About the Composer:
Anyone familiar with electronic music will know Vangelis. Born in 1943 as Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou, Vangelis is short for Evangelos. Perhaps most famous to the popular audience for his theme to the movie “Chariots of Fire,” Vangelis’ works range from movie soundtracks (which also include Blade Runner, Missing, The Bounty, and Antarctica) to electronic pop/new age to orchestral/classical. In this latter category we find two excellent discs: El Greco (1998) and Mythodea (2001). Let’s talk about Mythodea.
About the Music:
The disc consists of an “Introduction” and ten numbered, but otherwise unnamed movements (e.g. Movement 1). Vangelis wrote and performed the music that would become Mythodea for a charity concert in 1993. In 2001, he refreshed and expanded the music after tying it to NASA’s 2001 Mars Odyssey mission. The music evokes Mars in all of his mythological warlike awesomeness, delivering on the promise of the Greek mythology in every track.
The introduction and Movement 1 feature electronica sounding samples, those of rocket engines, digital computeresque noises (almost like windchimes), “space noises,” and an electronic voice counting “One, two, three” several times.
At 0m53s a male chorus begins uttering military sounding words (apparently singing in Ancient Greek), building into phrases, the the male chorus is replaced by a female chorus. The choruses and orchestra deliver a strong, martial work ending in a thunder of drums, cymbals, and chorus chanting that fades to a wind-swept, tinkling chimes sound.
Movement 3 begins with a drum rhythm that is soon joined by the male chorus chanting and that ends with a gong-like sound. Movement 3 enters with harp music, again evoking Ancient Greece, joined by Sopranos Kathleen Battle and Jessye Norman then swelling to full chorus and orchestra.
Movement 4 is the centerpiece of the performance, running 13m42s, or twice as long as any other movement. This piece ends with rocket-sounding drum-rolls building into a string and chorus roar that climaxes and cuts to a fading chorus and electronic wind-noises.
Although I enjoy El Greco more because it is less martial <grin>, Mythodea is as dramatic, moving, and enjoyable as any theatrical soundtrack I’ve ever enjoyed.
