Editing Halo Theme

{{Era|RW}}
{{Quote|'''Duh-duh-duh-daaaaaah! Duh-duh-duh-daaaaah!''' It would be a real toe tapper... if I had some. You must listen to [[Marty O'Donnell]], he's quite the genius! He da man!|[[Tim Dadabo]] jokingly acting as [[343 Guilty Spark]], commenting on the Halo Theme and its composition.{{Ref/YouTube|bebfm7beKmM?t=857|Mike W|Original Halo Voice Outtakes}}}}
[[File:Halo chant.png|right|thumb|380px|The chant from beginning of the Halo Theme.]]
The '''Halo Theme''' is the staple music of the [[Halo universe|''Halo'' series]].

It is characterized by its opening [[Wikipedia:Gregorian chant|Gregorian chant]], a tribal percussion section, and a low strings section. The low strings section featured a series of triplet rhythms, in which each triplet was followed by the melody leaping upwards by an octave, a ninth, a tenth, and finally an eleventh, before restarting at an octave. The complete theme features high strings playing a high-tempo melody which repeats in variations.

==History==
The ''Halo Theme'' was composed over the course of three days in the summer of 1999 by [[Martin O'Donnell]] and [[Michael Salvatori]]. O'Donnell was asked by [[Joseph Staten]] on a Friday to provide a soundtrack for then-upcoming [[Halo announcement trailer|''Halo'' MacWorld premiere demo]] on the following Tuesday. Staten told O'Donnell that the theme needed to evoke the game's "ancient, epic and mysterious" atmosphere. To best convey this impression, O'Donnell drew inspiration from his studies on [[wikipedia:Medieval music|Middle Ages music]] and decided to incorporate a Gregorian chant, which has since become a staple of the ''Halo'' series in its various forms.<ref name="RTL">''[[Remaking the Legend]]''</ref>{{Ref/YouTube|Id=aias|oPK81NG5ncE|Academy of Interactive Arts & Science|Halo and Destiny Composer, Marty O'Donnell | The AIAS Game Maker's Notebook}} He also drew inspiration from [[Wikipedia:The Beatles|The Beatles]]' song "[[Wikipedia:Yesterday (Beatles song)|Yesterday]]", which inspired the four-phrase structure of the Gregorian chant.{{Ref/Site|Id=Beatles|D=01|M=6|Y=2020|URL=http://www.ign.com/articles/2016/03/23/how-the-beatles-influenced-the-halo-theme-|Site=IGN|Page=How The Beatles Influenced the Halo Theme Song}}{{Ref/YouTube|Id=digipen|UKG0d3jYe9Q|Martin O'Donnell|Composing Music for Halo, Destiny, and Golem}} O'Donnell has stated that he laid down the core melody of the theme in about half an hour during the drive to the studio.<ref name="RTL"/>{{Ref/Reuse|Id=aias}}

Recording one day prior to the MacWorld presentation, the theme was recorded with an orchestra composed of six string instruments: four violins and two cellos. O'Donnell and Salvatori sung the Gregorian chant with three jingle singers that worked previously with the duo. Reverb was applied to the strings and choir recording, while the cello recordings were overdubbed, thereby creating the impression of a large orchestra when the recordings were added on top of the [[Wikipedia:MIDI|MIDI]] recording. O'Donnell requested one of the jingle players to sing the vocal solo during the string melody, but upon hearing O'Donnell's example, it was decided O'Donnell would sing the solo instead.{{Ref/Reuse|Id=digipen}}

After the MacWorld presentation, O'Donnell adapted the different aspects of ''Halo Theme'' into various pieces of music in ''Halo: Combat Evolved'', and continued to do so for future ''Halo'' games.{{Ref/Reuse|Id=digipen}}

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==Uses==
===''Halo: Combat Evolved''===
{{Music infobox
| name       = Halo Theme
| video      = {{#widget:YouTube|id=JDI1KlXRogo|width=300}}
| album      = ''[[Halo: Original Soundtrack]]''
| composer   = [[Martin O'Donnell]] and [[Michael Salvatori]]
| length     = 2:57
| producer   =
| last       = [[Dust and Echoes]]
| next       = [[Siege of Madrigal]]
}}

'''Halo''' is the twenty-sixth and final track in the ''[[Halo: Original Soundtrack]]''. It also features bonus piece ''[[Siege of Madrigal]]'' at the end. 

