Let's start with some notes:PORTRAITS is a collection of popular songs from throughout Vangelis' recording career. Personnel includes: Vangelis, Jon Anderson. All tracks have been digitally remastered.
The major content of this 15-track album is a series of recordings, composed, arranged and performed by Vangelis, over a period of nearly twenty years. The earliest track on this anthology is 1973's 'La Petite Fille De La Mer', composed for Fredric Rossif's film L'Apocalypse Des Animaux'. Other tracks include 'Chariots Of Fire' & 'Conquest Of Paradise'. Polydor. 1996.
And some reviews:#1
Recommended for Vangelis beginners
Portraits is a sample album containing tracks from the 70s, 80s, and 90s. The remasterization is superb especially in tracks like "Hymn". As a true Vangelis fan, I am against the idea of buying his collection albums since all his music is great and cannot be represented in one single release. This album is an exception and I recommend it to anyone who wants to become more familiar with this magnificent composer and his different styles. (taken from cduniverse.com)
#2
If you want a Vangelis compilation including his most productive times with RCA(1975-1978) and Polydor (1979-1986) as well as the best Jon and Vangelis songs ...then this is your 'baby'.Vangelis took an active role in both the selection of tracks and cleverly bridges the peices togther similar to the Pink Floyd compilation Echoes.This is a very commendable way to approach a compilation album in my view.Recommended if you don't want to collect all the Vangelis CD's OR as a sampler OR for even something to play in the car on a longish journey (taken from progarchives.com)
#3
Portraits (So Long Ago, So Clear) is a set of 15 pieces covering approximately 20 years of Vangelis' career. He is, undoubtedly, the most commercial electronic musician ever. He has recorded dozens of major motion picture soundtracks and dozens of delightful albums. This CD is an accurate cross section of those efforts. Vangelis is a brilliant musician. One of the major events of his career, however, was his unfortunate pairing with Jon Anderson, the vocalist from Yes. Anderson's high-pitched falsetto is an excellent compliment for that band's progressive rock & roll. As the accompaniment for the deep atmospheres and sequences of Vangelis' soundscapes, however, Anderson's vocals are grating and irritating. So, about two-thirds of this disc is excellent; one-third of it is a throwaway. ~ Jim Brenholts, All Music Guide
+ plenty of others
here for example.
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