The decision was originally made not to put a Highlander soundtrack on the market but to use Queen's "A Kind of Magic" to ensure success.
Michael Kamen's music from Highlander has a very epic sort of sound to it. The score from the second movie Highlander 2: The Quickening is very different. Just like the movie it is a very dark score and not as enjoyable as the first Highlander.
The third part Highlander: The Final Dimension (or for Europe: Highlander 3: The Sorcerer) sounds more like the music of Kamen. J. Peter Robinson made it a dream-like score with harsher rock elements between it.
HIGHLANDER II
Released in 1991
Label: Bronze records
1.
Trust performed by Heeren Stevens
2.
One Dream performed by Lou Gramm Band
3.
Who's That Man performed by The Magnetic AKA
4.
Haunted performed by Glenn Hughes
5.
Here We Go performed by Notorious
6.
As Time Goes By performed by Brenda Russell
7.
It's A Perfect World performed by Cash Hollywood featuring Ellis Hall
Music composed and arranged by Stephen Graziano and Nick Glennie-Smith.
Additional music by Todd Wollon, Rob Cairns and Chris Neel.
Special vocal performances by Jennifer McNeil.
Recorded and mixed by Jeff Vaughn and Malcolm Luker.
Edited by Dino Moriana.
Mastered by James Nelson.
Album produced by Ford A. Thaxton, Stephen Graziano and Nick Glennie Smith.
The soundtrack to EndGame was scored by Nick Glennie Smith and Stephen Graziano. Graziano has an impressive list of music composed for film trailers including Dances With Wolves, A River Runs Through It and Waking Ned Devine.
CD Contents
1
Bonny Portmore
3:46
2
Opening Titles
10:18
3
Motorcycle Gang Fight
4:46
4
Driving to Loft/Getting Duncan/
Ride to the Grave
2:36
5
Say Goodbye to Kate/Last Supper Slash
3:33
6
Heather Cuts Her Hair
1:08
7
There Can Only Be One!** (Killing Kell)
6:53
8
Prelude/The Song of the Pooka
3:32
9
The Legend of the Immortals
10:34
10
Connor and Duncan Fight Together
0:45
11
Duncan Visits the Loft
0:54
12
The Hidden Room
1:16
13
Attack at the Loft
6:08
14
Killing an Old Friend
2:17
15
In Memory of Connor
3:58
The score is one of haunting beauty characterised by soaring layered vocals, superb choral arrangements and an heart-wrenching theme called “Heather Cuts Her Hair” that floats in and out of numerous scenes, building on itself through to Connor’s death scene. The score opens with a contemporary rendition of the traditional Celtic song, “Bonny Portmore,” sung by Jennifer McNeil. Her vocal talents are also heard in track 8, Prelude/ The Song of the Pooka. The 10 minute Opening Title sequence. meanders with a solitary then ominous atmosphere resolving into a solemn choral section that appears and re-appears at seminal parts of the film. What the score succeeds in doing brilliantly is seamlessly echoing the different cultural periods that characterise Highlander – be it a sword salon in Ravenna, Italy in the 17th century or early 20th century New York.
Another 10 minute track has the music shift to reflect the Scottish influence underlying the storyline and is reminiscent of Glennie-Smith’s The Man in the Iron Mask. Some argue that the best track of the the CD is track 14, Killing an Old Friend. While it is rather brief, it contains the main theme and the two major elements (Celtic and synthesized) that comprise this score. Music has always been a major element that binds together the various elements of the Highlander universe and in joining the ranks of past Highlander music masters – Queen, Roger Bellon and Jim Byrnes – Glennie-Smith and Graziano can be rightly proud.
Michael Kamen (1948 - 2003) has written for both the big and the small screen and he has also composed scores for opera and ballet companies.
It is then perhaps a little surprising to learn that he has had a number of successful collaborations with well-known rock musicians including Pink Floyd, Eric Clapton, Brian Adams, Metallica and Sting! As a musician he learned to play the piano and the oboe, though many of his rock collaborators were with guitarists.
With Kamen such collaborations are almost the norm and indeed, Queen's music was blended into the score for "Highlander".
1.
The Highlander Theme from Highlander (Michael Kamen)
5:22
2.
Rachel'S Surprise / Who Wants To Live Forever -Highlander
4:12
3.
The Quickering Highlander - Highlander (Michael Kamen)
3:18
4.
Swordfight At 34th Street Highlander - Highlander (Michael Kamen)
2:27
5.
Under The Garden / The Prize Highlander - Highlander (Michael Kamen)
Original Release Date: February 23, 1995
Label: Anchor Bay Entertainment
Contains music from:
Highlander
HighlanderII - The Quickening
Highlander III - The Final Dimension
The decision was originally made not to put a Highlander soundtrack on the market but to use Queen's "A Kind of Magic" to ensure success. Michael Kamen's music from Highlander has a very epic sort of sound to it. The score from the second movie Highlander 2: The Quickening is very different. Just like the movie it is a very dark score and not as enjoyable as the first Highlander. The third part Highlander: The Final Dimension (or for Europe: Highlander 3: The Sorcerer) sounds more like the music of Kamen. J. Peter Robinson made it a dream-like score with harsher rock elements between it.
