covid-19 ahead of his death (Getty Images)

However, in a rare 2005 interview with the Telegraph, he discussed his reasoning for not having children.

He said: "Because of the amount of travelling I do and the nonsense of the music business, I couldn't take care of a child in the way I think it should be taken care of."

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