Search - Chip Davis and London Symphony Orchestra :: Renaissance Holiday

Not really Mannheim, but good anyway

David W Troska | NYC | 12/20/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Okay, there's been some debate in these reviews about whether or not this is a Mannheim CD. It is a collection of works performed by various artists (some of whom have worked with Mannheim Steamroller.) Chip Davis, who is the creator of Mannheim Steamroller, assembled this collection and put it all on this one CD. Contrary to what some people are saying here, I wouldn't consider Chip Davis to BE Mannheim Steamroller. He's the creator, and the composer of their works, but he is merely one of several performers. For this to really be a Mannheim Steamroller album, you would need to have Chip, Jackson Berkey, Arnie Roth, Ron Cooley, Roxanne Layton, etc, etc all performing together. And the arrangements would all have to be done by Chip.

Okay, technicalities aside... There is some good music here, and none of it is duplicated from previous Mannheim CDs as one reviewer said. They all have a Renaissance flair, so some of the arrangements may sound like ones that were done before, but these are definitely different enough to be called new. If you enjoyed the Renaissance bits from the Mannheim albums, you will enjoy this album. On the other hand, if you prefer the electronic, synthesizer stuff from the Mannheim albums, you may be disappointed. Overall, I'd say this is a worthy edition to the Steamroller albums, even if it isn't technically a Steamroller album itself."

Holiday masterwork by Chip Davis of Mannheim Steamroller.

Doctor Mabuse | Seattle, Washington USA | 12/11/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Chip Davis, the arranger-conductor of Renaissance Holiday, IS Mannheim Steamroller. This particular album brings together Davis, his New Age synthesizers and various small instrumental and percussive groups, with the great London Symphony Orchestra. With Renaissance Holiday, Davis surpasses the Mannheim Steamroller. This is Davis' most ambitious work in the area of seasonal music and a magnificent, glorious work of Christmas beauty."

I enjoyed and enjoy this CD

Kurt A. Johnson | North-Central Illinois, USA | 01/21/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This wonderful CD is collection of Renaissance Christmas tunes which all date from the fourteenth (well, 1592 anyway) through to the seventeenth century. Though compiled by Chip Davis of Mannheim Steamroller fame, these tunes are all performed by world-class musical groups, including the London Symphony Orchestra Strings, the Pittsburgh Symphony Brass, the Chicago-based Asbury Brass Quintet, the Chicago Chamber Musicians Brass Quintet, and the Musica Anima Renaissance Consort. I found the tunes to be quite enjoyable to listen to any time of the year; they are masterfully done, and I found the sound quality to be quite good.I enjoyed and enjoy this CD, and highly recommend it to you!"