1492: Conquest of Paradise (album)
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| 1492: Conquest of Paradise | |||||
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| Studio album by Vangelis | |||||
| Released | 1992 | ||||
| Recorded | 1992 | ||||
| Genre | Film score | ||||
| Length | 54:47 | ||||
| Label | Atlantic/WEA | ||||
| Producer | Vangelis | ||||
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| Vangelis chronology | |||||
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1492: Conquest of Paradise is a 1992 music score by Greek electronic composer and artist Vangelis. The film, a recount of the voyage to America in 1492 by Christopher Columbus, was directed by Ridley Scott, for whom Vangelis had previously composed the music score for Blade Runner, in 1982. The album and the single "Conquest of Paradise" enjoyed a revival in 1995 for various reasons and broke many sales records[2].
[edit] Track listing
- Opening – 1:20
- Conquest of Paradise – 4:47
- Monastery of La Rabida – 3:37
- City of Isabel – 2:16
- Light and Shadow – 3:46
- Deliverance – 3:28
- West Across the Ocean Sea – 2:52
- Eternity – 1:59
- Hispañola – 4:56
- Moxica and the Horse – 7:06
- Twenty Eighth Parallel – 5:14
- Niña, Pinta, Santa Maria (into Eternity) – 13:20
A number of pieces can be identified in the film, but it is clear that Scott preferred the haunting "Hispañola" (track 9) to set the tone of the film, rather than the heroic and more upbeat theme "Conquest of Paradise" (track 2).
The CD was released in each market with one of two different covers.
An EP disc was released with four tracks, two of which not included in the album:
- Conquest of Paradise
- Moxica and The Horse
- Line Open
- Landscape
[edit] Instrumentation
On this soundtrack, Vangelis plays together with a number of performers, including two Flamenco guitarists and vocalists, violin, mandolin and flutes. As on a number of previous albums by Vangelis, the English Chamber Choir, directed by Guy Protheroe, performs the choral parts.
The sound engineering and coordination was done by French musician Frederick Rousseau (also known for his collaborations with Jean Michel Jarre), who has been Vangelis's studio partner since 1980s till the recording of the Alexander soundtrack.
Vangelis plays all synthesizers, using mainly string patches but also several ethnic ones, to reflect the character of the film, and electric piano and harp patches. Some calmer, atmospheric pieces (tracks 3, 7, 11 and 12) are entirely performed by Vangelis, using pianos, strings and harp.
For the ethnic music, Vangelis consulted with French specialist Xavier Belanger, who has advised other artists on similar issues, including Jean Michel Jarre.
A video clip was shot in Paris with Vangelis in his Epsilon Studios (since dismantled), with the choir performing.
[edit] Lyrics
Three tracks of this album contain lyrics. In "Monastery of La Rabida" and "Deliverance", the choir sings Latin hymns ("De Profundo" and "Dies Irae"). In "Conquest of Paradise" Vangelis used "pseudo-Latin" invented language. This is called "wordpainting". [3]
[edit] Revival and popular culture
Both the album and the EP had poor sales upon their release in 1992, but success came three years later, in 1995, for disparate reasons: In Germany, local boxer Henry Maske used "Conquest of Paradise" as his introduction theme during boxing bouts. When he became national champion, the piece received wide coverage and a single was hastily released. In Portugal, the local Socialist Party also used "Conquest of Paradise" as its theme for the general election campaign (it won).
[edit] Charts and Sales
The album went on climb to #1 on the sales charts of several countries. It was certified gold or platinum in over 20 countries, including Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Austria, Switzerland, the UK and Canada.[citation needed] The album became the biggest selling record in Germany’s chart history, remaining in the charts for over a year, with Vangelis winning that country's Echo Award for International Artist of the Year 1995, as well as the Golden Lion for Best Film Soundtrack.
The single Conquest of Paradise also reached #1 position in a number of countries, including 10 weeks at #1 in Netherlands [4] and Germany, where it sold 1.6 million copies [5], 8 weeks at #1 in Belgium and Swiss. Worldwide sales of the single—over 4 million copies.
[edit] Trivia
In Australia, during the lead-up to the Sydney Olympic Games, "Conquest of Paradise" was used in an athletics-themed television advertisement for the Westpac bank.
In New Zealand, "Conquest of Paradise" is played at AMI Stadium in Christchurch for all rugby union matches of the Crusaders in the Super 14 and some of Canterbury in the Air New Zealand Cup. It is regarded as the Crusaders' anthem and is played when the team enters the field. During the 2006-2007 Guinness Premiership season the score was also played at Franklin's Gardens before all games played by Northampton Saints.
In Poland it is used on Wisla Krakow football matches (before every home game).
It is also used by Sheffield Wednesday Football Club in the UK.
[edit] See also
- Dutch Top 40 number-one hits of 1995
- List of number-one hits (Netherlands)
- Ultratop 50
- 50th Golden Globe Awards nominees
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