Halo Theme

The chant from beginning of the Halo Theme.

The Halo Theme is the staple music of the Halo series.

History

The track being recorded.

The Halo Theme was composed over the course of three days in the summer of 1999 by Martin O'Donnell. O'Donnell was asked by Joseph Staten to provide a soundtrack for the Halo MacWorld premiere demo. Staten told O'Donnell that the theme needed to evoke the game's "ancient, epic and mysterious" ambiance. To best convey this impression, O'Donnell decided to incorporate a Gregorian chant, which has since become a staple of the Halo series in its various forms. He also drew inspiration from the Beatles' song "Yesterday", which helped him create the core melody. O'Donnell has stated that he laid down the core melody of the theme in about half an hour. The theme was recorded with an orchestra and a choir one day prior to the MacWorld presentation.

Uses

Halo: Combat Evolved

In its original incarnation, featured frequently in Halo: Combat Evolved, it placed heavy emphasis on deep, powerful drums and fast paced strings. The track is heard most prominently at the start of the level The Silent Cartographer, during the beach landing and during the final Warthog run segment of The Maw. The chant at the beginning of the piece was used for the main menu screen in-game. On the Halo: Original Soundtrack, however, it was the last track, and also included the bonus track Siege of Madrigal at the end.

Halo 2

For Halo 2, the theme was remixed into the 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 Scarab, and later during the end credits. It is the first track on the Halo 2 Soundtrack Volume 1.

Halo 3

The theme was again revised for Halo 3, this time recorded with a live orchestra instead of synthesized strings. The version used in Halo 3 finishes with the ending used at the end of 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 activated in campaign.

Halo 4

The chant portion of the theme, now referred in the Halo 4 credits as "Halo Cantorum", is heard when Installation 03 is revealed in the level Composer. The main notes of the Halo Theme's chorus play subtly when Dr. Halsey tells her interrogator not to underestimate the Spartans. The same part is heard more prominently in the theme 117 when John neutralizes the external shield generators on Mantle's Approach.

Halo 5: Guardians

The Halo Theme returns in Halo 5: Guardians as part of the soundtrack Halo Canticles, and rearranged in The Trials. It was recorded at Abbey Road

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 Halo Infinite - E3 2019 - Discover Hope Trailer implying its return in the sixth mainline Halo game.

Other media

The soundtrack for Halo Wars, composed by Stephen Rippy, also uses the Halo Theme at various points, including 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, several tracks in the soundtrack borrow motifs from it. For example, Immemorial from Overture takes three bars from the beginning of the chant, while Unreconciled from Tip of the Spear takes the drumbeat and uses both the beginning of the chant and the main melody.

A re-orchestrated version of the theme, titled Installation 04, serves as the theme of Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary.

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.

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.

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

Halo: Legends

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

Trivia

• The country of Palestine aired government-sponsored music videos, and plays, one of which, according to a source, used the Halo Theme music without Bungie's sanction.
• 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.