The Black Cauldron (soundtrack)

The Black Cauldron is the soundtrack album for the 1985 film of the same name. It was composed and conducted by Elmer Bernstein and originally released in 1985 and later released on CD through Intrada Records on April 2, 2012. The tracks were performed by Utah Symphony Orchestra.
==Track listing==
#Prologue 1:08
#Dalben and the Warrior 3:56
#A Special Pig and a Vision 2:46
#Journey 3:32
#Gurgi 4:31
#Decision 2:23
#Belly Good 1:08
#The Horned King 1:23
#A Second Vision 2:21
#First Chase 1:36
#Eilonwy 1:57
#Rats and Tombs 2:21
#Escape 1:45
#Second Chase 4:02
#In the Forest 1:27
#Apology 3:16
#Whirlpool 2:13
#Fairfolk 3:08
#Incantation 1:51
#Morva 4:12
#The Deal 0:57
#Surrender 0:54
#Disappointment 1:51
#Confidence 2:05
#Cauldron Born 3:32
#Sacrifice 2:24
#Destruction 2:33
#He's Gone 2:01
#Bubble Up 0:43
#Xchange 1:32
#Gurgi Lives 2:07
#End Titles 4:00
==Composition==
Unlike most other Disney animated films, the film contained no songs. At the time, Bernstein just came off the success of his Academy Award-nominated score for the 1983 film Trading Places as well as the score for the 1984 film Ghostbusters. Like in the latter of the two, The Black Cauldron saw the use of the ghostly ondes Martenot to build upon the dark mood of Prydain.
==Original release==
Because of the film's last minute revisions, much of Bernstein's score was cut and unused. In its minority, the score was re-recorded for the album original release by Varèse Sarabande in 1985. The album soon fell out of print and many of the film's tracks did not resurface until a bootleg copy entitled "Taran" was supplied to soundtrack specialty outlets in 1996.
==Re-release==
The soundtrack was re-released in 2012 as part of Intrada Records partnership with Walt Disney Records to re-release several Disney films soundtracks. The album features a new expanded and remastered version of the score.
==Critical response==
The score received positive reviews from music critics, and today is regarded as one of the best works by Bernstein and for a Disney animated film, despite its obscurity. Jason Ankeny from AllMusic gave to the soundtrack a positive review, stating that "Bernstein's bleak arrangements and ominous melodies vividly underline the fantasy world portrayed onscreen, and taken purely on its own terms, the score is an undeniable success". The film score review website Filmtracks wrote: "The score for The Black Cauldron was for Bernstein what Mulan was for Jerry Goldsmith in the next decade: a fascinating journey into a fresh realm that required its music to play a more significant role in the film".
Region 	Date 	Format 	Label 	Catalog
United States	1985 	Cassette, CD, LP 	Varèse Sarabande	B000OODDXS
United States	April 3, 2012	CD, digital download	Intrada Records 	B007SYIQAM
Category:Disney film soundtracks
Category:The Black Cauldron
Category:2012 albums
Category:Intrada Records albums