OFFICIAL PLAYSTAION MAGAZINE

Who's idea was it to have music done by a full-fledged orchestra?

It all started back in 1997 while we were making the PlayStation game for The Lost World.   I had been working as a producer in their interactive division, and had done some music for them on the side.   When it came time to make the Lost World game, they asked me if I would write a synth demo piece of music for a presentation they were preparing for Steven Spielberg.   

Steven is a huge game fan and has always been very involved with the development of the games being produced at DreamWorks Interactive.   The meeting went really well and Steven really took a liking to the music (thank God).   He said to me "were going to record this with a live orchestra, right?   I looked to the Head of DreamWorks Interactive, Glenn Entis and Glenn just blurted out "yes!"   That's how it started.   

Steven is not only a lover of games, but of music as well.   He has an extensive knowledge of music and truly understands the emotional impact that a live orchestra can make.   When the game came out, many of the reviews expressed how surprised and happy they were to actually play a video game with a live orchestral soundtrack.   A treat regularly lavished on movie-goers, but rarely seen in the video game world.   

After that we began using live orchestras on many other projects as well.   The Lost World was released as a soundtrack CD and and so was Medal Of Honor (through an exclusive deal with Amazon.com.)

What's the name of the orchestra?

The Northwest Sinfonia.   They are made up of members from both the Seattle Symphony and the Seattle Ballet.

How many pieces were in the orchestra?

75 plus the 25-member boys choir.

How did the orchestra members feel about doing the music for a videogame?

 They were thrilled to be doing another Medal Of Honor project.   Most of them had played on the original and had a great time playing on that score.   It's very nice to see the same faces project after project.   I have actually made some great friends there over the past 5 years and I look forward to going every time we do another.

Are you a gamer?

I really don't play too many games.   I'm not that good at them.   I have a PlayStation, but I generally only use it to show my family the DreamWorks games I've been working on.   My wife enjoys gaming, so occasionally I find myself in front of it.   I also have two kids, so my time away from work is usually spent with the family.

How do you like the game?   Did you play the game to get a feel for what you wanted the music to be?

I must admit that the Medal Of Honor games are the most tense and scary games I've ever played.   I am a huge WWII and general history buff so working on these games is a chance for me to immerse myself in that time.

My great Uncle Peter Fortunato fought in WWII.   He saw a lot of tough battle in the Pacific Theater.   While watching the game does help guide my writing as far as mood and thematics are concerned, it's truly the stories from people like my uncle - stories from people who experienced it - that truly inspire my writing.   I think that goes for everyone on the team.   It's the truth and context of the history that ultimately guides our creative impulse.   The entire team has gone to great lengths to make sure we honor the subject matter and do right by the people who gave their lives so that we could live in the world we see today.

Whose idea was it to use period music (The Road to Berlin, Each Night He Comes Home to Me) from the WWII era?

Just about all of the music in the game is background score.   In the first Medal Of Honor, we thought it would be great to have a period tune playing in the background of the one of the levels.   I wrote a Cole Porter-esque big band tune which (in the game) is being broadcast over the PA of a Nazi occupied castle somewhere in Europe.   That was great fun to do.   Historically it wasn't very accurate - Hitler was not a very big fan of jazz - but we thought what the heck

In Medal Of Honor Underground we have one song, Each Night He Comes Home to Me (I wrote the music and Scott Langteau wrote the lyrics) which is being played in a café somewhere in occupied Paris.   As you sneak through the streets, you will hear it playing in the background.   It's always nice to be able to add that kind of music onto a game like this, because it's quite counter to the action which is taking place and creates a very surreal atmosphere.

How did you know it was authentic sounding?

Lots of research!

Audio samples are low quality and are presented for educational purposes only.   All original content © Music By Michael Giacchino.   Reproduction whether in part or full is strictly prohibited without prior written permission.