In its original incarnation, first heard in the [[Halo announcement trailer|''Halo'' announcement trailer]], it placed heavy emphasis on deep, powerful drums and fast paced strings, mainly the violin. 

The track plays: 
*In the main menu of ''Halo: Combat Evolved''
*At the start of the level ''[[The Silent Cartographer]]'', during the beach landing.
*In the [[Halo: Combat Evolved credits|credits of ''Halo: Combat Evolved'']].

The Gregorian chant was adapted and incorporated into the following tracks:
*High strings and vocals in ''[[Enough Dead Heroes]]''
*High strings in ''[[Perilous Journey]]''
*''[[Ambient Wonder]]''
*Vocals in ''[[Covenant Dance]]''
*High strings ''[[On a Pale Horse]]''
*Vocals in ''[[Suite Autumn]]''
*Low strings in ''[[Dust and Echoes]]''

The string melody was adapted and incorporated into the following track:
*The "reveal theme" in ''[[Truth and Reconciliation Suite]]''
*The ''Halo Theme'' string melody variation in ''Truth and Reconciliation Suite''
*The rock remix as a contrary motion groove in ''Truth and Reconciliation Suite''
*The low strings as contrary motion groove in ''[[Perilous Journey]]''
*The low strings in ''[[Rock Anthem for Saving the World]]''

A reorchestrated version of the theme, titled ''[[Installation 04 (music)|Installation 04]]'', serves as the theme of ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary]]''.

===''Halo 2''===
{{Main|Halo Theme MJOLNIR Mix}}
The original piece from ''Halo: Original Soundtrack'' was remixed into the ''[[Halo Theme MJOLNIR Mix|MJOLNIR Mix]]''. The basics of the theme remain the same, but it features '''electric guitar''' overlays by former Whitesnake guitarist [[Steve Vai]]. ''Halo 2'' uses the track in its original form in certain parts, such as at the beginning section of the level ''[[Metropolis]]''. The MJOLNIR mix is played at the end of'' Metropolis'' as [[John-117]] boards the [[Type-47A Scarab|Scarab]], and later during the [[Halo 2 credits|end credits]]. It is the first track on the ''[[Halo 2: Original Soundtrack|Halo 2 Soundtrack Volume 1]]''.

''Halo 2'' featured ''Cloistered Expectancy'' (from the track ''[[Prologue (music)|Prologue]]''), which was the ''Halo 2'' rendition of the Gregorian chant from the Halo Theme.

Two variants of the ''Halo Theme'' are featured in the ''[[Halo 2 Anniversary Original Soundtrack]]''. The ''[[Halo Theme Gungnir Mix]]'' is a remixed version of the ''MJOLNIR Mix'' from ''Halo 2'', and the ''[[Halo Theme Scorpion Mix]]'' is a percussion heavy version of the main theme.

===''Halo 3''===
{{Main|One Final Effort}}
The theme was again revised for ''[[Halo 3]]'', arranged into the song [[One Final Effort]], this time recorded with a live orchestra instead of synthesized strings with the '''grand piano''' as its main instrument. The version used in ''Halo 3'' finishes with the ending used at the end of ''[[The Maw (level)|The Maw]]'', as opposed to the reprise of the opening chant used in the original theme and the MJOLNIR Mix. Occasionally, [[343 Guilty Spark]] can be heard humming it with the [[IWHBYD Skull (Halo 3)|IWHBYD skull]] activated in [[campaign]]. 

===''Halo 4''===
{{Main|Sacrifice (music)}}
The Halo Theme was reprised as the song [[Sacrifice (music)|Sacrifice]]. The chant portion of the theme, now referred in the [[Halo 4 credits|''Halo 4'' credits]] as "Halo Cantorum", is heard when [[Installation 03]] is revealed in the level ''[[Composer (level)|Composer]]''. The main notes of the Halo Theme play in the theme ''[[117]]'' when John neutralizes the external shield generators on ''[[Mantle's Approach]]''.

