ElGrecoFrontIntroduction

“El Greco” is Vangelis’ final studio album on the EastWest record label. Released on the 19th of October 1998, the title of the album refers to the Greek painter Domenikos Theotokopoulos (1541-1614), who in 1995 was the inspiration for Vangelis to compose music released as “Foros Timis Ston Greko” (A Tribute To El Greco), a limited edition boxset issued to raise funds for the purchase of El Greco’s painting by the National Gallery (Alexandros Soutzos museum) in Athens.

Due to the limited availability of only 3000 copies the boxset soon became a sought-after item, which resulted in this commercial release of the music simply titled “El Greco”, an expanded edition with 3 new compositions. The original seven movements of “Foros Timis Ston Greko” music are included here in the same order, with the new tracks inserted on position 3, 5 and 7 (see below tracklist). As the new tracks break the original flow of the music the transitions were slightly altered.

No singles were released to promote the album, but in Athens a special promotional event was organised at the hotel Grande Bretagne where invited guests received a unique red box containing a signed copy of the regular album CD. In the album sleeve notes Vangelis elaborated on his inspiration:

"I pay tribute to Domenikos Theotokopoulos because whether one realises it or not, we are living in troubled and uncertain times, through which the visions of this man shine out like a beacon. This is because his genius has always held out a torch towards the cosmic ethos, transformed today into a ray of hope. If we look closely at the work of Theotokopoulos we will see that his art contains all those elemerits which, in painting, have been defined by the experts as revolutionary, producing creative movements. In creation however, as in the case of the cosmos or universe, such things do not essentially exist. Whatever has come into creation within the universe is, simply, what it is, governed of course by it's own laws. Therefore in art, when creating, one has to be as accurate about one's statement or position as is possible. This then presupposes that the artist, having become conscious of the cosmic law to whatever degree, has in turn reached the point of identifying himself with it. I also believe that whoever succeeds in achieving this will remain forever a person ripe and in season. In all other cases the date of expiry cannot be avoided! Rightfully then, great Cretan, you wrote next to your name the words Ο ΔΕΙΞΑΣ, meaning he who has created, he who has revealed."

Note that in 2007 Vangelis released another album titled “El Greco”, which is the soundtrack to a film by Yannis Smaragdis about the life and work of the Greek painter Domenikos Theotokopoulos.

 

ElGrecoCreditsTracklist and credits

  1. Movement I (10:06)
  2. Movement II (5:19)
  3. Movement III (6:49)
  4. Movement IV (6:26)1
  5. Movement V (4:26)
  6. Movement VI (7:54)2
  7. Movement VII (3:20)
  8. Movement VIII (9:44)
  9. Movement IX (11:58)
  10. Movement X (Epilogue) (7:00)

1 Montserrat Caballé - soprano
2 Konstantinos Paliatsaras - tenor

  • Composed, arranged, produced and performed by Vangelis.
  • Recorded by Frederick Rousseau and Philippe Colonna.
  • Special thanks to my colleagues who contributed to the completion of this work: Frederick Rousseau, Philippe Colonna, Yvan Cassar, John Martin, Andrew Hoy and Ian Lane.
  • Sleeve photo: “El Caballero De La Mano El Pecho” by Domenikos Theotokopoulos (El Greco).

 

ElGrecoCDJapanSHMDiscography

CD

  • 1998 EastWest, released worldwide.
  • 1998 Warner Music Greece (promotional red box with signed CD, limited to 500 copies)
  • 1998 Atlantic 83161-2 US
  • 1998 EastWest AMCE-2960 Japan
  • 2015 EastWest WPCR 16319 Japan (Progressive Rock 1300 Collection) SHM-CD

 

Recording studio

Although there is no mention on the release where the music was recorded, considering the timing it was likely recorded in one of Vangelis' home studios in Athens.

 

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