Editing Winter Contingency (music)

{{Title|Winter Contingency}}
{{Status|RealWorld}}
{{disambig header|the soundtrack|articles of the same name|Winter Contingency (disambiguation)}}
{{Music infobox
 | name       = Winter Contingency
 | yt      = z-q9eADegs4
 | album      = ''[[Halo: Reach Original Soundtrack]]''
 | composer   = 
*[[Martin O'Donnell]] and [[Michael Salvatori]]
*Martin O'Donnell, Michael Salvatori, and [[Stan LePard]] {{C|''Blood on the Ground'', ''Bait and Switch'', & ''Free Fire Zone''}}
*Martin O'Donnell, Michael Salvatori, and [[C. Paul Johnson]] {{C|''Noble Mission''}}
 | length     = 12:09
 | last       = [[Overture (Halo: Reach)|Overture]]
 | next       = [[ONI: Sword Base (music)|ONI: Sword Base]]
 }}

'''Winter Contingency''' is the second track (Disc 1 Track 2) included in ''[[Halo: Reach Original Soundtrack]]''. It is composed of ''The Battle Begins'' (0:00-3:10), ''Lone Wolf'' (3:10-5:33), ''Distress'' (5:33-7:12), ''Blood on the Ground'' (7:12-8:05), ''Noble Mission'' (8:05-9:20), ''Bait and Switch'' (9:20-10:39), ''Free Fire Zone'' (10:39-11:17) and ''Discontent'' (11:17-12:09).

==Overview==
===The Battle Begins===
''The Battle Begins'' (3:10) open with a drumroll and a male choir. After another drumroll and a brief bass section, a tribal percussion, remade in the track ''Powder Keg'' enters in repeat, accompanied by strings and vocals invoking the ''[[Halo Theme]]''. The melody repeats in variation before the percussion instrument changes but plays the same rhythm. The piece ends with strings and vocals playing the melody in repeat before fading out. The piece plays in the first [[campaign]] level ''[[Noble Actual]]'' and in the [[The Battle Begins|''The Battle Begins'' trailer]]. The tribal percussion has reprises in ''Belly of the Beast'' (from the later track ''[[Long Night of Solace (music)|Long Night of Solace]]'') and ''Special Delivery'' (from the later track ''[[The Pillar of Autumn (music)|The Pillar of Autumn]]'').

===Lone Wolf===
''Lone Wolf'' (2:23) fades in with low strings and muted percussion. Brass and guitar join in with a slow melody, which pauses briefly before the instruments enter a heavy melody together. They build up to a climatic ending followed by a solemn finish by the strings. The piece first plays in the [[Halo: Reach Video Games Awards Trailer|''Halo: Reach'' Video Games Awards Trailer]], and its variations play at various points of the game. It first plays in the opening cinematic of the level ''[[Winter Contingency]]''. Parts of the piece also play during [[Invasion]], whenever Spartans enter the next phase and when they win the round.

A version (featuring only electric guitar and percussion from the first melody) plays in the level ''[[Nightfall]]'', when [[Jun-A266]] plants an [[Unidentified UNSC explosive|explosive]] on the [[Stealth pylon]]. The second melody (featuring only electric guitar and percussion) plays in the main menu of ''[[Halo: Reach]]'' and again in ''Nightfall'', when [[Recon Team Bravo]] pushes deeper into the dark zone past the gate at the hydroelectricity plant. 

A second version (featuring only electric guitar and muted percussion with a piano solo ending) plays in the level ''[[Exodus]]'' when [[SPARTAN-B312|Noble Six]] and [[Evacuation Team 7]] defend an elevator from the Covenant. The full version plays in the level ''[[The Package]]'', when [[Noble Team]] first arrives at the cavern outside [[Catherine Halsey]]'s lab under [[SWORD Base]]. 

A third version (featuring only strings from the second melody) is featured as ''Noble Six'' (in the track ''The Pillar of Autumn''), and it plays in the level ''[[The Pillar of Autumn (Halo: Reach level)|The Pillar of Autumn]]'' during the first wave of {{Pattern|Ru'swum|Phantom}}s attack [[Platform Delta]] at the [[Asźod ship breaking yards]]. 

===Distress===
''Distress'' (1:38) features soft male choir and strings playing in ambiance. Percussion enters with rhythm of ''The Battle Begins'', with its rhythm becoming more complicated before fading out. The piece plays when Noble Team arrive at Visegrad and finds a distress beacon. The percussive section plays when they run towards the farmhouse where they find the bodies of civilians and army troopers.

===Blood on the Ground===
''Blood on the Ground'' (0:53) features a crisp melody on strings, brass, and synth notes, accompanied by soft percussion and short piano cues. A version without piano plays when [[Carter-A259]], [[Jorge-052]], and Noble Six fight the first group of Covenant in the east valley. A full version with piano plays when they fight the second group of Covenant. Alternate versions are later featured as ''Keeping What I Steal'' (from the later track ''[[Nightfall (music)|Nightfall]]'').

===Noble Mission===
''Noble Mission'' (1:15) features strings and brass playing a heavy melody with rhythmic percussion in the background. The opening phrases of the piece first plays in loop during Noble Team's initial encounter with the Covenant. The piece then plays in full when Noble Team head towards [[Visegrád Relay]], and plays in loop as they defend the entrance of the outpost.

===Bait and Switch===
''Bait and Switch'' (1:19) opens with synth effects playing in ambiance. An electric guitar suddenly enters with two-phrase riff section in repeat. Strings fade in and the piece ends with a dissonant chord. The piece when Noble Team has entered the outpost, and continues into the cinematic in which they are attacked by the [[Devoted Sentries]]. The guitar riffs continue into gameplay sequence following the cinematic. The guitar riffs reprise in ''Displacement'' (from ''Long Night of Solace'').

===Free Fire Zone===
''Free Fire Zone'' (0:38) features short synth notes and crisp percussive beats. The rhythm plays in variation before ending. The piece plays when Jorge-052 and Noble Six venture into the facility where they encounter [[Special Operations Unggoy]]s and the last [[Sangheili Zealot]]. It also plays in the later level ''[[Exodus]]'', near the end of the opening cinematic, and continues into the gameplay sequence afterwards. An alternate version, featuring more prominent percussive beats, plays in ''Howling Dark'' (from the later track ''Nightfall'').

===Discontent===
''Discontent'' (0:52) opens with an eerie ambiance before fading out, replaced by a piano solo playing the main melody of the later track ''[[Ashes (music)|Ashes]]''. The eerie ambiance returns for a brief ending. The piece plays in the ending cinematic.

==Trivia==
*This is not only the longest track on the ''Halo: Reach: Original Soundtrack'', but also the longest track of any ''Halo'' soundtrack created to date.
*The track shares its name with not only the campaign level, but also the official [[United Nations Space Command]] emergency [[WINTER CONTINGENCY (protocol)|plan]].
*The name ''Lone Wolf'' alludes to SPARTAN-B312's personality.
*The name ''Free Fire Zone'' is a direct quote of [[Emile-A239]] after the team's initial skirmish with the Covenant, "Cheer up, big man: this whole valley just turned into a free-fire zone."
*After its appearance in the [[Halo: Reach Video Games Awards Trailer|Reach VGA 09 trailer]], the piece entitled ''Lone Wolf'' was released as a down-loadable MP3 file on [http://halo.bungie.net/projects/reach/vidaudio.aspx?c=55 Bungie.net].

{{Soundtrack|HR}}