| T.R | Title | User | Personal
Name | Date | Lines |
|---|
| 1336.1 | The Performers | HUSKER::ZEILINGER | | Thu Sep 29 1988 11:43 | 48 |
| To give everyone a little idea of the quality of the music in this album,
let's look at the musicians, the organizations involved, and the places this
album was recorded.
This album was recorded at five different locations on two different
continents. These locations are:
Sound Recorders Omaha, Nebraska
St. Michael's Cathedral Chicago, Illinois
Universal Studios Chicago, Illinois
The Great Hall of University College School London, England
The University of Downstairs (Chip's Basement) Omaha, Nebraska
Distinguished performers consisting of concert masters, principals, and
assistant principals representing the following performing groups and
Universities:
Chicago Symphony Orchestra Lousiville, Kentucky Orchestra
Lyric Opera of Chicago Chicago Opera Theatre
Nashville Symphony Detroit Symphony
L.A. Philharmonic Orchestra Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
The Ballet Chicago Houston Symphony Orchestra
The St. Louis Symphony The Chicago Percussion Quintet
Omaha Symphony Orchestra North Carolina School of the Arts
The University of Washington DePaul University
Northwestern University University of Nebraska at Omaha
Eastman School of Music The University of Downstairs at Chip's
The Cambridge Singers of London, England
So,. . . "MERRY CHRISTMAS" (in September)
ENJOY!!!!!
|
| 1336.2 | | FRAGLE::MACNEAL | Big Mac | Thu Sep 29 1988 14:57 | 4 |
| What's the total running time of the disk? I was dissapointed in
the first one based on a music/$ issue. The first Christmas Disk
was only about 30 minutes and was selling for top dollar at the
time ($15 or $16).
|
| 1336.3 | "A Definite 2 Thumbs Up" | OMDEMO::HENDERSON | Can't Wait for the 1st Snow | Thu Sep 29 1988 21:53 | 55 |
| I bought my copy of the disc today, went home and played it all
the way thru right away.
This is 41 min and 52 seconds of pure uplifted spirits! The thing
about this disc is that it goes beyond the excellence of Chip's
highly skilled and wonderfull arrangements to a place of just plain
feeling good. On this disc pure ART does not get lost in the technical
excellence of high quality recording techniques and excellent
musicianship.
In my opinion the only low spot is the arrengement of Carol of the
Bells. The feeling of this song became lost in Chip's attempt to
make this very repetitive song unrepetitive. However, Chip is the
one who was nominated for a Grammy for his arrengement of Silent
Night, not me. ;^) You can decide for yourself on this song.
"Hark! The Herald TRUMPETS Sing," and "Lo How a Rose E'er Blooming"
made me almost expect to see a Star rise in the east and 3 wise men
come into my living room in search of the Christ Child.
"Hark! The Herald ANGELS Sing", and "Little Drummer Boy" are definitly
that unique sound of the Mannheim Steamroller Fresh Aire series.
That driving, distinct style is readily identifyable here.
Drummer Boy in particular is a fun piece with a clever ending. It
made me want to go outside in the snow sledding, but at the same
time gave me that warm feeling of drinking hot apple cider after
the sledding.
The 2 choral pieces were reverent and beautifull. The natural reverb
on the voices made me feel as if I were sitting in a huge old Church
durring the anual Christmas Cantata.
Chip's original composition about "fuzzy warm sweaters, soft images
of the tree, cookies in the oven on Chrismas morning and family,"
called "Traditions of Christmas" is a quiet reflective piece. Simple
and beautiful. The little toy piano previously used on the first
Christmas album and on Fresh Aire III gives a nice touch.
"The Holly and the Ivy," "Still, Still, Still," "Greensleves,"
and "Cantique de Noel," all just about melted me into my couch.
Very tender, sensitive and beautiful. The arangement of Greensleves
is very original, which is a big feat considering how many arrangements
of this song have come down over the years. "Cantique de Noel" almost
coax'd a tear from my eye durring the harpsicord interlude at the
3:34 point of the song.
This is snowing outside, sitting in front of the fire with the tree
lights on with your loved ones music. It is my second favorite Chrismas
album of all time. Second behind the "Mannheim Steamroller Christmas"
album only because of that wonderfull arrangement of Silent Night.