Notes that ambiguously sound similar to the main chorus play subtly when Dr. Halsey tells her interrogator not to underestimate the Spartans.

===''Halo 5: Guardians''===
{{Main|The Trials}}
The ''Halo Theme'' returns in ''Halo 5: Guardians'', rearranged as the ''[[The Trials]]'' with more focus on '''electronic''' digital instrumentation. It's also featured as part of the soundtrack in ''[[Halo Canticles]]''. It was recorded at Abbey Road{{Ref/Site|D=01|M=6|Y=2020|URL=http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/jun/12/halo-5-first-play|Site=The Guardian|Page=Halo 5: Guardians – first play|Quote=Always a hugely important part of the Halo experience, the soundtrack has been composed by Kazuma Jinnouchi, including a re-recording of the classic Halo theme at Abbey Road studios that features a rather pleasing piano motif providing a counterpoint to the traditional operatic sweep.}}

The Gregorian chant can also be heard faintly in the ''[[All Hail]]'' and ''[[The Cost]]'' advertisements.

===''Halo Infinite''===

The Halo theme was featured in the [[Discover Hope]] trailer, implying it will have its own rendition in the sixth mainline Halo game.

Part of the theme plays during the song [[Set a Fire in Your Heart]].

===Other media===
The [[Halo Wars: Original Soundtrack|soundtrack]] for ''[[Halo Wars]]'', composed by [[Stephen Rippy]], also uses the ''Halo Theme'' at various points, including ''[[Spirit of Fire (music)|Spirit of Fire]]'', ''[[Quite the Vacation Resort]]'', and ''[[We're Burning Sunshine]]''.

The ''Halo Theme'' does not appear in ''[[Halo 3: ODST]]''. While stated before release that the ''Theme'' would not appear in ''[[Halo: Reach]]'',<ref>[http://www.edge-online.com/ '''EDGE Magazine'''], ''February 2010''</ref> several tracks in the soundtrack borrow motifs from it. For example, ''Immemorial'' from ''[[Overture (Halo: Reach)|Overture]]'' takes three bars from the beginning of the chant, while ''Unreconciled'' from ''[[Tip of the Spear (music)|Tip of the Spear]]'' takes the drumbeat and uses both the beginning of the chant and the main melody.  

The initial eight notes of the chant appear in the track ''[[Axios]]'', which can be heard after John-117 kills the second Mgalekgolo in the climax of ''[[Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn]]''.

Although the Gregorian chant portion of the ''Halo Theme'' is used as a major motif in ''[[Halo: Nightfall]]'' trailer, the original music piece does not contain the ''Halo Theme''.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FWdSEQOHzc '''YouTube''': ''"The Liberator" (Music from the Halo: Nightfall trailer)'']</ref>

The initial eight notes of the chant appear in episodes three and six of ''[[Hunt the Truth]] [[Hunt the Truth Season 2|Season 2]]''.

====''Halo: Legends''====
{{Music infobox
| name       = Halo
| video      = {{#widget:YouTube|id=RVmLVGu479U|width=300}}
| album      = [[Halo Legends: Original Soundtrack]]
| composer   = [[Martin O'Donnell]] and [[Michael Salvatori]]
| length     = 2:21
| producer   =
| last       = [[Opening Suite 2]]
| next       = [[Desperate Measures (music)|Desperate Measures]]
}}

A partial remix of the track appears in the ''[[Halo Legends: Original Soundtrack|Halo Legends Original Soundtrack]]''. This remix plays during ''[[Halo Legends]]'' episode ''[[Origins]]'' during the scenes depicting the escalation of the [[Human-Covenant War]].

{{clear}}

==Trivia==
*The country of [[wikipedia:State of Palestine|Palestine]] aired government-sponsored music videos, and plays, one of which, according to a source, used the ''Halo Theme'' music without Bungie's sanction.<ref>[http://halo.bungie.org/news.html?item=8596 '''Halo.bungie.org''': ''Halo music used in political video.'']</ref>
*The opening Gregorian chant consists of a series of 28 ([[seven]] times four) notes. Additionally, the second and fourth 'phrases' of the chant each consist of seven notes.

==Sources==
<references/>

{{Soundtrack|H1}}
[[Category:Halo music| ]]