Preliminary Remarks

[Darkling Nocturnal]

(Originally written by Hawkbit)

Watership Down Original Soundtrack (1978, Sony Music Entertainment)
Performers: The London Symphony Orchestra, Art Garfunkel
Composers: Angela Morley, Malcolm Williamson, Mike Batt

Watership Down CD Review (c) 2008, Adam R.

Most do not realize just how hastily and quickly the background music to the Watership Down film was composed. According to Martin Rosen in his interview on the 2004 Big Sky Video DVD release, the original composer was supposed to be Malcolm Williamson, who later stepped out of the project. Williamson’s contribution is the Elahrairah legend sequence and the opening credits which follow. Angela Morley was brought on to replace Williamson with less than a month to compose the music. I’d say she succeeded in capturing the mood of the film quite well.