Vangelis: Chariots of Fire and Blade Runner composer dies at 79

Greek composer Vangelis, who was known for his celebrated film themes for Chariots of Fire and Blade Runner, has died at the age of 79.

He won an Oscar for the stirring score to 1981's Chariots of Fire.

Paying tribute, the film's producer Lord Puttnam told the BBC Vangelis had created "a new musical landscape".

Others sharing their memories ranged from French musician Jean-Michel Jarre to Dutch trance DJ Armin van Buuren, who said he was "a big inspiration".

Vangelis was "one of my heroes" and "just a beautiful person", Van Buuren wrote on Twitter, adding: "I still listen to his albums a lot."

Jarre wrote in a tribute: "We will all remember your unique touch and your moving melodies forever.

"You and I have always shared the same passion for synthesizers and electronic music since so long."

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

US composer Austin Wintory wrote on Twitter that Vangelis "changed an entire era of music".

Fellow composer Bear McCreary wrote that he was "a true musical pioneer", saying: "Chariots of Fire and Blade Runner were among the most innovative and influential scores in the history of the medium."

Oscar-nominated British musician Daniel Pemberton said it was "hard to underestimate the colossal impact of Vangelis on modern film music".

He added: "It is also hard to understand how groundbreaking Chariots of Fire was. A period British film with a phenomenal synth score."

Vangelis's Chariots of Fire theme famously accompanied shots of athletes running along the beach in St Andrews, Scotland, at the start of the film, which was set before the 1924 Olympics.

It went to number one in the US, and later topped the UK's classical singles chart in 2012 after being performed by Mr Bean at the opening ceremony of the London Olympic Games.

Lord Puttnam, who also won an Oscar for the film, said: "I think Vangelis created a new landscape, a new musical landscape, that many other composers have taken advantage of."

He said that when he and his wife first heard the score "every single hair at the back of my neck stood up".

Vangelis was nominated for a Golden Globe and Bafta for his score on Sir Ridley Scott's science fiction thriller, Blade Runner.

Charles de Lauzirika, who produced the 1982 film, said: "His music, not just in Blade Runner, was otherworldly in beautiful and haunting ways I lack the words to describe.

"He created lush dream states I still love getting lost in."

In addition to Blade Runner, the composer was nominated for Baftas for his scores for Missing and Chariots of Fire.

The official Bafta account tweeted that he was a "trailblazing composer" and that its thoughts were with Vangelis' family and friends.

His other film credits included The Bounty, Francesco, Bitter Moon, 1492: Conquest of Paradise and Alexander.

Vangelis first tasted fame as the keyboardist in the band Aphrodite's Child with singer Demis Roussos in the late 1960s.

He went on to be an acclaimed and ground-breaking electronic solo artist beyond his work in film, and also enjoyed chart success with Yes frontman Jon Anderson under the name Jon and Vangelis.

The pair reached the UK top 10 with I Hear You Now in 1980, and again with I'll Find My Way Home the following year.

The musician released his most recent albums with the Decca record label, whose presidents Tom Lewis and Laura Monks 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 Greek composer once said: "My interest was not to create a symphony orchestra, which I can very easily, but to go further than that and do things that the symphony orchestra can't do.

"And I think that I succeeded to create something like this."