Vangelis, Heaven and Hell

If you've heard of Vangelis, you probably know him from his Oscar-winning score for Chariots of Fire or, perhaps, his chilling music for Blade Runner.

But because of Cosmos--and my father's interest in the music featured in Carl Sagan's groundbreaking public television show--I first heard of this Greek synth whiz and his classical compositions early on. His haunting electronica provided the perfect auditory backing for the astronomical images gliding across the screen.

And the cover of the album from which the Cosmos music came, Heaven and Hell, etched itself into my memory.