Mannheim Steamroller

Back before there even was a "new age," a composer named Chip Davis conceived a sound that would ultimately usher in the new age. Using synths and acoustic instruments in a sort of classical-pop fusion, he created the "band" Mannheim Steamroller, whose first foray into Christmas music took it into multi-platinum territory — and that's the caliber of tunes we're featuring in our Mannheim Steamroller Basics. "Deck the Halls" puts a beat and a Keith Emerson-like synth behind the holiday classic, and it's been a staple on radio ever since. "Carol of the Bells" takes the formula and heavies it up, with a speaker-rumbling bass, while "Stille Nacht (Silent Night)" goes in the opposite direction, relying on acoustic piano and voices for a meditative holiday vibe. In Next Steps we hear the Steamroller when sleigh bells aren't jingling. See our entire collection of festive Holiday Essentials.

Mannheim Steamroller creator Chip Davis played in the University of Michigan's concert band, so it's no surprise that he's incorporated his classical music background into his compositions, specifically "G Major Toccata" from 1981's Fresh Aire IV. Unlike Bach's "Toccata in D Minor" (which Mannheim later covered), this is a sunny, sparkling slice of organ and percussion. Davis also tackles contemporary light classical, as in the "Love Theme from 'Romeo and Juliet'," which Mannheim transports into Renaissance Faire territory with its intimate arrangement. And Mannheim teams up with "Classical Gas" composer/guitarist Mason Williams for a majestic synth-orchestral update of the 1968 hit. In Deep Cuts Mannheim Steamroller discovers its second holiday — Halloween — gets folky, and goes classical.

Given that Christmas heralded Mannheim Steamroller's breakthrough to multi-platinum sales, it was only natural that creator Chip Davis would want to extend his brand to other holidays, notably Halloween. Mannheim's version of Johann Sebastian Bach's "Toccata in de Mole" (that's "D Minor," not "in the burrowing mammal") takes a lighter hand than you might expect, more Elvira than Freddy Krueger. The 16th century folk song "Greensleeves" receives a very stately, respectful treatment by comparison, with a pastoral recorder and harpsichord flowing through the song like a meadow brook. And their interpretation of Aaron Copland's "Fanfare for the Common Man" reverberates with the solemn majesty of the composer's original orchestration, possibly the most literal reading of a classical composition in Mannheim's history.

Back when "new age" was actually new — in fact, before it even had the name "new age" — a composer named Chip Davis had an idea for a band with what was then a new sound. He had co-created the musical persona of C. W. McCall, who'd had a smash novelty hit with the CB-craze anthem "Convoy." Flush with success (and cash), Davis created yet another fictitious artist, Mannheim Steamroller, and composed a fusion of classical and electronic music with rock and pop in a series of albums entitled Fresh Aire, marketing them to stereo buffs. Not only did they gain instant success among audiophiles, but when Mannheim recorded its first Christmas album, the phenomenon also went multi-platinum. What started as a trickle became a wave — in fact, Mannheim was an early staple on the Wave radio format — and it continues rolling on 30 years (and more than 30 albums) later.