High Charity Suite

This article is about the Halo 2 soundtrack. For other uses, see High Charity (disambiguation).

High Charity Suite
Album:	Halo 2: Original Soundtrack
Composer(s):	Martin O'Donnell and Michael Salvatori
Length:	08:29
Previous:	Reclaimer
Next:	Finale

High Charity Suite is the tenth track in Halo 2: Original Soundtrack, Volume 2. It is composed of Rue and Woe (0:00-1:30), Respite (1:30-3:47), Antediluvia (3:47-6:09) and Pursuit of Truth (6:09-8:29).

Overview

Rue and Woe

Rue and Woe (1:30) features high strings playing a somber melody, joined by low strings, then both crescendo into conclusion. It plays during the level Quarantine Zone, when Thel Vadamee links up with Rtas 'Vadumee after exiting the crashed Sentinel manufacturing facility. It also plays in the level The Great Journey, when Thel Vadam confronts Tartarus in the control room of Installation 05.

The piece was arranged into Heroes Also Fall from Black Tower in Halo 3: Original Soundtrack, and then into Unwearied Heart in Halo 2: Anniversary Original Soundtrack.

An arrangement of the piece plays in the Halo Legends episode Homecoming, when Daisy-023 recalls the moment she looked at her home on Sargasso from a distance, but the piece was omitted from the official soundtrack. The full version of the Halo Legends arrangement was later featured in the Halo: The Master Chief Collection trailer Battle The Heretics.

Respite

Respite (2:17) features soft ambiance, quickly joined by low strings. It repeats in different variations until fading out. It plays in the level Quarantine Zone, during the cinematic in which 'Vadam and 'Vadum board the anti-gravity gondola leading to the Library. The piece reprises in Road to Voi from Epilogue. The piece was arranged into:

• Tribute in Halo 3: Original Soundtrack.
• High Charity Quartet and the first section of High Charity Suite 2 in Halo Legends: Original Soundtrack.
• Promise the Girl in Halo 2: Anniversary Original Soundtrack.

Antediluvia

Antediluvia (2:22) begins with a short reprise of Wage from Delta Halo Suite, ending before the percussion changes to high tempo. Instead, it transitions into the digital notes from Veins of Stone in Sacred Icon Suite followed by a brief heavy percussion beat. The digital notes continue with shakers, and high vocals fade in eerily to end the first part of this section. This plays during the ending cinematic of the level Gravemind, in which Miranda Keyes and Avery Johnson were escorted as prisoners into Type-52 Phantoms, and Prophet of Mercy was killed by a Flood Pod infector. The second section begins with high female vocals and high strings from High Charity, but soon joined by soft timpani drums. They play in a smooth ambiance before a soft drumroll transition into the next section. This plays in the opening cinematic of the level High Charity, when Cortana and John-117 discusses the plan to stop the Prophet of Truth.

Pursuit of Truth

Pursuit of Truth (2:18) fades in with two-part of digital notes, soon joined by high female vocals singing the melody. High strings join in to echo the melody, and percussion enter to mix in with the digital note. The vocals and strings fade out. After a duet between the two-part digital notes and metallic percussive beats, the female vocals return as the percussion switches to heavier percussive beat. Cymbals enter To complement the percussive beats, and the highs strings return to conclude the piece. It plays in the beginning of the level High Charity, and the name alludes to John-117 pursuing the Prophet of Truth over the course of the level.

The piece was arranged into Charity's Irony in Halo 2: Anniversary Original Soundtrack.

Production notes

• The term "Antediluvia" alludes to the Antediluvian period before the flood in the Bible. It references to the state of High Charity before the Flood overtook the city, and plays in the first depiction of the Flood appearing within High Charity.
• The melody of Pursuit of Truth is heavily based on Leela theme composed and performed by Alexander Seropian from the first Marathon game.
• The metallic percussive beats of Pursuit of Truth first appeared in an unused Halo soundtrack titled What?.
• Respite later inspired the five-note E Dorian fanfare in Finish the Fight from Halo 3: Original Soundtrack.
• In Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Respite plays in the level Quarantine Zone only when playing in Classic audiovisual settings, but its remastered counterpart Unwearied Heart was omitted when playing in Anniversary audiovisual settings.