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1492: Conquest of Paradise Vangelis Atlantic 7 8432-2 Although director Ridley Scott's epic vision of the life of Christobal Colon met with mixed reviews, the film was nevertheless gorgeous to behold and luminously bathed in period detail. Complementing the richness of Scott's imagery was the equally enchanting soundtrack by Vangelis Papathanassiou.Synthesizers are Vangelis' primary tool of expression, and thus his selection for a 15th-century epic appears somewhat incongruous. Hailing originally from Greece, however, Vangelis possesses an undeniable connection to the subject. The master of electronic music which somehow does not feel electronic, this particular work presents an even more organic sound than usual. Joining the composer's standard array of synthesizers are the voices from the English Chamber Choir, native percussion, violin, Iberian guitars, and mandolin, all of which soar toward exotic horizons, blending Gregorian chants, primitive rhythms, and Baroque-style cantoses into an extraordinary sonic tapestry. If I were to level any complaint against this recording it would be that it is missing a number of spectacular cues from the film, such as the rapturous choral music for Isabella's court and the melancholy "New World" motif. In any case, this remains a much-recommended CD, exotic and rife with colorful timbre and one of Vangelis' most epic efforts to date. — Paul Andrew MacLean

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