“Rumpelstiltskin is a fair soundtrack with a nice and charming music tied to the harmonious roots of TD's late 80's”
1 Rumpelstiltskin 22:00 (The fairy tale, told by Kathleen Turner with background music by TD) 2 Rumpelstiltskin Theme 2:55 3 Alchemy Of Straw 2:54 4 Rumpel Town 4:19 5 The Countryside 2:22 6 A Walk Through The Woods 4:35 7 Dance On The Hill 3:09 8 A Mother's Triumph 2:22 Rabbit Ears/BMG
(CD 44:36) (V.F.) (Movie music, New Age)
RUMPELSTILTSKIN is what we can call a true rarity for the collectors of Tangerine Dream. Extremely difficult to find, this collector's item is the adaptation of a children's story told from the voice of an actress at her peak in her career in 1990, Kathleen Turner. A strange and fascinating tale should I add where a miller boasts to have a girl who could transform straw into gold. Incredulous, the king has locked up the girl into a room of his castle. A room filled with straw which she had to change into gold, otherwise she will die. A hideous gnome allowed her to realize this miracle which has brought the girl to throne as the queen of the village. In return, she had to give her first-born to the leprechaun unless she guesses his name.
If the tale is original, the music is a bit less. Except that it's a soft and a juvenile music with its chords of electric piano which parade in our ears such as a carillon can enchant with all the delicacy of the origins of its glass musing. No doubts, sonny and Grandpa Froese have clearly felt the purity and the naivety which cross this tale by weaving a soft music surrounded of a mystic mist from a sober and a vaporous synth. Certainly, the work is not that brilliant. On the other hand, Froese and co shaped perfectly their music in the magic and in the intensity of this hybrid tale where the delight is astride a soft virginal horror feeling. A music sometimes melancholic which embraces a youthful tenderness (Rumpelstiltskin Theme, The Countryside et A Walk Through the Woods) and from time to time dramatic and poignant (Alchemy of Straw et Dance on the Hills) while caressing the soft madness of the fanciful fairs (Rumpel Town). The music of the Dream is surgical and sculptures all the feelings of the author Gebrüder Grimm with very nice arrangements and orchestrations which fit more at the New Age scale than EM itself. This is pure movie music and TD reaches this goal without any doubts. The album is modulated in 2 parts. The longest one (Rumpelstiltskin) is really a background music which is sometimes nicely presents but mostly hidden behind the voice of Kathleen Turner. The second part offers the musical side, without the story tale, with additional passages and a bonus track which is not in the background music behind the tale; A Mother's Triumph. Good music, but could we expect more from Edgar? I'll let you be the judge of that!
But all and all, RUMPELSTILTSKIN is a correct album. I might add that it's a nice music where the Dream is sober and offers a music closer of its harmonious roots (Le Parc, Legend, Underwater Sunlight, etc.) that what the German duet will offer in the 90's. An album for the fans. But an extremely rare album and where the invoice exceeds widely the value of the artistic contents.
Sylvain Lupari (February 28th, 2016) ***½**
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