The
album "Watership Down - Original Soundtrack
Music and Songs" was released by Polydor
Records on October 2nd 2000. It contains vocal
performances from Cerys Matthews, Paul Carrack,
Stephen Gately, Mike Batt, Art Garfunkel and Gary
Martin (narration). It represents a year's work
for Mike, and is presented as a Symphonic Suite
interspersed with songs especially written for
the TV series. The Royal Philharmonic combine
with Chris Spedding (guitars), Ray Cooper (percussion),Henry
Spinetti (Drums), Mitch Dalton (guitars), Mike
Batt(keyboards and conductor) and Tim Harries
(Bass guitars) - to produce a musical panoramic
atmosphere for the series and an intensely melodic
and powerful CD.
The
ITV series (26 half hours, based on Richard Adams'
novel) "Watership Down"was scored by
Mike - or more accurately, he provided a newly-scored
"library" of hundreds of specially composed
symphonic pieces- from 2 seconds to 6 minutes-
for the animators and producers to use in post
production of the series. Mike orchestrated and
conducted the score for a full (80 piece) symphony
orchestra- the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, with
whom Mike has worked many times.
The
song, "Bright Eyes" which Mike wrote
for the "Watership Down" movie back
in 1976 (released 1979) was re-recorded with Stephen
Gately of Boyzone, singing. (The original recording
was by Art Garfunkel, produced and arranged by
Mike, and went to number one in 7 countries, staying
at the number 1 slot in UK for six weeks).