[.ca] Christmas Extraordinaire (DVD Audio)

From Amazon.com:
Chip Davis's Mannheim Steamroller hasn't lost any ground in the six years since their last Yuletide offering. Christmas Extraordinare is another innovative and heartfelt collection of seasonal treasures played on a combination of 18th-century instruments and modern-day synthesizers, drums, and electric guitars. While not the first to marry different ages of musical instruments, Davis and his cohorts use them with imagination and an intensity that gives new life and drama to this rather inert genre. For material, Mannheim Steamroller asked their fans to choose their favorite holiday selections and vote on their Web site. The results of the poll are a fine mix of old and new--with slightly more emphasis on the modern--ranging from the bracing "Fum, Fum, Fum," a traditional Catalan carol, to Tchaikovsky's "Faeries" from The Nutcracker. Mannheim Steamroller imbues this beloved song with an almost militaristic edge, grounding it with an ominous tuba that gives the usually fey "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies" an edgy tension. "Winter Wonderland" is a spectacular work, bordering on prog rock, as if Emerson, Lake & Palmer had re-formed to whip up a winter blizzard gone amok. While most of the Mannheim Steamroller's Christmas albums are largely instrumental, Davis has employed the considerable talents of University of Michigan's Glee Club to sing on "O Tannenbaum," respectfully fading their elegant, full vocals around the pristine voice of Johnny Mathis, elevating this German carol to a cinematic peak. Don't miss out on the clever liner notes, which give the reader a whimsical, anecdotal history of the 12 songs. --Jaan Uhelszki

Extraordinaire It is!!!:
First of all, I must say that I'm nothing short of confused by seeing so many negative reviews of this album here. The "synth" sound and electronic drums is a big part of what Mannheim Steamroller is all about, and if you really don't like this type of music, then by all means, don't buy it. If you are a Mannheim fan, what's not to like? They truly have done it again! Hallelujah opens the CD very upbeat and full of energy. Away in a Manger is delicate and beautiful, as is Do You Hear What I Hear. Faeries from The Nutcracker, is magical and delightful and I could listen to it over and over again! They've added a special "spark" to this arrangement. Fum, Fum, Fum has an old-world Renaissance sound and is remarkable. Some Children See Him has to be my very favorite piece on this collection. I had never heard this carol before, and it is another that I could listen to over and over again. The flutes are so beautiful on this song, you just have to hear it! And, I'll admit that I never have liked Auld Lang Syne, but Chip's version has me playing it! His arrangement has made it more beautiful and listenable than it has ever been. No, I don't totally enjoy every single song on the cd, but how many cds can you say that about anyway? There are always a couple of songs that are not as strong as the others, but they really don't take anything away from the beauty of this music. Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas in my house without Chip's cds playing in the background while presents are being opened. If you are a true Mannheim fan, you owe it to yourself to add this one to your Christmas collection.

Thought it was great until I heard Trans Siberian Orchestra!:
I really thought that Mannheim Steamroller was fantastic, until I heard TransSiberian Orchestra. A great deal of the music played around the holiday season that I had attributed to MS was actually TSO! I bought all the MS CD's, but could not find the music that prompted me to make the purchase (how embarrassing!). A piece of person history: in 1999 I lost all of the family I had grown up with, we lost our house, had to put one of our dogs down, then one of our cats ... I was one depressed person, and dreaded the holidays. Then in 2002, my husband took me to see Trans Siberian Orchestra perform in nearby Erie, Pennsylvania. They Rocked my world! They altered my outlook, and I have been scarfing up everything they come out with, and have not been disappointed once! Paul O'Neill brought together some of the best rock music with complete Orchestral back-up and created something new and amazing. That was the first Christmas I had celebrated. Thank you Paul ... thank you Christopher Caffrey, Paul Wood (check his website for new and amazing musical string intruments!) and everyone! They break into two groups, East and West, and tour during the season. You never know Who might make a guest appearance. Mannheim Steamroller is nice, pleasant background music. But for stories, thought provoking music ... check out Trans Siberian Orchestra!

I Just Don't Get It....:
I have heard music by Mannheim Steamroller, and I have heard many, many people sing praises for their music. I just don't get the big deal. To me, their stuff is horrible. It sounds like a 5-year old was handed a synthesizer, and was told "Play some Christmas songs." I don't understand all the people who love this music, but obviously, MS is hugely successful--so SOMEONE is buying their stuff. Are people so musically lacking that THIS is what they think "good" music is? If so, I am very sad for those people.

Disappointing.:
This album is no breath of fresh aire (pardon the pun). Unlike their previous Christmas albums (especially the first two), there is little here to recommend this album unless you are a diehard MS fan. I own all the Fresh Aire albums, all of the Christmas albums, and several of their other works, yet I was unimpressed by this one. "Fum, Fum, Fum" is far and away the best track here, with the special blend that made their other Christmas albums so good. "Fairies" is also interesting (for those who like the electronic side of MS). Most of the rest of the album is forgettable, and a few pieces ("White Christmas", "O Tannenbaum") are pretty bad.

Christmas Exraordinaire - NOT!:
We have enjoyed the music from this group for avery long time. We expected the DVD to be a concert style video. All you have is the image of the tree as you see on the cover, and that's it. Then the various selections of music. B*O*R*I*N*G!!! Yes, you do get the CD along with the DVD. But this package is definitely NOT worth the price. Conclusion: Bitter Disappointment EXTRAORDINAIRE!

• Hallelujah
• White Christmas
• Away in a Manger
• Faeries \oFrom The Nutcracker\c
• Do You Hear What I Hear?
• First Noel
• Silver Bells
• Fum, Fum, Fum
• Some Children See Him
• Winter Wonderland
• O Tannenbaum - Mannheim Steamroller, Johnny Mathis, Johnny Mathis
• Auld Lang Syne