I hope I dont wear this out before the Christmas season,
Marty
|
| 1336.4 | joy to the world! | HUMOR::EPPES | Make 'em laugh | Fri Sep 30 1988 11:37 | 6 |
| Is the title really "Fresh Aire Christmas II"? I'm just curious, since
the first one is "Mannheim Steamroller Christmas."
I can't wait to get this!! Thanks for telling us about it.
-- Nina
|
| 1336.5 | Reserve a copy for me, Chip... | PARITY::GOSSELIN | Ken @DTN 247-2498 | Fri Sep 30 1988 12:18 | 13 |
| RE: .0, .3
Thank you both for very informative reviews of this disc.....you
sold me on it.
Marty, after reading your note, I had to go look outside for snow
and carolers; didn't find any, but you sure put me in a Christmas
mood. Can't wait to hear Cantique Noel...........
Ken
|
| 1336.6 | Will the real name please step forward | HUSKER::HENDERSON | Sincerely Wasting Away | Fri Sep 30 1988 14:22 | 19 |
| re .4
Actually the title is "A Fresh Aire Christmas" Nina. The II is not
in the title.
re .5
Ken, it would be unusual to have snow in beautiful Southern N.H. on
September 30 wouldent it.
Hope you like the disc as well as I. Here in Omaha Ne, where Mannheim
Steamroller reside, the disc was selling for as low as $11.50.
It may cost more outside of this area though and I'm not sure how
quickly distribution will reach out there. My advice is call the
record store before you make a trip.
Marty
|
| 1336.7 | Question, a Little Off The Subject | AQUA::ROST | Canned ham, that's for me | Fri Sep 30 1988 15:10 | 5 |
|
Question on Mannheim Steamroller...are these guys totally a studio
outfit or do they ever play live concerts???
|
| 1336.8 | Fresh Aire out in the sticks... | LOWLIF::PRESTON | I drank WHAT? - Socrates | Fri Sep 30 1988 15:20 | 8 |
|
Sure. Caught em LIVE earlier this year in Kansas City.
Part of their 'tour' included I believe St. Louis and Minneapolis.
EXCELLENT stuff - even live
|
| 1336.9 | tours | CSC32::MA_BAKER | | Mon Oct 03 1988 10:54 | 1 |
| Yes, they do the Denver area each fall.
|
| 1336.10 | '88 Mannheim Steamroller Tour Schedule | HUSKER::HENDERSON | Sincerely Wasting Away | Mon Oct 03 1988 23:10 | 59 |
| Chicago, IL Des Moines, IA
Auditorium Theatre Des Moines Civic Center
Nov. 18 & 19 Nov. 25 & 26
Salt Lake City, UT Washington D.C.
Capitol Theatre Warner Theatre
Dec. 1,2,3 & 4 Dec. 15,16 & 17
Omaha, NE
Orpheum Theatre
Dec. 26,27,28,29,30 & 31
Tickets are NOT available through American Gramaphone Records. Consult
your local ticket outlets.
For those of you who are interested in being put on the mailing
list:
American Gramaphone Records
9130 Mormon Bridge Road
Omaha, Nebraska 68152
(402)457-4341
This is a different type of concert than you have problably ever
seen. It's not really like a rock concert or a symphony concert.
They try to play the music live exactly like they do on the albums.
This requires a small symphony orchestra and the 5 members of the
Mannheim Steamroller.
Even then there are places in the music which require more musical
parts than available musicians. Plus the special effects are also
included in the live concers (Rainstorms, cricket, etc.) Because
of this, a few of the musical parts are played back from tape. They
also have a complex lighting scheme and 3 big screens above the
stage with video. All of this is computer controlled.
The conducter and the Mannheim Steamroller must play in time with
a "sync trac" to keep the timing precise. They wear headphones at
various times durring the concert to achieve this. It's all VERY
complex and has taken them years to perfect. They have it down very
well now and MOST of the parts are actually played live. If you
know the music by heart and watch all of the musicians VERY close
you can sometimes figure out what is on tape.
Mannheim Steamroller wear white tux's and the orchestra is formally
dressed. They do music from most of the Fresh Aire disc's, Saving
the Wildlife, and the "Chrismas" CD. Maybee this year they will add
some from "A Fresh Aire Christmas" also.
