Mass Effect Suite:
i. Vigil (00:00)
ii. The Citadel (01:25)
iii. The Collector Base (03:08)
iv. Suicide Mission / The End Run (04:36)
v. An End, Once and for All (06:25)
vi. Main Theme (08:16)
Composed by Jack Wall, Sam Hulick, Richard Jacques, Brian DiDomenico, and Clint Mansell, and arranged for brass septet, string quartet, and piano by John Robert Matz.
Notes from John Robert Matz about this arrangement:
Mass Effect is a game series that occupies a very special place in my heart, and the truly *massive* musical score created by an incredibly talented team of composers plays no small part in that.
As such, in creating a Mass Effect arrangement for The Game Brass, I realized that the scope would have to be something more than just a single track, so, after careful review, I selected iconic pieces from all three games, arranging them in a dramatic arc that paralleled the trilogys story structure, taking us through key moments into a triumphant final arrival at the Main Theme.
Reimagining the original palette of orchestra and synthesizers for an all-acoustic chamber ensemble was a challenge, and, in order to adequately capture the grandeur of the original orchestration in this new form, like Commander Shepherd building their squad, I realized that we would want to bring a few extra friends with on the journey. The Videri String Quartet are, as always, absolute joys to collaborate with, and PurpleSchala brings a true touch of emotional, pianistic beauty to the equation. An expanded brass section rounds out the ensemble, with both our usual horn collaborators, Danny Flam and JohnStacy in attendance, as well as the superb Allison Martin adding a second trombone to the mix.
I hope you enjoy this reminiscence on one of my favorite game series of all time. The optimistic, positive view of the future, and the tale of the small band of friends coming together to make a difference against a terrible, unbeatable foe may be ground thats been tread before, but the characters and universe made the world of Mass Effect one I loved existing in.
