Conference cookie::notes$archive:cd_v1

				Where?

I have V and just noticed the ads for IV.  I'm assuming that, for some reason,
the CD's were released out of sequence.

How was IV recorded?  Is it DDD or ADD?  I've heard III and it's quite good
(despite the ADD or AAD).

Dick

    IV is clearly going to be analog recording, because the LP has been
    that way for a couple of years.  But that doesn't bother me - the
    Fresh Aire CDs I have are the best sounding discs I own.  I just
    picked up "Saving the Wildlife", and the sound is so clear it makes
    me shiver.
    
    Now we wait for Fresh Aire VI - I haven't even seen the LP, though
    the catalog lists it.
    				Steve

    VI has appeared out here in California, and if I remember correctly,
    the CD was released at the same time.
    
    I don't own any of the Fresh Aire series. I have heard III, and
    it is on my list of CDs to buy...
    
    							--- Neal

    I got IV by calling American Gramophone and ordering it.  They usually
    hit the stores very shortly after I get mail order items though,
    so be on the lookout.

Cambridge Disc & Record, or some name like that, had Fresh Aire IV but are
out of stock.  However, they've ordered more and expect them soon.  This is
a new (relatively) store located where 1/2 of Million Year Picnic used to
be, in the basement of that building on Mt. Auburn Street in Harvard Square.

I also asked about Fresh Aire VI, since they had posters of it all over the
place, and the guy said that the CD isn't due to be released until January.
Why they're waiting until after Christmas is beyond me, but that's what he
said...
							-- Nina

Purchased FA IV saturday used from Independant records annex store
    (across the street from their platte ave store) for $9.00
    A price i find hard to beat.
    -jerry
    

    re-1 Fergot to add that independant records is in Colorado Springs.
    sorry..
    

I picked up a FA IV yesterday at Rockit Records in Nashua, NH.  There were
several more copies in the store.

--PSW

    I am in quest for new music to me and i saw some Fresh Aire CD's
    I am tempted to buy but just what kind of music it is, Classical?
    Rock?  On the packaging it was showing both orchestra + a Rock band.
    
    	I like soft rock, easylistening and classical (full orchestra),
    	would FA music fit my needs?
    
    	Anyone bought the FA Christmas album? anygood?
    
    	Thanks,  Vince
   

    American Grammaphone describes the Mannheim Steamroller (Fresh Aire)
    music as "Eclectic".  Others describe it as "New Age".  It isn't
    rock, isn't classical, isn't much of anything identifiable.  It
    IS soft for the most part.  I think you'll like Fresh Aire - I sure
    did when I borrowed a friend's tape of it.
    
    The Mannheim Steamroller Christmas Album is described elsewhere
    in this conference (about a year ago).  It is superb - the one
    collection of Christmas music I LIKE to listen to.  If you feel
    like it, try that as your first purchase.  Then try the Fresh Aire
    series in numerical order, though III seems to be the most popular.
    
    Also, Mannheim Steamroller has also released a disc called
    "Saving the Wildlife" - music they performed for a PBS series.
    This is my favorite of all the discs!
    					Steve

    For an over all listen to what manheim is all about you may also
    want to consider the Manheim Sampler which has cuts from most(all?)
    of their other albums.
    -j
    

    Is that sampler avalable on CD?  I haven't seen it.

	The sampler is called "Fresh Aire Interludes", and is available 
	on CD, #AGCD-373, according to the Fresh Aire I notes.

						     
							- JP

    Re: Sampler
    
    There's also a CD called simply, "Sampler III."  It's a sampler
    of *all* the American Gramaphone artists.   AGCD-366
    
    Gary

    BTW, I called American Grammaphone today (to order their "Deck the
    Halls" Mannheim Steamroller video - only $12!) and was told (when
    I asked) that Fresh Aire VI would be available on CD in January.
    				Steve

Is the "Deck the Halls" video the same as the "Mannhiem Steamroller Christmas" 
video?  It has the same cover as the CD and has three songs -- Deck the Halls,
Bring a Torch Jeanette Isabella, and Silent Night?  I think I paid $9.99 for it
at Rockit last year.

