I met Alex Otterlei from the Dreamhouse Studio more than 20 years ago. Around that time, I was involved in role playing games. At the RPG shop, I bought a music cassette with fascinating music. Little did I know that the composer was in that same shop that very moment…

Unfortunately, I lost the music (I still have the box though). Three years ago, when chiro Lips organized a summer holiday camp themed “Arthur”, I knew I had to find that music again… It was not very difficult to find Alex on the web. He told me that he would re-release his old work soon. The moment has come: Arthur is available again, either as an MP3 download either at the iTunes store. All info at the Alex Otterlei website.

Contents of the CD

1 - Lady of the Lake

2 - The Coming of Arthur

3 - Hail to the King

4 - Camelot

5 - Merlin

6 - Lancelot’s Arrival

7 - Forbidden Romance

8 - Arthur’s Grief

9 - Riding out for the Holy Grail

10 - The Quest Begins

11 - Dragon’s Breath

12 - Mordred’s Madness

13 - Morgana

14 - The Downfall of Merlin

15 - To the Grailcastle

16 - The Holy Grail

17 - Return to Camelot

18 - Doommarch

19 - Last Battle

20 - Arthur’s Death

21 - Avalon

History of the CD

“Arthur”, composed between 1989 and 1990,  marked the start of Alex Otterlei’s career. Although initially the music was released on cassette (!), the album was received so enthusiastically both by press and audience that a record-deal and a CD-release soon ensued.

Many people throughout the world have been enthralled by “Arthur”, and the album became an instant-classic in the worldwide RPG-community who found the music very fitting during their fantasy-based game sessions.

Composer’s notes on “Arthur”

“From when I was a child, I had always been deeply moved by the legend of Arthur. In fact, anything about knights fascinated me, and the keen observer would find me wandering in the bushes outside our house, wearing full (plastic) armor, trying to spot my imaginary Dragon through correctional glasses. Guess I wasn’t missed in the football team…

At the end of the eighties, my circle of friends mainly consisted out of people who saw themselves as  Knights of the Round Table. Some of them took this so seriously they even came to our weekly gatherings in full (real) armor…”

“Yes, those were the days. After a while however, I detached myself again, feeling the need to do something more constructive than just sit and talk all night about Arthur. And so I set myself a huge task: translate this saga into music. Make your own Arthur.

And although upon looking back now after all these years, I can’t help but noticing the limitations of my musical and technical skills at that early stage, I am still struck by the genuine passion, the raw power and yes, even the magic that composing” Arthur” evoked in me.”

A.O.

En even later sta ik dus thuis, 8 euro armer en een cd’tje rijker. Ik zet de plaat op tijdens het koken. Het gebeurt me niet gauw, maar ik ben even versteld van dit jonge talent. Kleinkunst met de grote K, zegt men dan. Vijf nummers, heel divers en toch met een herkenbare stijl, alle vijf eigen werk in de beste kleinkunsttraditie. Met grappige woordspelingen, aandoenlijke teksten, beklijvende muziek. Martine kreeg nog les van Wannes Van de Velde en van Bram Vermeulen. Hun werk leeft een stukje voort dankzij dit debuut. Een eresaluut.

debuut-cd Martine De Kok

Alle vijf op een rij:

• gij zijt mijn lief
• café “in Oostende”
• woestijn
• winter in de kamer
• la cité bizarre

Bestellen via de website: http://www.myspace.com/martinedekok