What can one say about this album which surely includes the best-known music by Vangelis? People who have just the one Vangelis album in their collection invariably bought either this one or the equally successful 'Themes'. Both the movie and this soundtrack won an Oscar of course and the first track 'Titles' has since then epitomized the Olympian ideal of excellence through sporting achievement. But the album also has a sort of spiritual feel to it, probably the reason why 'Jerusalem' by quintessential British religious composer Hubert Parry is included. This quality is evident in 'Five Circles', a rather stately piece having a Baroque touch, but even more so in the long closing piece. 'Chariots of Fire' could be described as a conventional piano-concerto - having a very contemplative atmosphere apart from a few lively outbursts. Vangelis (who is an absolute master of the inspired short form) clearly gave this a bit more thought than usual, showing that he can succeed in the long form as well, here aided by some excellent piano-playing. Most of its music wasn't used in the movie at all, in contrast to all the other pieces, which denote specific scenes.
A good soundtrack album and it makes one wish he'd released the similar sort of piano-concerto from material of the later movie 'The Bounty' as well.