    Re .17:
    
    I don't know - will report when I get it.  I was amused to note
    that the video was listed as being in Beta Hi-Fi but VHS Stereo
    (which usually implies non-Hi-Fi).
    					Steve

The VHS Video (AGV-V1985) is indeed HiFi.  I couldn't find a Beta HiFi
copy at the time I got the video.

    
    Speaking of FRESH AIRE IV, would anyone with the CD mind describing
    the cover to me, specifically, whether or not the four is Arabic
    or Roman,
    
    DFW

    Roman.
    	Steve

RE .20 and .21 --
    
>>   Speaking of FRESH AIRE IV, would anyone with the CD mind describing
>>   the cover to me, specifically, whether or not the four is Arabic
>>   or Roman,
    
>    Roman.

     Nope, it's Arabic.  "4" is Arabic, no?  Whatever, it's definitely
     "Fresh Aire 4" and *not* "Fresh Aire IV" -- I remember thinking how
     odd it looked when I bought the CD...

							-- Nina

    re:.20
    
    How can that be an odd question if "4" is an even number?
    
    --- jerry

    
    re: .23
    
    Arrrgh!  I was hoping someone was going to resist the temptation
    to say that.
    
    I was just wondering if there's more than one version of the thing
    around.
    
    BTW, anyone catch the 'Deck the Halls' video on ET last night?
    DFW

    Sorry - I KNEW it was Arabic, but said the wrong thing.  it is "4".
    Arrrgh....
    				Steve

    re:.24
    
    *ALWAYS* yield to temptation; it may never pass your way again.
    
    I didn't see the "Deck the Halls" video on ET the other night,
    but I saw it last Christmas season on, of all places, MTV.
    
    --- jerry

    Just received the "Mannheim Steamroller Christmas" video.  Indeed
    it is the three-song 15-minute tape from 1985.  It says it is 
    digitally mastered, and sounds wonderful (but not quite up to
    CD quality).  The video quality is great too - one of the clearest
    tapes I've seen.  Makes me wonder if it's recorded in SuperBeta.
    				Steve

I picked up a copy of Fresh Aire IV just before Christmas at City Hall 
Music in Marlboro. The music on the album is very good, typical Mannheim. 
One thing I did notice is that the CD doesn't seem to be recorded as 
dynamic as most. Sound quality is excellent, just doesn't feel like front 
row center.

Highly recommend any of the Fresh Aire series or Saving the Wildlife, all 
are excellent. 

                                                    Earl

    Just saw fresh aire v in the stores saturday. Musicland had been
    selling all of the manheim cd's for 14.99 and just raised the
    price on all of them to 17.99! All of the other artists are still
    their old price of 14.99 talk about supply and demand and it effect
    on pricing!!! I think I'll shop around before getting it.
    
    -jerry
    

    RE .28
    
    Fresh Aire "4" may not be as dynamic (quantitative) as the others 
    but I think the music is more dramatic (qualitative).  My brother 
    described the other Fresh Aire's (I-III) as "Fairy Music" and I 
    don't think he can say the same for 4.  Just listen to the first 
    2 songs on and point me to something similar on I, II, III, or V.
    Then again it's only an opinion :^).

    Kenney

RE: .30

I think that the toccata in Fresh Aire III holds together better than the one
that starts off Fresh Aire 4.  Perhaps I'm too steeped in J. S. Bach's organ
works, but I had trouble at first acclimating myself to the Mannheim Steamroller
sound on a pipe organ.  "Pretentious" was one of the first words that popped
into my head when listening to the toccata in FA 4 the first time.  It spent
all of its time on dramatic flourishes without going anywhere in terms of
thematic development.  Also, I found myself thinking that the percussion track
didn't add much to the whole piece and in places was an obnoxious intrusion.
That compositional style seems to work better on synthesizer ala FA III than
on pipe organ.

Well, I've listened to it several times since then and it's grown on me quite
a bit.  I would now rate it "pompous" (in the good sense of the term) rather
than "pretentious."  It would be a good piece to use to introduce a visiting
Head of State at a formal dedication cerimony.  I think the FA III toccata
is just as dramatic (in its own way) but hangs together better musically,
though.

--PSW