Mannheim Steamroller - Christmas in the Aire (12 tracks) +Album Reviews +Used CD available for Swap

Another Mannheim Steamroller Fan

C. A. Luster | Burke, VA USA | 12/11/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Well to start I can't possibly beat what the music fan from St. Louis said, this is a great CD, possibly Mannheim Steamrollers best Christmas CD. You can't go wrong with any of their Chrismas CDs. What is well said by the earlier fan is that it is unique. So much Christmas music has been pumped out that it starts to run together after you hear it enough. Don't get me wrong I'll always love hearing Nat King Cole croon about "chestnuts roasting on an open fire...". I started listening to Mannheim Steamroller in 1982 when I heard Fresh Aire III played in a music store. I have been a fan since. When they started releasing Christmas albums I recommended them to all my friends and family because they had appeal for anyone of any age group. If you don't have any of their Christmas CDs try this one for sure. And if you don't have this Mannheim CD, get it!"

Christmas is in the Aire!

Devin DiMattia | North Carolina, USA | 11/21/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I seem to write pretty good reviews if I talk about the album track-by-track so here goes:1. Joy to the World: One of the most upbeat adaptations of this great song! This version will lift your spirits and warm your soul.2. Joseph Dear Oh Joseph Mine: A relaxing track with a great flute solo.3. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: Not perfect, but it's pretty good rendition and kids will like it.4. Herbei, oh ihr Glaubigen (O Come All Ye Faithful): Beautiful melodious version which includes the superb Bielefelder Kinderchor of Germany. Definitley one of the reasons to buy this CD.5. Pat A Pan: Another flute passage, the longest track, and generally pretty good.6. O' Little Town of Bethlehem: Nice version of the traditional song. Perfect for getting little ones to sleep (that's a compliment).7. Angels We Have Heard On High: The best track on the album, with its upbeat trumpet passages and wonderful harmonies, this will get anyone in the Christmas mood!8. Gagliarda: Relaxing flute track makes you think of Christmas in foreign lands many years ago. Worth listening to.9. Los Peces en el Rio: Nice Spanish guitar intro that leads into a haunting melody that makes this song another highlight on the album.10. Christmas Lullaby: One listen and you'll swear that this song is a traditional Christmas song. Wrong. Mannheim Steamroller creator Chip Davis wrote it.11. Kling, Glockchen: Shortest track on the album, but just as good as "Herbei, oh ihr Glaubigen" because, once again, a children's choir takes part in it.12. Jingle Bells: Expecting another upbeat song? Think again. This version takes the traditional song and really sloooows it down. Still very good!In short, Mannheim Steamroller's "Christmas in the Aire" is for anyone who's a fan of Chip Davis's music, anyone that liked "Mannheim Steamroller's Christmas", or anyone that enjoys some relaxing tunes at Christmastime."

A beautiful mix of early and modern Christmas music

Bellagio | Las Vegas | 01/06/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"One of the most difficult things imaginable is coming up with Christmas music which is, even in the slightest way, unique. We've all heard Nat King Cole's gorgeous, silken voice on the old standards, and, Lord Help Us, how many of Bing's croonings can you take? Over the years, Mannheim Steamroller has produced three fine albums, mixing up the standards (some in synthesized and modernized form) with other ancient pieces that had long ago fallen off the play list. This latest studio Christmas album could well be the best of the group.Many have criticized it as being too formulaic, or simply as being too like the previous efforts. Maybe so. The others are awfully good as well. You know, I hate to break this to the critics but since Bach's Christmas Oratorio and Correlli's concertos in the 18th century, and Mendelsohn and Tchaikovsky in the 19th, there hasn't been a whole lot of good ground-breaking Christmas music written. If you're looking for new thing, Christmas isn't exactly the best place to start.That said, this particular CD is chock-full of wonderful Christmas melodies, some of which you probably haven't heard before, produced and presented to meet Manneheim Steamroller's extremely high standards. Standout tracks include: Mendelsohn's "Joy To The World" -- in a version as rambunctuous as anything you could get from Arthur Fiedler; "Pat A Pan" -- a wonderfully simple melody, like fudge it is Christmas perfection. You will wonder why it isn't more famous than it is; "Gagliarda", with it's evocations of a medieval feast in the long room of a great castle; and "Los Peces El Rio", Spanish mystery and flair, rarely heard far north of Mexico.This one will stay in your Christmas CD rotation as long as you live. Maybe, being the third such Christmas CD from the group, it isn't a completely unique or new experience. I have yet to have someone show me anyone else that is producing great Christmas music which incorporates new sounds while retaining tradition, which is the very nature of the holiday."

Excellent Work by Chip Davis

Ernest Bedard | Mt. Calvary, WI United States | 11/10/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have all of Mannheim Steamroller's Christmas Cd's, and this one is my favorite....although it was hard for me to determine my favorite since all of their Christmas Music is great listening. Their sound is wonderfully unique, and is sure to become a favorite in your Christmas Collection as well."

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