Thier concerts in Omaha are always very special as they are a home-town
group and whe concerts are at Christmas time. The Orpheum theater
in Omaha is also very old, classy, and has great acoustics. It's
almost become a tradition now to go see Mannheim Steamroller in
concert at the Orpheum here.
Marty
|
| 1336.11 | Definitely a Concert to See | CAADC::TRAINIPEREZ | The project penguin is dead! | Sun Oct 09 1988 19:52 | 6 |
| I saw their concert in Minneapolis last December and they were
fantastic! They do indeed use a sync track and wear headphones
and play music from all their discs and on and on!!!
If you are a Steamroller fan and you get the chance, you have GOT
to see them live. It is truly great fun!
|
| 1336.12 | | TYFYS::DAVIDSON | | Thu Oct 13 1988 12:01 | 23 |
| Well, looks like they aren't going to be in the DENVER area this year.
When I got the flyer from American Gramophone that indicated there was
a new Christmas album I started to get excited then I saw the concert
schedule...Bummer.
I have seen them twice in the last 3 years. My only complaint is that
their concert was identical each year (save the addition of a song from
FRESH AIRE VI and SAVING THE WILDLIFE. I understand that 1987's
concert (which I missed) was exactly the same as the 1986 concert.
I would like to see an AMERICAN GRAMOPHONE concert with songs from
several of their individuals albums as well. Some of Jackson Berkey's
piano pieces and Ron Cooley's jazz would be wonderful to hear in
concert. I'm not to excited to see Mason Williams, though. I like
his album but don't really care to hear him live.
By they way, for you pianists out there. If you are on the AMERICAN
GRAMOPHONE mailing list, you can order the scores for most of the
FRESH AIRE albums. They are are exact! Its fun to play along with
the songs.
michael
|
| 1336.13 | | REORG::ROGOFF | Zen Software Documentation | Thu Oct 20 1988 18:10 | 9 |
| Speaking of Mason Williams, has anyone seen his album on CD or any
other form lately? My vinyl copy got stolen years ago and I've never
found a replacement. His book is interesting too.
I was quite surprised to see Mason's band appear between sets of the
last Grateful Dead New Year's Eve concert at the Oakland Coliseum,
which was simulcast coast-to-coast. They played Classical Gas and one
or two other songs that I didn't recognize. One of the instruments was
*woefully* out of tune.
|
| 1336.14 | Probably issued hot on the heels of Classical Gas | HPSCAD::WALL | I don't believe it. | Fri Oct 21 1988 10:07 | 5 |
|
The Mason Williams Phongraph Album is on CD. I've seen it at
Lechemere's.
DFW
|
| 1336.15 | Concert Schedule? | STAR::JACOBI | Paul Jacobi - VAX/VMS Development | Thu Nov 03 1988 15:46 | 7 |
|
Any chance these guys will ever be in the New England area? Could
someone please post the concert schedule?
-Paul
|
| 1336.16 | Now Available At Nashua Lechmere | CSSE32::RHINE | Jack Rhine - DTN: 381-2439 | Fri Nov 04 1988 11:21 | 4 |
| Finally found this disk in Nashua. Lechmere has a decent supply. This year
there are two XMAS music sections. One in the classical section of the store,
one in the other section. This disc can be found in the "other" XMAS section
for $14.99.
|
| 1336.17 | | QUARK::LIONEL | Ad Astra | Fri Nov 04 1988 14:30 | 3 |
| The closest they are coming to New England is Washington, DC.
Steve
|
| 1336.18 | A short review..... | CSSE32::RHINE | Jack Rhine - DTN: 381-2439 | Sun Nov 06 1988 11:16 | 1 |
| The disc is good, but it doesn't hve the excitement of their first XMAS disc,
|
| 1336.19 | Noteworthy has it | HUMOR::EPPES | Make 'em laugh | Mon Nov 07 1988 10:59 | 4 |
| I got my copy from Noteworthy, for $11.19. They have the first
Mannheim Steamroller Christmas CD for the same price.
-- Nina
|
| 1336.20 | | QUARK::LIONEL | Ad Astra | Mon Nov 07 1988 19:39 | 7 |
| I have to concur with the comment that the second disk is pleasant,
but that the first is better. The first track bothered me because
it kept sounding like my player was skipping about a quarter-second,
but I eventually realized that it was meant that way. Wierd and
aggravating.
