PERLEN DER SPIELKUNST   ◄ AUS DEM MUSeuM

 

HUGO KASTNER EMPFIEHLT

maestro

Music agents among themselves!       

Dear Reader! In this classic family game, a creation by genius Rudi Hoffmann, you take on the role of music agents whose task is to arrange live performances for their customers. Ten different pieces of music, ranging from Darius Milhauds „Scaramouche“, Claude Debussys „Sonate“, George Gershwins „Lullaby“, Richard Strauss‘ „Till Eulenspiegel“, Franz Schuberts „Forellenquintett“, Igor Tscherepnins „Sommermusik“, Laura Branigans „Take me“, Sagas „In the loose“ to Rudolf Kummerers „Alpenjägermarsch“ offer a wide selection of pieces for concert performance. Between two and seven different instruments - in authentic cast (!) – are necessary to achieve a performance, that is score points. The unexpected side-effect: Children do – in the true sense of the word – learn by playing about musical instruments like tuba, cornet, bassoon or oboe and their interplay. Comprehension and appreciation of music is not a necessary prerequisite to enjoy “Maestro”, but tactical subtlety is very much needed. In any case, you should use your next visit in the Austrian Games Museum at Leopoldsdorf to play – at least figuratively – to call the tune.. www.spielen.at

The light of my lamp this time falls on the instruments of famous compositions and at the same time gives you an inkling of the applause for perfectly rendered and interpreted music. „De la musica“ is the truly fitting sub-title for this easy-going creation by Rudi Hoffmann. Each player manages his own agency, represented by a two-row artist panel comprising 10 spaces. The top row of instruments is cheap, but accessible for your opponents. The bottom row of instruments, that is of artists, can get expensive, when at the end of the game some „Violin“ or „Viola“ or whatever might be available from the agency, is left over. The maestro tiles can be used in several different ways - there are 10 of them -, especially to annoy your opponents. Because a maestro is able to play any instrument and therefore can be used in any orchestra at any position. And – you must place a maestro to be able to make up an orchestra. All other musicians convene around this maestro, till the orchestra can perform a piece of music in original cast. As the manager of an agency you are entitled to take musicians from your own agency or from the top row of opposing agencies and place them on the board or draw between 1 and 3 musician cards for your hand. You must take at least one of the musicians, regardless of the difficult choice where to put him, because at the end of the game – and this can come suddenly accompanied by a big round of applause - check the rulebook! - all musicians loitering in the agency deduct between 1 and 10 pints from your score, depending on where they are placed in the agency. Basically, you always try to achieve a complete orchestra, because that earns the highest score. Another subtle detail by Rudi Hoffmann: As soon as you complete a piece of music you receive the critic, who earns you valuable 10 points at the start of each turn. As any musician in an orchestra has a value between 5 and 10 points, the critic can win the day for you. And now raise the curtain for the maestro!.

Rückmeldungen an: hugo.kastner@chello.at                Homepage: www.hugo-kastner.at


EMPFEHLUNG # 65

Autor: Rudi Hoffmann

Preis: out of print

Jahr: 1989

Verlag: Hans im Glück

http://www.hans-im-glueck.de/

Spieler: 2-4     

Alter: 10+

Dauer: 45 min  

OOOOOOOOO

Taktik              Info±                     Glück

Maybe in a first or second game an experienced player of Maestro will dominate the game. But after a few games the tactical element is reduced to its proper function as planned by Rudi Hoffmann. Maestro is intended to be and is a funny family game, easy to learn and easy to play.. 

Hugos EXPERTENTIPP

Keep an eye on the correct „cast“ for a round of Maestro. You need a minimum of three players to fully enjoy the tactical possibilities of the game. And play several games in series – no problem as regards to playing time – for a total score of 300 points.    

Hugos BLITZLICHT

Maestro absolutely merited its appearance on the selection list for the German „Game of the Year 1989“. Because there is an enormous kick in this simple placement game with basically simple rules, especially when three or for agents compete for the scarce instruments. If you own the new edition „Little Amadeus Maestro“, published in 2007, can offer a harmonious background with the CD included in the game. But any fan of the original game can achieve this „Touch of Music“, if one or more of the pieces of music used in the game are present in the CD collection at home.     

VORANKÜNDIGUNG

POWER GRID

Friedemann Frieses famous fireworks