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Album Review: A Fresh Aire Christmas
Mannheim Steamroller
Cover image of the album A Fresh Aire Christmas by Mannheim Steamroller
A Fresh Aire Christmas
Mannheim Steamroller
1988 / American Gramaphone Records
40 minutes
Review by Kathy Parsons
This is my all-time favorite Christmas album! Because I teach so much Christmas music, I really enjoy a different take on the carols, and this is certainly right up my alley! A few people have told me they don’t like the fact that some of the carols are so unusual, but I love this album! “The Little Drummer Boy” and “Carol of the Bells” are definitely upbeat and non-traditional (and GREAT!!!) arrangements, but “O Come O Come Emmanuel”, “The Holly and the Ivy”, “Greensleeves”, and “O Holy Night” are achingly beautiful. “Traditions of Christmas” is a Chip Davis original, and is sweet and cozy. “Lo How a Rose E’er Blooming” and “In Dulci Jublio” would be at home on a classical album, while “Carol of the Bells” rocks. Each piece is given its own individual treatment, so the album plays almost like a compilation. Far superior to the more-recent “Christmas in the Aire”, I give A Fresh Aire Christmas my highest recommendation!
December 1, 1988
This review has been tagged as:
Holiday Albums
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