The Stephen Hawking Tribute CD
We are honoured and privileged that the great musician Vangelis composed this beautiful piece of music to mark the moment that Professor Stephen Hawking’s ashes were interred at Westminster Abbey, near those of Sir Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin.
This CD had been created for all those who attended the Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey in London, on June 15th 2018.
We would like to thank the ESA (European Space Agency), who arranged to broadcast this music into space during the service as a mark of respect and remembrance.
Established in October 2015 and launched at the Royal Institution, The Stephen Hawking Foundation was initiated by Professor Stephen Hawking to facilitate research into Cosmology, Astrophysics and Fundamental Particle Physics both at school and university level. It also facilitates and supports work relating to Motor Neurone Disease and those living with the disease.
Fledgling though it is, the Foundation has already helped facilitate achievements in each of its primary objectives, but it has so much more to do and you can help!
“Through sound and music, the language that I know best, I pay tribute and express my high esteem and respect to this extraordinary man.
I imagine he will continue to travel with the same devotion, wherever he may be, in the known unknown.
Farewell Professor Hawking”
Vangelis
The Words of Professor Stephen Hawking
“I am very aware of the preciousness of time. Seize the moment. Act now. I have spent my life travelling across the universe inside my mind. Through theoretical physics I have sought to answer some of the great questions but there are other challenges, other big questions which must be answered, and these will also need a new generation who are interested, engaged and with an understanding of science.
How will we feed an ever-growing population, provide clean water, generate renewable energy, prevent and cure disease and slow down global climate change? I hope that science and technology will provide the answers to these questions, but it will take people, human beings with knowledge and understanding to implement the solution. One of the great revelations of the space age has been a perspective that has given humanity on ourselves.
When we see the earth from space we see ourselves as a whole; we see the unity and not the divisions. It is such a simple image, with a compelling message: one planet, one human race.
We are here together, and we need to live together with tolerance and respect.
We must become global citizens.
I have been enormously privileged through my work to be able to contribute to our understanding of the universe. But it would be an empty universe indeed, if it were not for the people I love and who love me. We are all time travellers journeying together into the future. But let us work together to make that future a place we want to visit. Be brave, be determined, overcome the odds.
It can be done. It can be done.”
Acknowlegements
We wish to express our special thanks to producer Carmen Zgouras and the supporters of this special occasion:
Metin Guvener, Amy Lam and Gerassimos Spyridakis
Music composed, arranged, produced and performed by Vangelis.
Alto Sax: Dimitris Tsakas. Sound Engineer: Philippe Colonna
Copyright exists in this music and in Professor Hawking’s words.
Music © 2018 Vangelis, Clioti Limited, EMI Music Publishing /Sony/ATV Music Publishing.Words © 2018 The Stephen Hawking Foundation. Recording of Professor Hawking used
by permission of U2. All rights reserved.
CD and cover artwork, The Stephen Hawking Foundation Logo and the Hawking Radiation device © The Stephen Hawking Foundation & Glazier Design, 2018.
Pictures of Professor Stephen Hawking © Simon Jarratt
Photo of Vangelis by Stathis Zalizis.
All copyrights are acknowledged. All rights reserved.