30/40 Fresh Aire
Mannheim Steamroller’s spectacular Fresh Aire album series started with this song – Fresh Aire, or “Fresh Song.” See Chip describe the inspiration and meaning behind it in this short clip.
30/40 Sonata
Fresh Aire I, the first in Mannheim Steamroller’s series of 8 groundbreaking albums, starts with a sonata. Listen to Chip describe the basic form of a sonata and discover how the sonata on Fresh Aire I runs all the way back to the classic 18th century form.
30/40 Chip Prelude & Chocolate Fudge
Fresh Aire I debuted in 1974. That album opens with a Prelude followed by a song called Chocolate Fudge. See Chip explain the meaning behind these songs and their significance to the entire Fresh Aire series.
30/40 Seven Colors of the Rainbow
Just as there are seven colors in the rainbow, there are seven notes assigned to each color of the rainbow in this song for Fresh Aire VII. Watch Chip describe what went into creating this musical description of the various colors of the rainbow in this short clip.
30/40 Pass the Keg
As Chip describes in this short clip, the title of this song belies its true origin. Contrary to what you might think, “Pass the Keg” is not a drinking song. It comes from Pass the Kalla, which is a form of music from the 18th century.
30/40 Toccata
Toccatas, which mean “quickly moving fingers on the keyboard” are usually played on an organ. Listen to Chip describe how he wrote a toccata on a sequencer with a synthesizer as a tribute to one of his favorite composers, Johann Sebastian Bach.
God Rest Video from Christmas Live
See the original music video for God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen and discover what Chip had in mind when he ‘mannheimed’ this old Welch Christmas carol. Watch a rousing horseback ride through the woods culminate in sweeping landscape views of beaches, fields and castles.
30/40 “God Rest”
In old English, this popular carol expresses a sentiment of happiness as in “God rest ye merry, gentlemen.” Today, the refrain has lost its pause but not its fervor in Mannheim Steamroller’s rousing rendition of the timeless carol. Listen to Chip describe what he envisioned as he composed his version of this tune for Mannheim…
“We Three Kings” Video
Journey back to the time when wise kings traversed deserts vast and empty to see the Christ child. Get swept away in the sounds and sights of the time with this remarkably well done music video of “We Three Kings” from Mannheim Steamroller’s classic album, “Christmas.”
30/40 “We Three Kings”
In 1852, John Hopkins Jr. wrote a carol that described the journey of three kings to take gifts to the Christ child. Chip explains his desire to recreate the feeling of that ancient time with dulcimers and other period instruments in this short clip.