Product Details

• Actors: Mannheim Steamroller
• Format: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 4.0)
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: American Gramaphone
• DVD Release Date: November 11, 1997
• Run Time: 55 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6305159823
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #77,604 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Mannheim Steamroller - Christmas Live" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Mannheim Steamroller's music is incredibly moving by itself, but add an enthusiastic live performance by some very animated musicians and an intense multimedia presentation and the result is even more powerful. This 56-minute Christmas concert features many favorite numbers from the album Christmas in the Aire, but "Joy to the World" perhaps best epitomizes that distinctive Mannheim Steamroller sound: powerful synthesized melodies and harmonies, an intense drive and pathos, and skillful ornamentation. The accompanying fireworks on a huge, over-stage screen add a striking visual dimension to the song. Several Renaissance-inspired numbers like "In dulci Jubilo" and "Wassail, Wassail" showcase unusual Renaissance instruments and are paired with a rich, on-screen portrayal of a Renaissance feast. The instrumental, theatrical, and multimedia performances are beautifully, effectively done. The album ends, as Mannheim Steamroller tradition dictates, with "Going to Another Place," an all-time fan favorite.

Filmed by 24 cameras and backed by 64 tracks of digital audio, this concert video looks and sounds great. An optional subtext provides brief but incisive information about each musical number--there's no annoying, running oral commentary to obscure the music, but a few well-chosen words placed at the beginning of each number to heighten the enjoyment and understanding of each piece. --Tami Horiuchi

Product Description

Studio: Uni Dist Corp (music) Release Date: 11/05/2002

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

68 of 68 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The #1 selling Christmas artist in digital sight and sound, November 23, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Mannheim Steamroller - Christmas Live (DVD)

The Mannheim Steamroller may not be a name that you are quickly familiar with, but you have heard their music if you listen to the radio, watch TV or walk through stores during December. These talented performers from Omaha, NB put on one fantastic show and this DVD has captured the magic of their performance perhaps even better than being there live!

Using twenty-four 35mm cameras and 64 tracks of digital audio, this concert is recorded to bring magic to your playback system. The sound is spectacular, and the images are almost magic. You will hear the music, and see the performers (often backed by beautiful multi-image scenes to enhance the mood) as well as music video type inserts to keep the viewer's attention.

The performance includes 16 selections, ranging from the traditional to the eclectic holiday music. Their version of Silent Night, listed as Stille Nacht, is five and a half minutes of music magic. It must be heard!

As if the performance is not enough, this disc includes performance descriptions, interesting facts about each song and production notes.

Just to make sure that no producer or studio suit makes decisions that might adversely affect the creative genius of this group, they own the studio, and arrange and produce all their own material. To keep the live performance as razor sharp as their recordings, each performer wears a headset and listens to a click track while perfoming.

The perfect DVD to include with that DVD player you are giving as a gift.

From American Gramaphone

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Yuletide is Mannheim Steamroller Christmas!", December 11, 2002

By 

J. Lovins "Mr. Jim" (Missouri-USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mannheim Steamroller - Christmas Live (DVD)

Chip Davis concerts are without saying, an experience in the realm of music and sound that will stay with you for days upon a time. As leader of the legendary Mannheim Steamroller, his knack for selecting the proper music for each performance is astounding. I've seen his concerts many times, but this last one in December of 2002 was seen through the eyes of my grandchildren Nick and Alexis. They sat there spellbound, feeling each emotion in the transition of the musicians and orchestra that sent your head reeling with joy and excitement. Nick, who is 12 years of age, took the CD that he purchased at the concert to school with him the very next day and gave a talk about the concert. His class was very impressed with the CD and his presentation of the evening's music. The reason I mention this event is the album I'm about to review has most of the cues inclusive ~ "MANNHEIM STEAMROLLER CHRISTMAS LIVE".

Mannheim Steamroller has a unique sound, probably some of the most talented musicians around today. As usual the Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround takes you into another dimension, with picture perfect clarity that makes you feel like you're right there in the audience. Mannheim Steamroller are enthusiastic in their performance in a live fashion ~ leading the way is Chip Davis (drums/perccusion/recorders/toys), Jackson Berkey (piano/harpsichord/keyboards), Arnie Roth (concertmaster/violin), Almeda Berkey (harpsichord/keyboards), Ron Cooley (guitar/fretted instruments), Roxanne Layton (recorders/percussion) and Chuck Penington (conductor) This 56 minute "Christmas Live" concert takes us from the real world on a journey of delight featuring many favorite cues from the past Christmas albums.

Some of the stand outs are ~ "ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH", a big favorite around my house ~ "RUDOLPH THE RED NOSED REINDEER", fulfilled arrangement, still as popular as ever ~ "JOY TO THE WORLD", blends melody with counter melody and a driving power that leaves you wanting more ~ "PAT A PAN", the video part of the program shows two youngsters a boy and girl growing up, later marrying as he goes off to war and not coming back, their little boy opens presents one Christmas morning finding a toy drum just like his father played, very touching with a tear entwined through the musical presentation. Another favorite as always is the Renaissance part of the program like "IN DULCI JUBILO" and "WASSAIL, WASSAIL", each musician using a Renaissance instrument as the audience watches the Big Screen as the players recreate the time and place, Mannheim musicians performance as usual is pure perfection

If you want to get into the "Christmas" spirit and the spirit of loving ~ this DVD is a keeper. My entire family watches this every year and we feel the closeness toward one another and our neighbors here an abroad.

If you enjoyed this, you may want to pick up other Mannheim Steamroller music ~ "Christmas"(1984),"A Fresh Aire Christmas"(1988), "Christmas in the Aire"(1995), "Christmas Extraordinaire"(2001) or you might try the entire collection of four CD's in the ultimate collection of "Mannheim Steamroller Christmas Collection", this is the zenith of the Christmas yuletide.

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful music, Incredible quality., November 21, 2003

By 

cyclista (the Midwest) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mannheim Steamroller - Christmas Live (DVD)

The music is awesome. The sound is perfect. It's almost like being there. I prefer widescreen dvd's, but this one shows only a small loss of sharpness when played in widescreen mode. I particularly like how they change between showing the musicians and the over-stage screen. What a show this is!

This DVD is 55 minutes long. It is a recording of a live Christmas concert from the Orpheum Theater in Omaha. According to the technical notes here, it is recorded in Dolby Digital 4.0.

The DVD includes these songs: Angels We Have Heard on High; Chip's Intro; Christmas Lullaby; Pat A Pan; Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer; Los Peces en el Rio; Joy to the World; Gagliards; In dulci Jubilo; Wassail, Wassail; Carol of the Birds; I Saw Three Ships; God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen I; God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen II; Stille Nacht; Going to Another Place. I highly recommend this dvd to anyone who loves Christmas carols. It is a must-see for Mannheim Steamroller fans.