Medieval II Total War (2006)
Audio Director | Composer | Post-Production
This was an amazing looking game, the artists captured the true grit and weight of medieval battle. It was inspiring to compose music that matched the brutality and epic scenery.
Hey Jeff,
I hope you will be working for CA again in the music making of Medieval 3.
You’re soundtrack for Medieval 2 has brought so much enjoyment, memes and just generally nostalgy to the Total War Community.
With Duke of Death being my favorite 🙂
I especially adore all the pieces with the harpinchord in them.
Your music is immortal, thank you.
Hi Jeff! Big fan of your music. The early total war series were some of my first games a a child. I’m getting in to composing for my own projects and I was wondering if you remembered what audio library or sample you used for the bagpipes and fiddle in the Britannia campaign, specifically in the song “Tally-Ho”. I really love the sound and want to tap into that sonority.
Hi Jeff,
I was watching Tarkovsky’s Andrei Rublev (1966), which is set in the medieval period and centers on an Orthodox painter. There’s a moment after a loud crash at the end of the prologue, followed by about sixteen seconds of melody, that instantly made me think of the beginning of your track “Amen” https://youtu.be/ExoVicq9bdw?t=247
It stood out to me since Amen also begins with a big hit and the melody is the same length, before yours shifts into Gregorian chant https://youtube.com/clip/Ugkx495tg9IyYY68vdeZoxySgjn3_VQWo49w?si=vTn-65oopfCRHmJn
I don’t know anything about music theory, but I thought it was neat how your piece reminded me of that moment in the film. Even if it’s just me hearing similar instruments and drawing parallels where I can, it’s a cool connection between your music and a movie about faith and art from a similar era.
Thanks for all the great work.
I stopped playing newer Total War games once you stopped doing the soundtracks. It just never hit the same 😭
Phenomenal work. I love to use this OST during Dungeons & Dragons games. Plenty to work with and I wish they’d bring you back for the next historical TW title.
Your music from the TW series is unforgettable.
I too have recently started watching ergo proxy and immediately recognized the ‘Kyrie Eleison’ from Medieval 2 Total War. Frustratingly, in the show, they always cut it short so that you never hear the ‘son’ in ‘Eleison’. Anyways, I was always wondering what the origin of the chant is. Some CD containing Gregorian chants maybe? I’m not really privy to how audio sampling worked before mass distribution via the internet.
Thank you very much for the quick response. I wish you good health and a happy new year.
Hello everyone, I have a question regarding the track ‘Amen’ which plays on the main menu screen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bA1hZoBLrdY
I wish to know the name of the string instrument that plays the beautiful melody starting from 1:26 and ending at 2:00. My first guess was classical guitar but I am not certain. If anyone here knows please feel free to reply to my comment. Thanks.
I believe that is a lute sample I played on my keyboard (memory is getting a little hazy 😅
Please bring this and keep 2 albums Medieval 2 and Shogun 2 on Spotify. In this album I particularly love the Duke of Death and War of Kings so much !!!
I play the games mainly because of the music.
Hello,
Thank you for all your amazing work. I can’t describe how much your music means to me and thousands of other people.
I’ve been watching a japanese animated series called Ergo Proxy which came out in 2006 and I noticed they used the same gregorian choir sample you’ve used in Medieval II’s “Time and Again”. You can hear it at around 01:03 in this video. https://youtu.be/gMobOPSmZjc?si=81enxMfVwUJoc6Bt
This has led me down a rabbit hole trying to find the source of this sample. I saw a comment asking about it and you’ve replied to it saying you got it from an audio library. I know it was years and years ago but I thought I’d take my shot and ask you if you have anymore hints about it 🙂
Thank you again for all the memories. Your music is immortal.
Dear Jeff, I don’t know if you still read comments here, but thank you for this amazing masterpiece of a gaming soundtracks, it is definitely one of the best ever made. Every decision just hits the right spot, selection of instruments from harp to lute and to bagpipes, energetic rhythm section (of course you are a drummer), harmonies, choirs, beautiful voice of your wife of course. I come back to the game from time to time just because I remember how good this OST is.
I do still read the comments 🙂