Customer Reviews

Yellowstone

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Having recently visited the Yellowstone National Park area, it was nice to listen to this music meant for the theme of Yellowstone. I'm a big fan of Mannheim Steamroller's music, though I've only heard their Christmas albums, and when my brother bought this album, I sat down to listen to it, and here are my thoughts.

Track 1 (2:58): Glistening bells and trumpets resound to welcome you to the CD; the music is very light, happy, and upbeat. Somehow, the orchestra tunes remind me of the Disney Peter Pan cartoon; the style is similar somehow.

Track 2 (7:16): Very calm, easy-listening and classical sounding; mostly instrumental.

Track 3 (2:26): Calm and classical like track 2, but with sounds of nature in the background.

Track 4 (7:29): Another calm, classical tune, like unto tracks 2 and 3. What is Mannheim shooting for, NPR status?

Track 5 (3:44): Opens with the quiet sounds of a horse, who majestically gallops away and whinnies. Music itself sounds western, or perhaps a Middle-Eastern flair; they make use of my favorite instrument in this tune: the choir! The song is very majestic and enjoyable.

Track 6 (4:51): Starts with noises of the ocean, and the sounds of a piano and flute. These quickly swell into a much grander tune, but the song still maintains the simple strains of the flute.

Track 7 (2:46): Short, mild and simple. Mostly strings and horns. It kind of reminded me of the Mannheim Christmas track "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen". (Since the Christmas albums are the only ones I've heard until now, that's, I'm afraid, my standard of comparison for the other music)

Track 8 (3:11): Very quiet; primarily piano, with outdoor noises. Very much like a lullaby, actually.

Track 9 (3:48): Hey, stolen! This is the well-known Allegro by Antonio Vivaldi, and I have no idea what it's doing on this disc!

Track 10 (4:57): Part II of Allegro.

Track 11 (5:28) Lullaby-like, but much more beautiful than track 8. MUCH more beautiful. This probably gets the "Dave's Favorite" award of the CD.

Track 12 (5:02): The name "Digital Dulcimer" came to mind when I heard this. You'll have to listen to see for yourself why. There are night sounds in the beginning, and it pretties up around the time 2:20.

Track 13 (9:29): Opening sounds remind one of a bright morning on the prairie, but soon charges into regal symphonic sounds. Following this, in the spirit of the Storm Sequence of the William Tell Overture, the music brings to life a storm on the plains, tremendous crashes of thunder, bolts of lightning, and rushing wind.

Track 14 (4:02): Noble and majestic; reminds me of the John Williams refrain for the Superman movie, and his theme for the Planet Krypton in same.

Track 15 (4:53): Blended from track 14, this song once again reminds me of the God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen instruments, the percussion primarily. Towards the end, they use that choir again, and it sounds really nice.

Why would you want to buy this disc? That's up to you. It's great for listening to in the background, on your way home from work (or any car occasion where you need a good tune), or before you go to bed. Personally, I think this music should be combined with video footage of the amazing spectacles at Yellowstone National Park; that's the only way you could improve on this music.

Chip Davis composes original pieces himself to praise the nature of Yellowstone, as well as conducts Steamroller and the Yellowstone Symphony in this tribute to the natural wonder of our first national park.

It truly is a most beautiful and inspiring collection of sounds, from Respighi to Debussy to Vivaldi and Grofe compositions as well as Mannheim.

The Pines of Rome is exquisite, love the oboe! The Debussey piece is majestic, remicisent of the Park's wonders. The west theme is picked up in The Sunrise at Rhodes, as well as Grand Canyon Suite. The oboe work by Ray Still is absolute phrase magic on Nepenthe, as well as exceptional recorder sound on Come Home to the Sea.

Beautiful, soaring, ebb and flow music such as this matches so well with natural phenomenen, and certainly Yellowstone with its many cycles inspires and fits so well.

Most refreshing and inspiring! One of Steamroller gems!

