Vangelis ‘Juno To Jupiter’ Limited Edition Signed Box Set Announced

In memory of Vangelis (29 March 1943 – 17 May 2022), a limited edition box set of his final work Juno To Jupiter, which was released on CD and digitally in 2021, will be available from 24 June. The special edition, which was planned at the start of the Juno To Jupiter project for release in June 2022, includes a lenticular bookmark hand-signed by Vangelis alongside the CD, 2LPs (including a bonus track), a poster and a 172 page hardback book released for the first time.

Juno To Jupiter was inspired by NASA’s Juno mission

Juno To Jupiter, inspired by NASA’s groundbreaking mission by the Juno space probe and its ongoing exploration of Jupiter, is a multi-dimensional musical journey featuring the voice of opera superstar Angela Gheorghiu. The album includes sounds from the Juno launch event on Earth, from the probe and its surroundings and Juno’s subsequent journey that have been sent back to Earth from the probe, which continues to study Jupiter and its moons.

In Greek and Roman mythology Zeus, in Roman Jupiter, drew a veil of clouds around himself to hide his mischief however Jupiter’s wife, the goddess Hera, in Roman Juno, was able to peer through the clouds and reveal her husband’s true nature. Similarly the Juno spacecraft is looking beneath the clouds revealing the planet’s structure and history.

Vangelis explained, “I thought to put emphasis on the characteristics of Jupiter/Zeus and Hera/Juno that according to the Greek Theogony, had a special relationship. I felt that I should present Zeus/Jupiter only with sound, as the musical laws transform chaos into harmony, which moves everything and life itself. Unlike, for Hera / Juno, I felt the need for a voice. Angela Gheorghiu, represents in this historical depiction of the mission to the planet Jupiter, Hera / Juno, in a breathtaking way.”

Vangelis was a pioneer in electronic music

Vangelis was a pioneer in electronic music who blended the boundaries between the acoustic and electronic world. His orchestrations for Juno To Jupiter expanded musical horizons again, blurring the lines between electronic and acoustic symphonic music, and creating a sense of mystery about life beyond our planet.

Vangelis observed, “We shouldn’t forget that Space, Universe, Cosmos, in whichever name we call it, is our hope and future and we need to be careful not to make the same mistakes in space that we constantly made in our planet, as it is the only chance we have – our future.”

“His music will live on forever”

Vangelis died on 17 May 2022, aged 79, at a hospital in France. During his prolific career he released over 40 albums and was best known for his soundtrack work including the Oscar-winning score for Chariots Of Fire. He had a lifelong interest in space which was often reflected in his music, including his final work Juno To Jupiter. NASA tweeted ‘Ad astra, Vangelis’ (Latin for ‘To the stars’), and shared a video from the Juno to Jupiter mission. Decca Label Group Co-Presidents Tom Lewis and Laura Monks said, “The world has lost a genius. Vangelis created music of extraordinary originality and power, and provided the soundtrack to so many of our lives. Decca had the pleasure of partnering with Vangelis and his team for his past three albums and we will miss him enormously. His music will live on forever.”

Buy or stream Vangelis’ Juno To Jupiter here.

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