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The Best Kamen track. For You

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Author	Topic: The Best Kamen track. For You

HadrianD Standard Userer	I've been listening to many Kamen CD and noticed a trend. He writes very beautiful music when he's not writing action cues. His concertos for Saxophone is excellent. His compilation Opus question why Kamen is so underrated. Full of beautiful tracks, albeit reworked from the original cues. So my question to you is, from all the Kamen soundtrack that you own, what's the one that you would recommend as the one representative of your opinion of Michael Kamen? It doesn't have to be just about his thematic writing, or his suspense cues, or action material. Discuss.
posted 02-23-2004 09:00 PM PT (US)

franz_conrad Standard Userer	Two tracks from Band of Brothers are worthy of comment: Track 17, 'Discovering the Camp' is a haunting 10 minute musical journey into a death camp. The string writing here is quite exquisite. Overall, together with tracks 1,2,3,19 and 20, this track makes for the best single work I've heard from Kamen. It brings together many of his strengths and displays a marvelous adeptness at serious writing that I wasn't aware of. Track 18 always confuses me. It is a carbon copy of Purcell's 'Remember Me' from Dido and Aeneas, and yet Kamen does not credit Purcell at all in the liner notes. Can anyone shed light on this strange discrepancy? [Message edited by franz_conrad on 02-23-2004]
posted 02-23-2004 09:49 PM PT (US)

HadrianD Standard Userer	quote: Originally posted by franz_conrad: Track 18 always confuses me. It is a carbon copy of Purcell's 'Remember Me' from Dido and Aeneas, and yet Kamen does not credit Purcell at all in the liner notes. Can anyone shed light on this strange discrepancy? [Message edited by franz_conrad on 02-23-2004] I agree that it is a nice arrangement of the Purcell piece, and quite appropriate too, no? Side note: Being a fan of the opera, I've always wanted a purely instrumental take on it. Not bad though I wouldn't think it's a carbon copy.
posted 02-24-2004 01:18 AM PT (US)

franz_conrad Standard Userer	quote: Originally posted by HadrianD: I agree that it is a nice arrangement of the Purcell piece, and quite appropriate too, no? Side note: Being a fan of the opera, I've always wanted a purely instrumental take on it. Not bad though I wouldn't think it's a carbon copy. I think it sounds lovely, and is about the only cue that could have followed 'Discovering the Camp' and not failed to impress. Having said that, it would have been nice to see some acknowledgement. And you're right - 'lovely arrangement' is a better description than 'carbon copy'.
posted 02-24-2004 01:34 AM PT (US)

Southall Standard Userer	Kamen wrote so much terrific music - my favourite is his "symphonic poem", "The New Moon in the Old Moon's Arms", still available, I think, with Leonard Slatkin conducting. But how could anyone go wrong with Band of Brothers or Don Juan de Marco or Mr Holland's Opus or The Iron Giant?
posted 02-24-2004 02:15 AM PT (US)

Dinko Standard Userer	Either "Rowena" from Mr. Holland's Opus, or if I'm not getting tracks confused, "The Wedding", from 101 Dalmatians. Those are the two Kamen tracks I like most.
posted 02-24-2004 05:29 AM PT (US)

Camillu Standard Userer	Quite a few spring to mind. One that hasn't been mentioned: 'Death Camp' from X-Men
posted 02-24-2004 06:06 AM PT (US)

JoeInSanDiego Standard Userer	Having just sat down this past week and watched the Band of Brothers series, I can say without a doubt that Michael Kamen's music for this amazing work is flawless, at times both hauntingly beautiful and overwhelmingly intense. I wish someone would release an expanded soundtrack to this 10 hour mini-series. Music, honestly, doesn't get a lot better, or more poignant, than this. (That scene in the death camp had me sobbing...not just because of the images, which are not really new, but mostly because of Michael Kamen...and the actors who displayed an amazing range of shock, horror, disgust and overwhelming fear.) Truly, this was why they fought! Joe
posted 02-24-2004 07:47 AM PT (US)

SEBULBA Standard Userer	I've always loved his theme from Highlander "The Quickening". When Connor is being trained by Ramirez. It's just a really beautiful theme. It always brings me chills. It's also one of his greatest scores in my opinion. One that definately needs an expanded official release.
posted 02-24-2004 08:17 AM PT (US)

Timmer Standard Userer	I've never been much of a Kamen fan but I do concede that HIGHLANDER does need a full score release, some great action writing and as has been stated above some truly touching music too, I think this would be a really big seller if coupled with the QUEEN tracks from the film (particularly Freddy's great rendition of "New York, New York" which was never released) "Who Wants To Live Forever" backed by Kamen's gorgeous orchestrations is one of the great film songs of modern times. I know that'll never happen, and what a shame that is!
posted 02-24-2004 08:56 AM PT (US)

Camillu Standard Userer	I agree wholeheartedly with the last two posts. Highlander totally slipped my mind when thinking of great tracks. I love those scenes.
posted 02-24-2004 10:42 AM PT (US)

