Chip Davis - Christmas Extraordinaire
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Free Music Notes for Christmas Extraordinaire
Free Music Review: Christmas Extraordinair
Hit: 5 Stars
I bought this for my daughter for Christmas since I already had one. It is a great CD for Christmas.Free Music Review: Christmas Extraordinaire
Hit: 5 Stars
Product in excellent shape and was shipped faster than I had expected. Great service!Free Music Review: Mannheim Steamroller
Hit: 5 Stars
I own quite a few of Mannheim Steamroller cd's and love them all.Free Music Review: Mannheim Steamroller Christmas Extraordinaire is uplifting
Hit: 5 Stars
Loved the cd! Very upbeat! Great gift for a music lover!Free Music Review: Fum, Fum, Fum!
Hit: 4 Stars
What to say, what to say. It's not really fair to compare this album with other Mannheim albums, because this one is so different. But then again, not in an unwelcome way. I like this album, and I can't see why most of the other reviewers don't like it too. It is an album bearing even more amazingly well done Christmas arrangements by the already incredible Chip Davis. But then again, there are those that I'm really not sure about. If you're a big fan of Chip Davis, like I am, you'll almost definitely like it.
My track-by-track analysis:
1. Hallelujah Chorus - A very good start to this album. It sets the mood perfectly. A work of art in its own right. I love how he formulates seamlessly from one chord to another in this song in particular. Very recognizable as Handel's Hallelujah Chorus. I especially like it when he goes into the very memorable "And he shall reign forever and ever" near the end. It has a baroque new-age-ish feel to it that is amazingly powerful. An extraordinary beginning to Extraordinaire.
2. White Christmas - Nice. That's a terrible word, but so is "interesting", which is the other word I had in mind. I'm not exactly sure about the chorus that comes in with the intermittent oohs, but I think the song is nice. Excellent background music. The best part is when the full-fledged orchestra comes in at the very end. However, it does seem stretched in some places; it could have been a little shorter.
3. Away in a Manger - I was caught slightly off-guard by it, actually. I think it's a bit too laid-back until about two minutes into the song. I love the harpsichord part that Chip added in.
4. Faeries - I love this song! The tone is mysterious and spooky, and I love it! The only complaint I have is that it was too short. It's amazing how well the bells mix with the different rhythms and bass line. The orchestra is used perfectly. This is really something you can get into. There aren't many bad things you can say about it. It's one of my favorite songs on the album.
5. Do You Hear What I Hear? - No, I don't. That is, if you think the melody comes out enough. It's hardly recognizable. Despite this, it's okay as a piece in and of itself. I just don't think these ideas work for this particular song. He should put these ideas into something else. This piece seems quite stretched.
6. The First Noel - One of the best on the album. Period. It's soft, it's sweet, it's beautiful. The solo violin and clarinet (it actually might be another violin, I'm not sure) are absolutely gorgeous. And the little chorus part just adds so much, unlike in White Christmas. Perhaps because they're ahhing and not oohing.
7. Silver Bells - I actually quite like the jazzy flavor Chip put into this song, unlike a lot of people, it seems. I often find myself whistling along to this one. Quite possibly it's because I don't really like the song Silver Bells to begin with. But I love this arrangement.
8. Fum, Fum, Fum - Here we go. This is my favorite song on the album. It definitely is amazing. I actually have a hard time describing it. It's just-wow. Has a very definite New World feel to it. Especially beautiful are the counterpoint piccolo melodies.
9. Some Children See Him - I don't really like it. It's kind of boring, actually. Chip can do so much better than this. I don't think he really tried here. It is pleasant background music, but if you actually listen to it it's almost like it's half there, if you know what I mean.
10. Winter Wonderland - Another song like Silver Bells that some people didn't like. I loved this just as much as I liked Silver Bells. It's a great, upbeat change from the other songs on the album.
11. O Tannenbaum - Now this one's up for debate. I personally love Johnny Mathis' voice in this song. In my humble opinion, it fits perfectly with the song. A very interesting choice for the song, but it does do very well. I really like this arrangement, although Chip really did take a chance with Mr. Mathis.
12. Auld Lang Syne - This is good. I think it works as an album closer. It's ponderous, it really makes you think about Christmas. I like it.
All in all, this is an amazing album, but I wish they could have just cut a couple of the worst arrangements. Four and a half stars, rounded to four, because of Do You Hear What I Hear, and Some Children See Him, and also because of White Christmas and Away in a Manger, two other subpar arrangements. Boy, do I wish Amazon would let you rate by the half-star. [HINT HINT!!!]