The Music of Cuphead - The Delicious Last Course: Recording the ‘Overture’

The Cuphead - Delicious Last Course soundtrack is comprised of over 110 musicians, performing big band & symphonic music. In Summer of 2021 - in the midst of the COVID pandemic - Studio MDHR brought those musicians together for a series of carefully planned recording sessions.
This is an exclusive look at how some of the game’s music was created. We hope it brings a smile to your face.
CREDITS:
Written and arranged by Kristofer Maddigan
Lyrics by Kristofer Maddigan, additional lyrics by Chad and Jared Moldenhauer
Recorded by Julian Decorte and Jeremy Darby at Canterbury Music Company, Noble Street Studios, and Revolution Recording Studios in Toronto, Canada. (May - September 2021)
Additional video footage shot at Toast + Jam studios in Toronto, Canada
Edited by Julian Decorte and Jeremy Darby.
Mixed by Jeremy Darby at Canterbury Music Company in Toronto, Canada.
Mastering by Peter Letros at Wreckhouse Mastering in Toronto, Canada
Remote camera operation and video post-production work done by Michael Fisher of Fisher Media
-- Inkwell Isles Philharmonic Orchestra --
Conductor - John Herberman
•Violins•
Sharon Lee (Concertmaster)
Sarah Boyer
Tanya Charles Iveniuk
Adam Diderrich
Alessia Disimino
Jamie Godber
Patrick Goodwin
Emily Hau
Adrian Irvine
Emily Kruspe
Praise Lam
Ellen Moore
Lyssa Pelton
Jeremy Potts
Marcus Scholtes
Bijan Sepanji
Aysel Taghi-Zada
Alex Toskov
•Violas•
Carolyn Blackwell
Caitlyn Boyle
Moira Burke
Woosol Cho
Veronica Lee
Rory McLeod
•Cellos•
Bryan Holt
Alice Kim
Liza McLellan
Sybil Shanahan
•Double Bass•
Michael Cox
Stephen Haynes
•Woodwinds•
Flutes - Laura Chambers, Amelia Lyon
Piccolo - Laura Chambers
Oboes - Lief Mosbaugh, Melissa Scott
Clarinets - Colleen Cook, Anthony Thompson
Bassoons - Kristin Day, Kevin Harris
•Brass•
Horn - David Quackenbush
Trumpets - Michael Fedyshyn, Luise Heyerhoff, Rob Weymouth
Trombones - Megan Hodge, Cathy Stone
Bass Trombone - David Pell
Tuba - Jen Stephen
•Harp•
Sanya Eng
•Piano/Celeste•
Christina Faye
•Timpani•
Andrew Rasmus
Percussion
•Kris Maddigan•
-- Queen’s Court Choristers --
Suba Sankaran - Leader
Dylan Bell
Heather Bambrick*
Shannon Butcher*
Rique Franks*
Aaron Jensen
*indicates member of trio
-Featuring Members of ‘The Cuphead Jazz Orchestra’-
Clarinet -Vern Dorge
Trumpet - Jason Logue
Trombone - Alastair Kay
Piano - Jeff McLeod
Bass - Neil Swainson
Guitar - Ben Bishop
Drums - Ted Warren
Orchestra Librarian - Kris Maddigan
Personnel Manager - John Herberman
Copyist - Martin Loomer
This song - and all music in Cuphead - The Delicious Last Course - was recorded following all Government of Canada and Government of Ontario safety protocols, including additional measures taken to ensure performer healthy and safety. These measures included (but were not limited to) daily COVID rapid testing for all on-site personnel (with only those returning negative tests permitted to enter the building), strict capacity limits within all recording facilities, enforced separation between all performing musicians using physical barriers, rigid mask mandates with exceptions only for vocal performers doing their work, and full UV light treatment and sanitization of the recording facilities between sessions. Our immense thanks to Jeremy Darby for figuring out how to record safely and securely with this many performers. No performers or staff working on Cuphead - The Delicious Last Course contracted COVID as a part of their work.
Onsite Nurses provided by ‘C-Care Health Services’
-- Special thanks to --
Matt Endsin @ Songbird Life Science
At Noble Street Studios: Donny DaSilva, Daniel Goldade, Alexander Mak, Zachariah Pepe
At Revolution Recording Studios - Kim Cooke, Creighton Clark, Luke Schindler
LYRICS:
Cuphead
Mugman and
Chalice make a deal
As a team
Adventuring
To help make Chalice real
It’s the Delicious Last Course
Oh the Delicious Last Course
One can eat their fill
and still stay until
the Delicious Last Course
It’s the Delicious Last Course
Oh that Delicious Last Course
There’s tarts, cakes and pies
a dozen scones ‘oh my!’
for that Delicious Last Course
Oh Ms. Chalice just wants to be
just as real as real can be
With the Wondertart
she can then take heart,
it’s off to the bakery
Chef Saltbaker has a plan
The best tart maker in the land
If they’re expedient
with the ingredients
then he might just lend a hand
With that Delicious Last Course
Oh that Delicious Last Course
If there’s a single meal
To help make Chalice real
It’s the Delicious Last Course
Oh the Delicious Last Course
Oh the Delicious Last Course
Searching à la carte
To bake the Wondertart
For the Delicious Last Course
Using recipes to get
Necessities for the
Delicious Last Course
With a wink and a song as long as
Nothing goes wrong...
With that Delicious Last Course