Rumpelstiltskin

*A Fairy Tale set to Music* - Suite of ten varied movements.

1. The Room Full of Straw
2. The Little Man Enters
3. The Little Man Spins Straw into Gold
4. The Miller~~~~~s Daughter Weeps in Despair
5. The Miller~~~~~s Daughter Must Promise her First Child
6. All the Straw has been Spun into Gold
7. The Wedding
8. The Little Man Comes to Claim the Child
9. Jumping Rond the Fire
10. Rumpelstiltskin is so Angry he Splits in Two

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The Recorder Magazine 

Sheet Music Reviews

Lance Eccles - Orpheus Music 

• Rumpelstiltskin for Recorder Quartet OMP250
• Snow White and Rose Red for Recorder Quartet OMP259

An evil dwarf with a long beard, a half frozen bear, glittering gems, and a little man who splits himself in two: these are the programmatic representations in these fairy tale quartets. 

Now retired from his post as a professor of languages at Australia's Macquarie University , Lance Eccles interest in language is evident in these original editions. He has lished books on Chinese and the Coptic language of Ancient Egypt, both of which he also taught, and on the Tetum language of East Timor. Eccles composes music for recorder among other instruments. he plays recorder himself - from 1982 - 2002 as a member of the Reluctant Consort in Sydney. 

The written notes in each volume outline the respective plots, and the songs are intended to progressively tell each story. The notes also include descriptions of the actions and traits of the characters.While Rumpekstiltskin follows the traditional fable, Snow White and Rose Red engage in a series of encounters with an evil dwarf and a bear/prince. 

Despite the programmatic intent, the musical portrayal of the various narrative elements is not especially definitive, and there are few instances of word painting. for example Snow White is described as a gentle, young maiden and Rose Red as more active. Snow White's song is not more lyrical, as might be expected. rather it is quite lively, and in this respect quite similar to Rose Red's. 

Alternatively, in 'The Dwarf and the eagle', in which the eagle captures and carries off the dwarf , the skips and arpeggiated passages can easily be imagined as indicating the flapping of wings. 'Jumping Round the Fire' in the Rumpelstiltskin quartet is also more closely aligned with the title. It begins with a primarily stepwise setting for all lines, and then the two top lines move into a series of eighth notes and rests that travel downward by step. 

These are accompanied by leaps in the tenor and bass that do suggest jumping. The loose text/music relationship is not necessarily a negative, and the themes might be better considered as overall organising principles for these works. The pieces are delightful, musical and engaging. They are primarily polyphonic, with lines of relatively equal status and difficulty. They are clearly accessible to intermediate players. 

The syncopations both in the individual voices and between/among voices can be a bit tricky and require good ensemble skills. The frequent, and in some cases unusual chromatic notes also make for a challenge, not only in reading but in fingering as well. 

The scores and parts are laid out so that no page turns are necessary. Metronome markings are given for each selection. Most include traditional tempo directions, such as Andant, Lively Fast, Some also incorporate brief descriptors of the thematic intent or actions of the characters. 

Altogether there are 21 pieces in the two editions. While they are generally stylistically similar, there is enough variety to make them interesting and appealing. 

For groups that perform, these would be well suited to programs for children. For adult players, the whimsy and imagination adds a fun touch to playing sessions or concerts. 

Review written by Beverly R. Lomer

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_Score 17 pp. Parts 8 pp. Downloadable PDF file._