Why would someone buy 9 copies of a CD with intention to sell at a time where the secondary market is less profitable? Unless the seller is connected with Varese and selling extra stock? Remember when a box of Die Hard's went in sale at Comic-Con, months after it was listed as "Sold Out"?
Either way, I'm happy to see that those who missed out can now have a chance AND at a bargain. Kudos!
Almost 4 months since this was released....and I'm still listening to this bad boy EVERY DAY! To be finally able to listen to the complete score after all these years! It's just too good to be true!
Almost 4 months since this was released....and I'm still listening to this bad boy EVERY DAY! To be finally able to listen to the complete score after all these years! It's just too good to be true!
Hail to the Kamen, baby!
Great post sir. I totally agree. A juggernaut of a release for a spectacular, epic, brilliant score. It has been playing constantly since I received it as well.
I got this at first to "complete the saga" so to speak and before I had even seen the film...and then I bought the film on blu ray and yikes! The score was in my face and now I cant get enough of the thing!
I got this at first to "complete the saga" so to speak and before I had even seen the film...and then I bought the film on blu ray and yikes! The score was in my face and now I cant get enough of the thing!
That's awesome! Glad you love it so much too. You hadn't seen the film before? Did you enjoy it?
---
For the record, DeputyRiley's favorite cue from the Die Hard 2 score -- finally released and sounds amazing -- is...
"John Punches Esperanza"
Not the greatest title for a cue, but hey. Err...nor is it entirely accurate, as the cue starts after John punches Esperanza. But no matter! THIS IS AN AMAZING CUE and for my money, the best action cue of the entire Kamen series. What a performance by the orchestra! Have wanted this cue so badly ever since I saw the film 20+ years ago...left off the original Varese CD...I got a taste of it briefly when the cue was reworked (to a lesser quality IMO) for "Surfing the Aqueduct" on the first (worst) Die Hard 3 CD...I even took issue with the reworked version's omission of cymbal hits when the orchestra roars towards the end of the cue (in Die Hard 2 during the quick close-ups of the grenades). Now the cue is at my fingertips in all its glory.
I think the three tracks "Landing Esperanza's Plane," "Meeting Esperanza," and "John Punches Esperanza" are a showstopping 10+ minute action tour-de-force and one of the finest achievements of Kamen's career...
While on this note, for comparison...my favorite action score moments from each score:
Die Hard (Kamen) -- "Assault on the Tower" Die Hard 2 (Kamen) -- "Landing Esperanza's Plane"/"Meeting Esperanza"/"John Punches Esperanza" Die Hard 3 (Kamen) -- "Subway Pt. 1"/"Subway Pt. 2"/"Take A-nother Train" Die Hard 4 (Beltrami) -- tie between "Apartment Shootout"/"Leaving Apartment" and "Copter Chase" Die Hard 5 (Beltrami) -- "Truckzilla Pt. 1"/"Yippie Kay Yay Mother Russia"/"Truckzilla Pt. 2"
Almost 4 months since this was released....and I'm still listening to this bad boy EVERY DAY! To be finally able to listen to the complete score after all these years! It's just too good to be true!
Hail to the Kamen, baby!
Great post sir. I totally agree. A juggernaut of a release for a spectacular, epic, brilliant score. It has been playing constantly since I received it as well.
I am in total agreement with both of you! A stunning score that gets better and better with every listen. Now one of my fave MK scores.
I got this at first to "complete the saga" so to speak and before I had even seen the film...and then I bought the film on blu ray and yikes! The score was in my face and now I cant get enough of the thing!
That's awesome! Glad you love it so much too. You hadn't seen the film before? Did you enjoy it?
---
For the record, DeputyRiley's favorite cue from the Die Hard 2 score -- finally released and sounds amazing -- is...
"John Punches Esperanza"
Not the greatest title for a cue, but hey. Err...nor is it entirely accurate, as the cue starts after John punches Esperanza. But no matter! THIS IS AN AMAZING CUE and for my money, the best action cue of the entire Kamen series. What a performance by the orchestra! "
It is indeed a great cue and a highlight of the series. McClane's theme sounds almost heroic here, almost as if we were watching a superhero film.