I have listened to this C.D. many times before. I really liked most of it. I really liked the first 2 songs on it, Like "The Pines Of Rome: I Pini Di Villa Borghese" (On Track 1), and "The Pines Of Rome: III Pini Del Gianicolo" (On Track 2), and I also liked the song called "Grand Canyon Suite: CloudBurst". Several Minutes of that song sounding a little scary though, like you were having a big nightmare about "Yellowstone", that it was all getting destroyed by a bad, terrible storm, and was coming to an end. But it still had great instroments playing for it, and some of it sounded beautiful, like making up for the beauty of the area around the Yellowstone Grand Canyon. I very much too liked it having a lot of the great songs from some of the "Fresh Aire" Albums. They all sounded like big outside Nature. The first 2 songs on the C.D. (which are the two "Pines Of Rome" songs produced by an early 1900's Italian Musician named Ottorino Respighi) reminded me of being there at Yellowstone watching the birds and other things flying by in the beautiful sky and past the trees, and me exploring the region. The first "Pines Of Rome" song reminded me of seeing lots of pretty white snow covering the beautiful big and small pine trees in the mountains of Yellowstone, and looking down from higher elevations at beautiful frozen lakes over a beautiful sunset, and viewing at more far views of snow covered mountains. The second "Pines Of Rome" song reminded me of looking down at different great far views, and seeing lots of different great Nature there. It reminded me of slowly walking down a hill or mountain into the woods on the grounds of Yellowstone, and looking at a bunch of lakes and slow moving waterfalls, and watching water animals that live in them swimming around. Plus, it reminds me of watching all kinds of beautiful birds flying by, and looking at stuff turning color there in the changing season of Autumn. I really loved all of the Music. It reminds me of really going into that National Park, and exploring it, and having the time of my life doing it.

Since purchasing the CD in 1990 its lush and varied themes have accompanied us on trips all over the states. There isn't a prairie, a stream a mountain, a sunrise or wildlife anywhere that isn't reflected in Chip Davis' renditions of these classic and original pieces. The melding of such fine musicians (one of whom I've since worked with)and the smooth cooperation of acoustic and electronic sound in the editing makes for a CD hard to top. One small criticism. The volume occasionally has to be adjusted throughout the CD or you will miss the birds singing or suffer ear damage in the rain storm. Also, all three Chrismas CD's are excellent and the printed music makes it fun to play along.

Only liked one song. The rest were not up to par. Yellowstone is a magical place & the album did not capture its essence.

This is a terrific CD. The nature of Yellowstone Park comes alive with this wonderful music from Mannheim Steamroller. More classical than the other CD's that I have from Mannheim. Turn the volumn up and just close your eyes and listen! Beautiful!

This CD was very well put together. Hearing nature from the forest blending with the music is very pleasant to listen to. It is worth buying the CD and you won't be disappointed.

I love to listen to this when de-stressing. It makes me feel like I am at Yellowstone, instead of here at home doing housework.

Mannheim Steamroller music, in general, is very pleasing to my ear. I love the sounds of nature! With all that goes on in our world today, it is nice to relax and be soothed by "The Music of Nature"! The orchestrations are beautiful!

"Yellowstone" is, perhaps, the greatest collection of Mannheim Steamroller music available. The collection contains moments of quiet, almost dream-like music (Morning, The Sky), to beautiful driving rhythms and incredible brass (Cloudburst, Earthrise/Return to Earth).

Tracks 5 and 6 are two examples of the power of Mannheim and the brilliant composition of Chip Davis. "Sunrise at Rhodes," taken from the much longer "Rhodes Suite" from Fresh Aire VI, reminds me of a midnight ride through the forest on horseback. It has an interesting, almost Arabian, feel to it, with powerful, driving percussion and beautiful brass.

Track 6, "Come Home to the Sea," is, in my own opinion, one of the most beautiful compositions ever written. It begins with a light piano, flute duet, which builds to an incredible brass fanfare/march to conclude the piece. The percussion crashes imitate the crashing waves of the ocean. It is very powerful and very moving--an absolutely brilliant piece of music.

I recommend this collection from to anyone who appreciates beautiful music. The CD is incredibly diverse, and the music is absolutely gorgeous.