Search - Michael Kamen :: Band of Brothers

A requiem "for those who didn't come back..."

Alex Diaz-Granados | Miami, FL United States | 06/14/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"One of the truly outstanding scores composed for a television series was the late Michael Kamen's music for the HBO miniseries "Band of Brothers," a 10-part adaptation of the late Stephen E. Ambrose's non-fiction book about E Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. Executive produced by Ambrose, Tom Hanks, and Steven Spielberg, this monumental miniseries follows an elite light infantry unit from its training stages at Camp Toccoa, GA to the 11-month campaign in Northwest Europe, starting from the D-Day invasion on June 6, 1944 to the surrender of Germany and E Company's capture of Hitler's private "Eagle's Nest" in Bavaria.When I finally saw the first episodes of "Band of Brothers" on the History Channel a few weeks ago and heard the strains of the "Main Theme" (Track 1), the credits had not finished rolling, and because the style was similar to John Williams' music for Saving Private Ryan, I said to myself, "Oh, what a beautiful Williams contribution!" Instead of being an overtly "warrior music" theme with heavy use of brass and snare drums (think of almost every pre-1970s war movie or TV-show military show, or even today's "Theme from JAG"), the Main Theme features a more melancholic approach, featuring a full orchestra (London Metropolitan Orchestra) and voices, very much in the same vein as "Hymn For the Fallen" from Saving Private Ryan. Pure Williams, I thought, and certainly not without precedent; the composer has long teamed with Spielberg, working with the director/producer in all but one of his major movies. Williams has also written quite a few TV themes, including Land of the Giants, Amazing Stories, and the NBC Nightly News theme "The Mission." Imagine my astonishment when I saw the credit "Music by Michael Kamen." Well, maybe I shouldn't have been so surprised, because before his recent death, Michael Kamen was one of the most sought-after composers in Hollywood, having written scores for such for such films as Creepshow, Die Hard, Die Hard 2, and Die Hard with a Vengeance. He is able to convey the emotional context of diverse films by melding all sorts of musical references and styles (note how he works Beethoven's Ninth Symphony and bits of "Singin' in the Rain" into the score of Die Hard, for instance).The album, obviously, is not a comprehensive recording with the complete score for a 10-hour miniseries. Rather it is a nicely conceived 20-track sampler with music from each episode (conveniently, each track is labeled with the cue name and episode title.)Key tracks include:
1. Main Theme
2. Band of Brothers Suite One
3. Band of Brothers Suite Two
4. Part One -- CURAHEE: "The Mission Begins"
10. Part Four -- REPLACEMENTS: "Bull's Theme"
12: Part Six -- BASTOGNE: "Headscarf"
16. Part Nine -- WHY WE FIGHT: "String Quartet in C-Sharp Minor" (Op. 131) by L.v. Beethoven
20. Part Ten: POINTS: "Band of Brothers Requiem"Kamen, who dedicated his score to his father's twin brother, Captain Paul Kamen (who was killed in Germany three days before the end of the European campaign), composed the music for "Band of Brothers" as a requiem, so even though there are hints of militaristic music, it's all infused with solemnity and sadness, reflecting the proud achievements of E Company's surviving members while remembering the ones the veterans consider to be the real heroes, "those who did not come back.""

What are you waiting for!?

Chris | Sydney, Australia | 09/28/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"l have just finished listening to the entire soundtrack and felt obligated to write a review so that other people can feel the same amazement that l did when experiencing this soundtrack. That is important. You do not listen to this soundtrack - you experience it.It is very difficult to describe this soundtrack. It evokes so many themes in so many different ways. For those of you familiar with the works of other film music composers, the best description l can give is that the composer, Michael Kamen, combines the delicate rolling sounds of James Horner (A Beautiful Mind) with the action-packed tempo that is characteristic of John Williams (Jurassic Park, Jaws, Apollo 13). The music stands very well on its own. You could listen to this music at any time of the day. At work, in the car, while you are falling to sleep, doing the dishes - anything. l bought it in particular for background music while l am studying and always feel inspired, no matter which track l am listening to. Whether it is the all too familiar Main Theme (Track 1), the serious, determined sound of The Mission Begins (Track 4), the despairing but hopeful mood in Bull's Theme (Track 10) or the intricate folk melody and vocals contained within Plaisir D'Amour (Track 14), you will be nothing short of breathless by the end.Through headphones or speakers, the sound is first-rate. Full bodied bass and light as a feather treble will give you goosebumps in no time. You can easily picture the movie playing out in your mind as the CD spins away. l suppose a good measure of any soundtrack is its ability to enhance and not detract from the picture - as though it maintains a subtle yet inseperable presence. Such is the case with Band of Brothers. It maintains continuity of theme for its duration without shocking you or making you want to press the skip button to the next track. It is very easy to listen to all 20 tracks sequentially and feel like you've listened to a single, evolving composition.In any case, the proof of the pudding is in the eating so get out there and get yourself a copy of this timeless soundtrack. You will wonder how you ever did without it. l cannot even bare to study in silence anymore after listenting to this CD. l suppose invigorating is the best way to describe how one feels after letting this soundtrack make itself known. Do yourself a favour and get it now! You certainly won't regret it. If you're anything like me and have a soft spot for vibrant theatrical orchestrations with plenty to say, this soundtrack will very quickly become one of your most treasured possessions. Cheers"

Powerfully moving soundtrack to a spectacular epic

J | Philadelphia, PA United States | 12/04/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In the Band of Brothers soundtrack, Michael Kamen has composed and arranged a work of music that testifies to the heroism and great sacrifice made by those who served in the war. He brings out the pathos and courage through beautifully simple melodic themes and deep rich harmonies that are very moving.The main theme is majestically stirring, with brass and violins stating the theme, which is complemented by an arrangement of choral voices. This soundtrack helps drive home one of the primary themes of the excellent HBO series- war is a very complex, chaotic, and harrowing experience, in which suffering and death strike suddenly and leaving lasting scars- both physical and emotional, but the courage of the human spirit, comradery and love triumph over the evils of war. Whether you have seen the HBO series or not, you will be moved by this powerful work of music."