Märchen Aus Dem Steigerwald: A Wild Ride Through German Storyland
Alright, buckle up. This isn’t your run-of-the-mill kids’ album—it’s a full-blown auditory trip into the weird and wonderful world of Märchen (that’s "fairy tales" for you non-German speakers). Elke Dieckmann-Kurr and Hans-Peter Kurr didn’t just throw this together; they crafted something that feels like it crawled straight out of an old-school radio drama but with enough charm to keep even the grumpiest listener hooked.
First off, let’s talk about the track “Märchen Aus Dem Steigerwald.” Yeah, I know, same name as the album—big whoop—but hear me out. The narration by Will Quadflieg? Absolute gold. Dude sounds like he could read a phone book and make it sound epic. His voice is smooth, commanding, but also kinda cozy, like sitting next to a fireplace while someone tells you spooky stories. And Ulf Kilian on flute? That guy knows how to sprinkle magic dust over everything. It’s subtle, haunting, and perfectly matches the vibe of these woodland tales. You can almost smell the pine trees and moss.
Then there’s another standout moment—a little gem buried in the mix where things get wild. There’s this one part (I won’t spoil which) where the script flips from dreamy storytelling to some kind of fever-dream action sequence. Like, what? Suddenly, you’re not just listening anymore—you’re there. It’s jarring, unpredictable, and honestly? Kinda genius. These two tracks alone are worth the price of admission because they stick to your brain like gum under a school desk.
But here’s the kicker—the whole thing is labeled under “Non-Music” and “Children's.” So yeah, technically, this isn’t even supposed to be music. But screw labels. This is art disguised as a bedtime story. Jobst Krauskopf’s editing deserves props too—he stitched all these pieces together so seamlessly, you’d think it was recorded live in some enchanted forest.
So, final thoughts? If you’ve got kids, great—they’ll love it. But don’t sleep on this if you’re a grown-up looking for something different. Märchen Aus Dem Steigerwald feels like rediscovering a dusty book in your grandma’s attic and realizing it’s secretly brilliant. Or maybe it’s just proof that Germany still has its fair share of creative weirdos making stuff no one asked for but everyone needs.
Oh, and one last thing—why does a pharmaceutical company have anything to do with fairy tales? Arzneimittelwerk Steigerwald, what’s your deal? Are we curing insomnia or sparking imaginations here? Either way, mission accomplished.
