YourClassical
Top Score

Austin Wintory and Monaco: What's Yours is Mine

Austin Wintory and Monaco: What's Yours is Mine
DOWNLOAD
Austin Wintory
Composer Austin Wintory
Austin Wintory

Composer Austin Wintory seized an opportunity to write a type of music he'd never written before for his newest project. The game Monaco: What's Yours is Mine is a game where you get to sneak around a lot. You try to avoid guards and thwart security systems as you move from one place to the next.

All the while, the player is accompanied by a sound ripped right out of the pages, if you will, of silent film.

Austin wanted the score to have a sense of spontaneity to it, as if someone is sitting in the room accompanying you on a piano while you play.

There's a sloppiness and urgency to his music, and it does end up feeling like I have my own private piano band playing along.

The sound of the piano is interesting; a friend of Austin's bought an old upright off of Craigslist. Austin liked the sound of it so much, he brought over a mic one day and sampled each note so he could sequence it into his computer.

But throughout the score, he tinkers with the piano such that by the end of the game, it sounds entirely different.

After he finished the score for Monaco: What's Yours is Mine, Austin came up with an experiment of sorts.

Since his score was mostly piano, he decided to ask other musicians to listen to the Monaco soundtrack and do a cover of a piece.

Artists including Tina Guo, Chipzel, William Kage, Malukah and the Videri String Quartet contributed to the soundtrack, available here.

Love the music?

Donate by phone
1-800-562-8440

Show your support by making a gift to YourClassical.

Each day, we’re here for you with thoughtful streams that set the tone for your day – not to mention the stories and programs that inspire you to new discovery and help you explore the music you love.

YourClassical is available for free, because we are listener-supported public media. Take a moment to make your gift today.

More Ways to Give

Your Donation

$5/month
$10/month
$15/month
$20/month
$

Latest Top Score Episodes

VIEW ALL EPISODES

Latest Top Score Episodes

Top Score: Robert Elhai makes a splash in Hollywood and beyond

Top Score: Robert Elhai makes a splash in Hollywood and beyond

Robert Elhai has worked on the music for Hollywood blockbusters like 'The Avengers' and 'Pirates of the Caribbean,' TV hits such as 'Hawaii Five-O,' and theatrical sensations like Broadway's 'The Lion King.' He's even worked with the heavy metal band Metallica and on a 'Call of Duty' video game. And he's done it all while living in Minneapolis.

Top Score: SonicPicnic and Awesomenauts

Top Score: SonicPicnic and Awesomenauts

The soundtrack for the game 'Awesomenauts' sounds like an alien radio station. The music was created by a group of composers who call themselves SonicPicnic.

23:31
Composer Ryan Ike got his career started at 'Gunpoint'

Composer Ryan Ike got his career started at 'Gunpoint'

Composer Ryan Ike got his first big break in video-game composition by answering an open call for composers on Twitter for a game called 'Gunpoint'. He got the job -- and a BAFTA nomination. Hear more about Ryan Ike on this week's episode of Top Score.

21:42
Serious music for a casual game

Serious music for a casual game

Millions of people around the world play the 'casual' game Candy Crush Soda Saga, but composer Johan Holmstrom took the music very seriously, even recruiting the London Symphony Orchestra for the recording session. Holmstrom is Emily Reese's guest on this week's Top Score.

14:31
A musicologist's look at 'Final Fantasy VI'

A musicologist's look at 'Final Fantasy VI'

Ryan Thompson is a PhD candidate in musicology at the University of Minnesota, with a special interest in ludomusicology. What is that, you ask? Ludomusicology is a growing field in which musicologists study the impact of music in video games.

19:59
Tom Salta's bold choice for subtle music

Tom Salta's bold choice for subtle music

The new game 'Spartan Strike' exists in an audio-dominant world. To make sure he could still capture a player's attention, composer Tom Salta decided to record quieter, more subtle cues. He also enlisted the help of the New York Film Chorale and the Macedonian Radio Symphonic Orchestra. Hear more about it on this week's episode of Top Score.

19:50
Top Score says, 'Thank You, Pierce'

Top Score says, 'Thank You, Pierce'

Top Score says "thank you" to production assistant Pierce Huxtable for one year of great work. Pierce's position was funded by a (non-renewable) grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, an award for which Top Score is forever grateful.

13:01
What's old-school is new again for Michael Schiciano

What's old-school is new again for Michael Schiciano

Michael Schiciano joins Emily Reese on this week's Top Score to talk about old-school and modern approaches to composing. Thanks to the burgeoning mobile market, many composers use old-school techniques to create music for smartphone games.

19:39
Do a Barrel Roll create innovative covers of game music

Do a Barrel Roll create innovative covers of game music

The orchestral-rock video game cover band Do a Barrel Roll stopped by Classical MPR to record a set and to chat with Emily Reese, host of Top Score. 'They played a set and stole my heart -- I've always wanted to say that,' Emily says. Listen to the full session.

21:30
Sam Dillard is a one-man music-making machine

Sam Dillard is a one-man music-making machine

Completely self taught, Sam Dillard not only composes music, but he also performs and records his work. Recently hired by Kinect for its new Harry Potter trailer, Dillard joins Emily Reese on this week's episode of Top Score.

20:41
VIEW ALL EPISODES