I’d originally imagined this cue’s introductory solo on trumpet, this being the traditional “sad military” sound. In a fit of what I like to consider inspiration, I switched it to solo bassoon, giving the melody a more ethereal tone. (I’ll also admit being a stickler for the underdog, and the bassoon definitely qualifies in that regard.)

Eventually the music becomes proud and brassy, so perhaps it’s best that I featured the soft instrument while it was still audible!

(Click on the play button to stream, or the cue title to download.)

	Defeat and Resolve

Part of the same dramatic sequence as “A Lost Brother”, this week’s selection is a dark and sobering cue featuring orchestra, piano, and mallet percussion.

I’m fond of the often-underutilized low registers of mallet percussion instruments. Here the vibraphone, normally something we might normally consider jazzy or relaxing, takes on a subtle ominous character when played in its low register. The harp, played similarly in the bottom of its range, makes for a nice (and creepy) complement.

(Click on the play button to stream, or the cue title to download.)

	The Hospital

This week’s selection is a rock groove with an aggressive and almost ponderous momentum to it. If pressed to characterize the emotional mood, I’d probably say “bulldozery”.

(Click on the play button to stream, or the cue title to download.)

	Anvil Cloud

From a cemetery scene in the movie The F-Zone, this cue is on somber side, but with some lyrical qualities as well.

In order to underscore the sense of bleak loss, in one section I harmonized a solo flute with four double basses, rather than the thick cello/bass harmonies that one might expect for this sort of moment. The effect emphasizes the high and low ends of the orchestra while leaving a wide space in between. It’s an interesting sound, and one which feels distinctly funereal in mood.

(Click on the play button to stream, or the cue title to download.)

	A Lost Brother