The first DH has all the Christmas and the 80's vibe and is a classic. The third has many many puns and nods as well, but probably a tad too much reused material. But DH 2 Deluxe is my favourite album from the series. It does also uses material from the first one, but makes it grander, more fun. And better recorded. A perfectly smooth and entertaining listen and superb buildup towards this extended 30 minute action climax followed by Finlandia with Kamen's material worked into it as well. Love it. The only regret one might have is that there no more Finlandia quoted in the score itself.
Just finally got around to giving this score some proper attention. Not as good as Die Hard, though the more I listen the more its growing on me. From a performance point of view i actually prefer the raw punchier sound of the first one. Yeah, there are some ripper action cues in there from midway through to the finish but i just can't agree that this is better than Kamen's original, which IMO is right up there with Goldsmiths First Blood as one of the best action scores ever written.
Reading the blurb that came with this stunning release I really thought this would be a year of welcome deluxe editions but to date we have had nothing more. I wonder what happened...
" We are on the cusp of beginning our 35th anniversary celebrations for 2013 but thought we’d get the party started early"
Reading the blurb that came with this stunning release I really thought this would be a year of welcome deluxe editions but to date we have had nothing more. I wonder what happened...
" We are on the cusp of beginning our 35th anniversary celebrations for 2013 but thought we’d get the party started early"
Yes, but you must realize that their 35th anniversary celebration has included organizing and planning two major concerts here in L.A., plus the one Townson organizes in Spain, it's not just about album releases.
I still haven't played this yet (it's sitting on the shelf along with other unplayed titles like Enemy Mine expanded edition, plus the Intrada BSG vol 3 and 4 editions). And they're just the tip of the iceberg! There's some serious John Scott scores I've yet to unwind to. Still, I love this hobby!!
Reading the blurb that came with this stunning release I really thought this would be a year of welcome deluxe editions but to date we have had nothing more. I wonder what happened...
" We are on the cusp of beginning our 35th anniversary celebrations for 2013 but thought we’d get the party started early"
Yes, but you must realize that their 35th anniversary celebration has included organizing and planning two major concerts here in L.A., plus the one Townson organizes in Spain, it's not just about album releases.
But what they must realize is that not all of their fans live in/near LA or Spain therefore "the party" does not apply to many of us.
Yeah really dissapointed that Varese has chosen to focus there energy and resources on these concerts and galas for a select few's enjoyment rather then their club releases. Miss the old days. Well if DH2 is to be my last purchase then great way to go out.
Okay so I've been listening to all of my Die Hard Kamen scores and am stuck on them! Since digging through the recent Lethal Weapon box I've had a hankering for some Die Hard music and since I started listening to the original trilogy (done right of course, the deluxe complete editions) I just can't seem to stop. You know the feeling. You can't seem to move on to any other scores because you keep wanting to hear the brilliant stuff over and over. "I have to hear this track again!" and start it from the beginning as soon as it's finished. "That section of action music is so awesome, back up!" and rewind a bit in the track to hear it again. Just enjoying the musical playground, which Kamen delectably provides with his Die Hard scores. I do love the Lethal Weapon music but listening to these DH scores again I'm reminded in spades why I love them so much.
Particularly Die Hard 2, showcased perfectly in the recent glorious Varese Deluxe Edtiion. The whole score is just breathtaking and mach-3 adrenaline fueled, my favorite of the three Kamen DH scores.
