Music : Soundtrack : Lossless
Highlander - The Original Scores (Michael Kamen, Stuart Copeland & J.Peter Robinson) (FLAC-EAC-CUE)
"Highlander - The Original Scores" is compilation of soundtrack scores from the first three Highlander films and including works from J. Peter Robinson,
Stuart Copeland (from "The Police"
and the late great Michael Kamen.
It's the score from the original Highlander film composed by Michael Kamen that stands out the most due to fact that it includes major musical and writing contributions with Queen for the soundtrack.
Here is a biography of Michael Kamen from allmusic.com
Quote:
Biography by Jason Ankeny
Oscar-nominated composer, conductor, and arranger Michael Kamen was born in New York City in 1948, going on to study oboe at the Juilliard School of Music while concurrently playing in a jug band. He then formed the New York Rock & Roll Ensemble, whose fusion of classical and pop so impressed legendary conductor Leonard Bernstein that he invited the group to appear at one of his Young People's Concerts with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. Between 1968 and 1972, the New York Rock & Roll Ensemble also recorded five albums before dissolving; in 1973, the Harkness Ballet commissioned Kamen to score their production Rodin Mis en Vie, followed by a tenure as musical director on David Bowie's Diamond Dogs tour. In 1976, Kamen scored his first feature film, The Next Man, although his Hollywood career truly caught fire during the mid-'80s with his much-acclaimed work on Terry Gilliam's classic Brazil. His commercial breakthrough was 1987's Lethal Weapon, on which he collaborated with Eric Clapton. From there, Kamen worked on the blockbuster Die Hard, subsequently remaining with both film franchises throughout their many respective sequels. In 1991, he earned his first Academy Award nomination for "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You," the Bryan Adams pop smash from the picture Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves; co-written with Adams and Robert John "Mutt" Lange, the song received two Grammys, and its success inspired the trio to reunite in 1993 for "All for Love," sung by Adams, Sting, and Rod Stewart. In 1999, Kamen conducted the orchestra which backed Metallica on their S&M project. The following year saw the premiere of his The New Moon in the Old Moon's Arms, a millennial symphony commissioned by Leonard Slatkin and the National Symphony Orchestra. Only 55 years old, Kamen died suddenly of a heart attack on November 18, 2003.
Here is a review of the album from Amazon.com
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Reviewer: Eric Heinemann
I love everything about Highlander, including the music that underscores the exploits of Connor and Duncan MacLeod.
Michael Kamen is one of the best composers working in the film industry today. He should be counted among John Williams, Basil Poledoris, and Danny Elfman. His music for 'Highlander' captures perfectly the romance of 1500s Scotland, the mystery of the Immortals, the excitement of the battles, and the hard rock of the contemporay settings - and blends them together seamlessly. The 'Highlander Theme' is especially good, as is the second half of track five, 'The Prize'.
How else can I say this, but: Stuart Copeland's score for 'Highlander 2' sucks. It is very uninspired music for an uninspired movie. Everything that has to do with 'Highlander 2' is a blight on the whole Highlander mythos.
However, J. Peter Robinson's work for 'Highlander-The Final Dimension' is excellent. The film itself is a retread of the original, worthy of inspection only for the action and Christopher Lambert's topnotch performance of Connor MacLeod. The other highlight is, of course, Robinson's music. It's use of traditional Scottish bagpipes really helps transport the listener to the Highlands, as well as enhances the Scotland scenes in the film. The movie centers on things Japanese though, and the soundtrack uses a lot of Japanese-sounding music (gongs and all that) to good effect. The music scoring the action scenes are rousing, as it should be, and romantic music isn't bad either. My favorite thing in the 'Final Dimension' portion of the the CD is the incorporation of Scottish folksong Bonny Portmore'. Too bad they didn't include the full version with lyrics on the album. Still, it is a good listen minus the middle section.
Track List
Highlander - The Original Scores (1995)
01. Kamen, Michael / The Highlander Theme 05:22
02. Kamen, Michael / Rachel's Surprise - Who Wants to Live Forever 04:12
03. Kamen, Michael / The Quickening 03:18
04. Kamen, Michael / Swordfight at 34th Street 02:27
05. Kamen, Michael / Under the Garden - The Prize 04:08
06. Copeland, Stewart / Finger Dip 02:00
07. Copeland, Stewart / Rebel Troops 02:10
08. Copeland, Stewart / Dam Raid 01:24
09. Copeland, Stewart / White Cloud 01:46
10. Copeland, Stewart / Mac Absorbs Reno 02:52
11. Copeland, Stewart / Shield Shatters - Alan Dies 03:56
12. Robinson, J. Peter / Love Theme - Shrine Fight 05:32
13. Robinson, J. Peter / Massacre (The Beginning) 05:47
14. Robinson, J. Peter / Laundry Room - Quickening 2 03:32
15. Robinson, J. Peter / Revolution 05:33
16. Robinson, J. Peter / Final Battle - Quickening 3 - Epilogue 07:01
ENJOY .........................................................................