Steve
|
| 1336.21 | The More You Listen, The More You Like It | HUSKER::HENDERSON | I Aint no Flatlandah | Mon Nov 07 1988 22:47 | 15 |
| I found that the more I listened to "A fresh Aire Christmas" the
more I like it. Perhaps in time you will like it as much as
"Mannheim Steamroller Christmas" or perhaps you wont.
I still maintain that, in my humble opinion, the first disk is barely
better only because of "Silent Night" but the second disc has more
overall depth of quality and mood overall.
The bottem line is this...
...I LOVE THEM BOTH!!!!
Marty
|
| 1336.22 | Location in Western Mass\ | WFOOFF::BROUGH | | Wed Nov 09 1988 10:35 | 11 |
| There is a place called 'WAVES' and it is in the INGLESIDE MALL
in Holyoke, Mass, that carrys that disc but it costs $15.99. I
am waiting for 'RECORD WORLD' (in the same mall) to get it as it
is supposed to be on sale for $12.99 (course, by the time it comes
in the sale will probably be over - I'll talk to the manager and
see if I can still get it at the same price).
I liked the first Christmas disc, just like I like a lot of Mannheim
Steamroller's other stuff, so I will probably like the second Christmas
disc as well.
|
| 1336.23 | READ .10 | TYFYS::DAVIDSON | Michael Davidson | Fri Nov 11 1988 13:39 | 4 |
| re -.15 Mannheim concerts.
Paul, read reply .10, the concert tour for this year has been listed
there.
|
| 1336.24 | I vote for 1988 | CSC32::MA_BAKER | | Mon Nov 14 1988 14:46 | 4 |
| Actually I like the 2nd better. It has more of my old favorite
carols on it, and I am particularly fond of the antiphonal brass
arrangements. But anyone who likes Mannheim Steamroller will love
them both.
|
| 1336.25 | Fresh Aire is clean as "fresh aire" | WFOOFF::BROUGH | | Fri Nov 18 1988 12:28 | 11 |
| Okay, gang this is the scoop - RECORD WORLD in the INGLESIDE
MALL finally got the discs and they are on sale through Thanksgiving
(I think) for $11.99. I picked a couple up (one's a pre-Christmas
gift) and I listened to it the other night and it is so clean that
you can actually here the Mannheim Steamroller group take in the
"Fresh Aire". It is really good and I recommend it to anyone who
liked the first one. The only piece on it that I didn't exactly
write home about was the one that was similar to a Gregorian Chant
and even that one sounded good.
Now if we could get them to do another one...
|
| 1336.26 | The Best of Christmas... | HUSKER::HENDERSON | Let it Snow, Let it Snow... | Tue Dec 27 1988 21:36 | 11 |
| The number 1 and 2 selling Christmas albums in the country this
year were:
#1 A Fresh Aire Christmas
#2 Mannheim Steamroller Christmas
Hats off to Chip Davis and the Mannheim Steamroller.
Marty
|
| 1336.27 | It not just a crazy name... | HUSKER::HENDERSON | Let it Snow, Let it Snow... | Thu Dec 29 1988 22:44 | 36 |
| I went to a Mannheim Steamroller Fresh Aire Christmas concert
tonight and found in the concert program an answer to something
I'm sure many of you have been curious about. The following is
an explanation of what "Mannheim Steamroller" and "Fresh Aire"
mean:
MANNHEIM STEAMROLLER - FRESH AIRE
MANNHEIM STYLE. "A style found in instrumental works by composers
of the electoral court of the Mannheim School from 1740 to 1788.
A principal feature of the style is its tendency to exploit
dynamic effects. Mannheim Symphonies often incorporate an extended,
thematically independent creschendo passage or Walze ('roller',
sometimes anachronistically translated as 'Steamroller'). Such
passages, most of which contain a rising melodic line over a
pedal point or oscillating bass patern, typically reappear at
important junctures within the movement, contributing a sense
of profile to the form."
AIRE (AYRE). A term originating in England and France in the
16th century synonymous with 'tune' or 'song' ...especially
of lighter pieces. By the 18th century it clearly denoted a
simple, unpretentious song. English writers sometimes used
'air' apparently denoting not a tune itself but the aeschetic
quality of a piece of music that might be summed up as inevitable
rightness -- perfection even -- in which the various elements,
especially melody and harmony, complement and enhance one another."
The New Grove Dictionary
of Music and Musicians
|