Philipp Standard Userer	My favorite Kamen score is WHAT DREAMS MAY COME. And the second track is my favorite Kamen track ever. Very spooky and dark music. Don�t remember the cue title though. Best Wishes Philipp np: along came a spider (jerry goldsmith)
posted 02-24-2004 12:10 PM PT (US)

Justin Standard Userer	Robin Hood of course! Incredible theme! Used appropriately enough to the intro to his site.
posted 02-24-2004 02:50 PM PT (US)

John Zimmer Standard Userer	Mr. Holland's Opus Band of Brothers: Band of Brothers Suite Two Lethal Weapon: Hollywood Blvd Chase The Iron Giant: The Giant Discovered The Iron Giant: No Following Robin Hood: The Escape to Sherwood Robin Hood: Maid Marian Jz
posted 02-25-2004 05:23 AM PT (US)

lars b Standard Userer	I really like the main title from 'The Dead Zone', beautiful and haunting at the same time.
posted 02-25-2004 07:20 AM PT (US)

azahid Standard Userer	"Pam" from LICENCE TO KILL and most recently "Austria"- cue from BAND OF BROTHERS Amer
posted 02-25-2004 08:57 AM PT (US)

moviescore Standard Userer	One of my favourite Kamen scores is Shining Through, a very romantic score for a terrible film... but it had a lot of room for expressive, powerfully emotional music - both suspenseful and beautiful stuff. I still have to say that Kamen's action music is stupendous, especially in its right context: the piece he wrote for 'The Runway' piece in Die Hard 2 is one of the most exciting action cues I've ever heard. That scene is soooo silly without the music and such a terrific nailbiting experience with it! I like the "Concert Royaux" piece on The Three Musketeers - great ending and exquisite writing. I also enjoyed "Last Action Hero" where Kamen had the chance to play a lot with his own action clichees - and he did it beautifully! mikael
posted 02-25-2004 12:30 PM PT (US)

Graham Watt Standard Userer	Yes, I heard BAND OF BROTHERS recently, and many tracks are wonderful. But the tops for me are parts of his HIGHLANDER score, which some of you already mentioned. The bit where they're on top of the mountain swinging their swords around has great music. I think that might be "The Quickening" track that Sebulba mentions - I only got the CD today and haven't checked yet. Anyway, it's called "Training Montage" on a Silva compilation I have, conducted by William Motzing (it says "Training Montague" on the CD. Was his name really Montague?). Great music, really inspiring and thrilling.
posted 02-27-2004 03:44 PM PT (US)

Graham Watt Standard Userer	Just checked - no, I wasn't thinking of "The Quickening" after all. It's actually just "The Highlander Theme" (on the edel release), a variation of which is heard as the "Training Montage" on one of Silva's horror/fantasy/SF compilations under the baton of William Motzing.
posted 02-28-2004 08:46 AM PT (US)

John C Winfrey Standard Userer	Mr. Kamen was a very good composer. He will be missed. I was not a big fan of his, but I recognized his talent. John.
posted 02-28-2004 02:32 PM PT (US)

Lancelot Standard Userer	I found it quite stirring that Annie Lennox mentione Michael Kamen in her acceptance speech at the Oscars. Quite pleasant. There are several tracks, I could not limit myself to one. They all have different meanings to me. I'd like to recommend though, that you seek out Kamen's Guitar Concerto for Electric Guitar and Rock Band. This is my last Kamen acquisition and I find it to be particularly good, and for those familiar with Kamen's style, I'm certain you will fall right into it. Excellent work, he will always be missed.
posted 02-29-2004 09:30 PM PT (US)

HadrianD Standard Userer	quote: Originally posted by Lancelot: There are several tracks, I could not limit myself to one. They all have different meanings to me. I'd like to recommend though, that you seek out Kamen's Guitar Concerto for Electric Guitar and Rock Band. This is my last Kamen acquisition and I find it to be particularly good, and for those familiar with Kamen's style, I'm certain you will fall right into it. Excellent work, he will always be missed. That's a rarety. I'm still trying to find a place that won't rip me off if they do have a copy.
posted 02-29-2004 09:36 PM PT (US)

MWRuger Standard Userer	quote: Originally posted by Lancelot: I found it quite stirring that Annie Lennox mentione Michael Kamen in her acceptance speech at the Oscars. Quite pleasant. Keep in mind that Michael Kamen was deeply involved with Rock music, especially British Rock music. Anne Lennox and a whole host of British rockers benefited from his work and help. It is only fitting that they remember him. It touched me too and reminded me why I�ve always thought Annie Lennox a class act even when she sported a red buzz cut back in the 80�s!
posted 03-01-2004 07:58 AM PT (US)

Lancelot Standard Userer	I'm very aware of that, yes...that's particularly why I found it so poignant.
posted 03-01-2004 01:28 PM PT (US)

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