Chip Davis - Christmas Extraordinaire
|
List Price: Our Price: $1.55 You Save: $11.43 (88%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $0.01 (click here) Category: Music CD See more new music releases 
|
|---|
Canadian Music Store
Free Music Notes for Christmas Extraordinaire
Free Music Review: "Doc" Wulfstans cure for Season Insanity, in three parts.
Hit: 5 Stars
Have you ever worked retail? Then you know the level of madness that can be caused at this time of year from listening to the same old Christmas songs over and over and over and OVER and OVER...
Whoops, sorry, I'm back now. Well, anyway, if you ever have worked Christmas retail- or just got stuck in line and had to listen to some of the same old songs way WAY too many times, you'll understand.
I helped out a buddy a couple of Holiday seasons ago, and they had 3 CD's on endless repeat. About the 5th time I had to listen to "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer", I asked the boss how much was my "employee" price on that CD. She replied "$8" and I said "Sold!". Then there was a loud "snap!" noise, silence, then a pattering of applause from the customers and my fellow coworkers.
Now, still, I like Christmas songs, but it's just the same-old-same-old repeated too many times I am ranting about.
So, here's my cure- three Christmas-time CD's that break the mold but don't stray too far from the much-loved Holiday favorites.
Next- another, "traditional but different" collection- Christmas Extraordinaire by Mannheim Steamroller. A collection of 12 mostly instrumental, mostly traditional tunes. My favorite here is "Faeries" a new take on Tchaikovsky's famous Nutcracker tune. I love the bass line here, the tuba work is edgy and interesting.
Hallelujah will also knock you out of your seat.
Again, we have a nice mix of ancient and modern instruments, giving the music here an interesting and different sound.
Free Music Review: Absolutely "Extraordinaire"!
Hit: 5 Stars
This was my fourth Mannheim Steamroller purchase, at Christmas, in 2001. I had returned home from the east coast in November of 2001 after living in the northeast at the time of 9/11, and was caring for my aging mother who was in poor health. I knew she, like me, loved the instrumental Christmas music and as I put up the pre-lit Christmas tree and pulled out my ornament collection, she added the hooks to the ornaments, I hung them and we listened in silence to the cd... each of us lost in long-past, long ago memories.
From the opening strains of Handel's Messiah "Hallelujah" chorus (which I truly loved, and one reviewer compared to "Chariots of Fire"), to the old world Renaissance sound/tone of "Fum, Fum, Fum", I caught my mother tapping her toes and thoroughly enjoying the unhurried music. As "Auld Lang Syne" drew to the final notes, we were halfway through the tree and she wanted to hear more of this lovely music, so I put all the Mannheim Steamroller cd's into the player (it held three disks) and she sat in her chair while I finished up and dinner cooked.
I quite enjoyed hearing Johnny Mathis' soft voice and the Men's Glee Club from the University of Michigan in "O Tannenbaum". It was a perfect compliment. The overall selections on this cd triggered many memories of Christmas' from my childhood... and the memories come alive again every time I listen to it.
Thank you Chip Davis and Mannheim Steamroller for such lovely "Extraordinaire"ly beautiful Christmas music.
Free Music Review: "Extraordinaire" Nostalgia At It's Best!
Hit: 5 Stars
I have been a bit perplexed over the past few weeks, reading the reviews for this year's Mannheim Steamroller Christmas cd. It seems like one really, really loved it or one didn't. While out doing my early Christmas shopping, I ran across a copy and picked it up for my Mannheim Steamroller music library. I popped it in my car's cd player as I went from one place to the next. I found this year's offerings utterly relaxing and delightful. It brought memories of the classic Christmas movies and I could actually invision Bing Crosby gliding along on skates singing along in my mind as I listened to "White Christmas".This year's offerings are just what Chip said he was looking to do...."bring Christmas Carols back to the sound of their origins in the Reniassance". He succeeded, in my opinion, 100%. Haven't we all remembered fondly a Christmas of Yesteryear and wish just for a moment to be able to revisit that time?
...I do feel that Johnny Mathis is rather out of place in this particular recording. Mr. Mathis is a renowned singer who many would not do Christmas sounds without during their holiday season and he is talented. It's just the two sounds didn't blend too well as I found personally, it kind of jerked me out of the mellow nostalgia I was experiencing.
This is a must for any Mannheim Steamroller library and Christmas collection. Thanks Mr. Davis, I so enjoy the walk down Christmas memory lane! In this age of hustle and bustle, it is nice to find music so relaxing and nostalgic.
Free Music Review: This is one of my most favorite Christmas C.D.s!!!
Hit: 5 Stars
I think that this Christmas Album was one of the best ever. It is great! Especially "Hallelujah - From 'The Messiah'", "Faeries - From 'The Nutcracker'", "Silver Bells", "Fum, Fum, Fum", and "Winter Wonderland". Those were the best songs, but the most best of all I think is "Hallelujah - From 'The Messiah". I listened to this music a lot. It rocked my Christmas.A couple of even the best songs sounded like they were borrowed instrument sounds from a couple of Chip Davis CDs.
"Hallelujah - From 'The Messiah'" sounded like it had a lot of rhythm borrowed from the song "Chocolate Coffee" based on the Album "Sunday Morning Coffee II", on Track 14.
"Fum, Fum, Fum" sounded like it had a lot of rhythms borrowed from "Mere Image" based on the Summer Album "Fresh Aire III", on Track 4, with the harpsichord rhythm and the high flute.
Free Music Review: Not as great as the others...but its still terrific!
Hit: 5 Stars
As far as stars go, this is definitely a 5. There aren't any really unique or groundbreaking songs on this CD, but it maintains the standards set by the first three CDs. As for the amount of songs, it definitely could hold more, but most Mannheim Steamroller Christmas CDs are rather short and I dont think that it should have any effect on its rating.
The Hallelujah song is a nice variation...(download it from Amazon.com to listen). I especially like Faeries from "The Nutcracker" and Auld Lang Syne.
It continues the tradition of the other 3 CDs. If you enjoyed the first 3, then this is definitely a must. If your a first time listener to Mannheim Steamroller you might want to check out 2nd CD "A Fresh Aire Christmas" but you'll be adding "Christmas Extraordinaire" to your collection sooner or later. All in all, a terrific CD that holds the standards set by the other CDs.