Editing The Pillar of Autumn (music)

{{Title|The Pillar of Autumn}}
{{Status|RealWorld}}
{{disambig header|the soundtrack|articles of the same name|The Pillar of Autumn}}
{{Music infobox
 | name       = The Pillar of Autumn
 | yt      = HOS5Y7boRsk
 | album      = ''[[Halo: Reach Original Soundtrack]]''
 | composer   = *[[Martin O'Donnell]] and [[Michael Salvatori]]
*Martin O'Donnell, Michael Salvatori, and [[Stan LePard]] {{C|''Move Mountains'' & ''Noble Six''}}
*Martin O'Donnell, Michael Salvatori, [[C. Paul Johnson]], and [[Stan LePard]] {{C|''On the Gun''}}
 | length     = 9:40
 | last       = [[The Package (music)|The Package]]
 | next       = [[Epilogue (Halo: Reach)|Epilogue]]
 }}

'''The Pillar of Autumn''' is the tenth track (Disc 2 Track 3) included in ''[[Halo: Reach Original Soundtrack]]'', and plays mainly in the ''[[Halo: Reach]]'' campaign level ''[[The Pillar of Autumn (Halo: Reach level)|The Pillar of Autumn]]''. It is composed of ''Once More Unto the Breach'' (0:00-0:58), ''Through the Rock'' (0:58-1:31), ''Shipbreaker'' (1:31-3:18), ''Meltdown'' (3:18-4:58), ''Move Mountains'' (4:58-6:12), ''Noble Six'' (6:12-7:11), ''Special Delivery'' (7:11-8:50), and ''On the Gun'' (8:50-9:40).

==Overview==
===Once More Unto the Breach===
''Once More Unto the Breach'' (0:58) opens with a louder and graver rendition of the brass opening in ''The Battle Begins'' (from the earlier track ''[[Winter Contingency (music)|Winter Contingency]]''), followed by the choir singing a slower rendition of the vocals from the aforementioned track. The piece plays in the cinematic in which [[Carter-A259]] rams his [[D77-TC Pelican]] into a {{Pattern|Deutoros|Scarab}}, then continues into the gameplay sequence afterwards.

===Through the Rock===
''Through the Rock'' (0:33) features eerie choir ambiance with low strings accompaniment. The piece plays when [[SPARTAN-B312|Noble Six]] and [[Emile-A239]] encounter a swarm of [[Yanme'e]] in the caverns, with the ending playing when they exits the cavern.

===Shipbreaker===
''Shipbreaker'' (1:47) begins with percussive beats, quickly joined by strings playing a heave melody, which occasionally evokes the ''[[Halo Theme]]''. The piece ends with high strings holding a note. The piece plays during the first encounter with Covenant in the [[Asźod ship breaking yards]].

===Meltdown===
''Meltdown'' (1:40) is a reprise of ''The Other Side'' (from the earlier track ''[[Exodus (music)|Exodus]]''), featuring a more prominent brass as well as low strings over the original pulsing synth effects and a high tempo string melody. The piece ends with ambience played by brass and low strings. The piece ends with high strings holding a note. The piece plays after ''Shipbreaker'' at the Asźod ship breaking yards.

===Move Mountains===
''Move Mountains'' (1:14) features a heavy melody by brass and heavy strings, accompanied by percussion. It transitions into synth effects. The piece plays when Noble Six encounters a pair of [[Mgalekgolo]] in the ship-breaking facility.

===Noble Six===
''Noble Six'' (0:59) is a strings-only version of the second section of ''Lone Wolf'' (from ''Winter Contingency''), though omitting the solemn ending. The piece plays when the first wave of {{Pattern|Ru'swum|Phantom}}s deploy [[Jiralhanae]] at [[Platform Delta]].

===Special Delivery===
''Special Delivery'' (1:39) opens with the percussion from ''The Battle Begins'', accompanied by high strings ambience. Male choir fade in as the percussive beats become more complex briefly, and when the percussion fades out, strings return in ambience in accompaniment to the male choir. The piece ends with a drumroll. The piece plays in the cinematic in which Noble Six passes the [[armored matrix]] to [[Jacob Keyes]] and Emile-A239 is killed.

===On the Gun===
''On the Gun'' (0:50) opens with twinkling effects. The twinkling effects plays in the main menu of ''[[Halo: Reach]]'', and when Noble Six battles with the [[Sangheili Zealot]]s and the [[Sangheili Field Marshal]]. Heavy percussion of ''Few More Days'' enters, quickly joined by synth effects. Strings fade in and the piece ends with a dissonant chord and synth ambience. The percussion plays when Noble Six mans the [[Mark 2488 Onager]].

==Production notes==
*The name ''Once More Unto the Breach'' alludes to the first ''Halo: Reach'' ViDoc released, ''[[Halo: Reach ViDoc: Once More Unto the Breach|Once More Unto the Breach]]'', itself being a reference to the famous speech in William Shakespeare's play ''[[Wikipedia:Henry V (play)|Henry V]]''. The name is also used as the opening chapter of the level.
*The name ''Through the Rock'' alludes to the rocky caverns before reaching the ship-breaking yards.
*The name ''Shipbreaker'' alludes to the ship-breaking yards and the decommissioned {{UNSCShip|Commonwealth}}.
*The name ''Meltdown'' alludes to the melting of steel scraps in the ship-breaking facility.
*The name ''Move Mountains'' is likely derived from the idiom and alludes to NOBLE Team’s mission to deliver the armored matrix to UNSC ''Pillar of Autumn'' in the Covenant-dominated Asźod region.
*The name ''Noble Six'' is named after SPARTAN-B312’s designation within NOBLE Team. Fittingly, the piece is a variation of the character’s motif ''Lone Wolf''. It may imply that by the time the piece plays in the penultimate level, the Spartan, as instructed by Carter in the the first campaign level ''[[Noble Actual]]'', has discarded his/her Lone Wolf personality, and has adopted the role of a team member as “Noble Six”.
*The name ''Special Delivery'' alludes to NOBLE Team’s mission to deliver the armored matrix to Captain Keyes. [[Special Delivery|A track of the same name]] was featured in ''[[Halo 3: ODST Original Soundtrack]]''.
*The name ''On the Gun'' alludes to Six operating the Onager.

{{Soundtrack|HR}}