The part of the score that I marvel the most at (again, and again, and again...) is the roughly 41-minute stretch of almost completely action/urgent/thrills 'n chills music that begins with "Landing Esperanza's Plane" and culminates in the "Fight on the Wing" cues. Seriously now! These 40 minutes do not let up and contain some of the most brilliantly complex, ingeniously structured, and cleverly written action music I've ever heard. Going back and listening to the cues again, I continue to rewind and repeat tracks because I keep discovering, after countless listens, even more and more layers and clever motifs and little nuances in the writing. This 41-minute action section is joyously dense with complex and intricate action and suspense music, expertly weaving in themes and motifs from the first DH score and slam-bang barnstorming new material. It is truly genius and I can't stop listening! The rhythms, the orchestration, the powerful and energetic performance by the players, the nobility of McClane's theme, the occasional wintery/Christmas sleighbells and such, the pounding anvils, the quick-change brass blasts and racing strings...it's sublime.
I had to write here and express my joy for this music and for this CD release in general. It has always been one of my most sought-after previously unreleased (except for the short original release) score in my life, and hearing it in all its glory is one of the greatest experiences. I take nothing away from DH 1 and 3, which are insane awesomesauce in similar and different ways, but DH2 will always be the cat's pajamas to me, the absolute zenith of DH music, Kamen action music, and my favorite Kamen score the man has written.
Thanks Varese!
My favorite 4 cues illustrating my post above -- the best in action writing!*
*although Mutant will disagree and point you in the direction of the "Fight on the Wing" cues!
Okay so I've been listening to all of my Die Hard Kamen scores and am stuck on them! Since digging through the recent Lethal Weapon box I've had a hankering for some Die Hard music and since I started listening to the original trilogy (done right of course, the deluxe complete editions) I just can't seem to stop. You know the feeling. You can't seem to move on to any other scores because you keep wanting to hear the brilliant stuff over and over. "I have to hear this track again!" and start it from the beginning as soon as it's finished. "That section of action music is so awesome, back up!" and rewind a bit in the track to hear it again. Just enjoying the musical playground, which Kamen delectably provides with his Die Hard scores. I do love the Lethal Weapon music but listening to these DH scores again I'm reminded in spades why I love them so much.
Particularly Die Hard 2, showcased perfectly in the recent glorious Varese Deluxe Edtiion. The whole score is just breathtaking and mach-3 adrenaline fueled, my favorite of the three Kamen DH scores.
The part of the score that I marvel the most at (again, and again, and again...) is the roughly 41-minute stretch of almost completely action/urgent/thrills 'n chills music that begins with "Landing Esperanza's Plane" and culminates in the "Fight on the Wing" cues. Seriously now! These 40 minutes do not let up and contain some of the most brilliantly complex, ingeniously structured, and cleverly written action music I've ever heard. Going back and listening to the cues again, I continue to rewind and repeat tracks because I keep discovering, after countless listens, even more and more layers and clever motifs and little nuances in the writing. This 41-minute action section is joyously dense with complex and intricate action and suspense music, expertly weaving in themes and motifs from the first DH score and slam-bang barnstorming new material. It is truly genius and I can't stop listening! The rhythms, the orchestration, the powerful and energetic performance by the players, the nobility of McClane's theme, the occasional wintery/Christmas sleighbells and such, the pounding anvils, the quick-change brass blasts and racing strings...it's sublime.
I had to write here and express my joy for this music and for this CD release in general. It has always been one of my most sought-after previously unreleased (except for the short original release) score in my life, and hearing it in all its glory is one of the greatest experiences. I take nothing away from DH 1 and 3, which are insane awesomesauce in similar and different ways, but DH2 will always be the cat's pajamas to me, the absolute zenith of DH music, Kamen action music, and my favorite Kamen score the man has written.
Thanks Varese!
My favorite 4 cues illustrating my post above -- the best in action writing!*
*although Mutant will disagree and point you in the direction of the "Fight on the Wing" cues!
edited:
original Varese release:
Thank you Deputy... well written/well said. It's a marvelous score and Varese did it justice. Yes, the final 41 minutes/give or take... are completely breathless and exciting. I just did the same thing after the Lethal Weapon Box arrived... All things Die Hard and Lethal Weapon.
He may be gone, but his music will be with us forever. R.I.P. Michael Kamen...
