Conference cookie::notes$archive:cd_v1

    A number of disks come to mind:
    
    o The Virtuoso Handel: Igor Kipnis - Solo Harpsichord
    o The Harmonious Blacksmith: Trevor Pinnock - Solo Harpsichord
    o Handel - Trio Sonatas - Trevor Pinnock, et. al.
    o Bach - Partitas - Trevor Pinnock
    o Bach - French Suites - Christopher Hogwood
    o Bach - The Well Tempered Clavier - Keneth Gilbert
    
    More when I get my master list.
    
    			Cheers,
    			-Abdul-
    

     A couple I like
    
     Seji Ozawa's Vivaldi
    
     Brahms - Tokyo String Quartet
    
    
    
                                     Ken
    
    

    No, no, too heavy, all of it!
    
    There really is 'Classical' dinner music.   Serious, but light
    in tone, not too loud, not too busy, etc..
    
    Try nearly any Mozart Serenade, especially Nos. 11 and 12 (for wind
    octet).
    
    Or, try Tafelmusik, by Telemann.  Literally "Table music".  It's
    a (Baroque) collection of various small ensembles, *intended* as
    dinner music.  There is several hours worth of music in the
    collection, all very good!

    I usually use the Bach Flute Sonatas.  (Or Scott Joplin, but that's
    not what you asked for!)  This is also great music to read by, or
    just to relax.
    
    My favorite is a CBS two disc set.  # M2K 39746.  It features
    Jean-Pierre Rampal AND Trevor Pinnock.  The violoncello is by Roland
    Pidoux.  This set has 8 sonatas. The CBS set is actually quite good
    quality, regardless of the reputation CBS generally has for mediocrity
    (or your political feelings about CBS/copyguard).  Each of the two
    discs is about 50 minutes of music.  I don't know where you're located,
    but Lechmere in Nashua, NH had a copy of this last week.

    The Sonatas on CBS set are:
    
    BWV 1031	E-flat
    BWV 1032	A
    BWV 1035	E
    BWV 1020	g
    BWV 1030	b
    BWV 1033	C
    BWV 1034	e
    BWV 1013	a
    
        
    There is also a single disc version available on Erato with Rampal and
    Robert Veyron-Lecroix.  Good, but it is AAD, while the CBS is DDD.  The
    Erato has 6 sonatas on the one disc.  I don't know the disc number or
    sonata numbers.  A friend tells me that Lechmere carries a lot of Erato
    now, so they may have this one, too.  Time on the Erato is 72 minutes
    if I remember correctly. 

    Hope this helps,
    Bruce

    My favorite is a CD from Reference Recordings called "Tafelmusik",
    about an hour of assorted short works by a variety of composers.

    -- Ward

    I agree with .4.  The Rampal is really nice.  
    
    Also there are several different Bach CDs with solo harpsichord.
    
    In particular (pardon the spelling) the Zinfonias or the Goldberg
    variations are both nice.
    
    Also, there is a CD call "The World of the Harp" on Delos.  Its also
    pretty sedate.
    
    D

For a larger ensemble, you might try a CD by the Boston Pops/John Williams
called "POPS IN LOVE" (DDD).  It contains 11 selections of lightweight but
pleasurable pieces such as "Claire de lune", Pachelbel's Canon in D, 
Faure's Pavane, and others (over 52 minutes).  Its good stuff for
easy listening, and smooth performances.

AAA

    How about Mozart piano Concerto's.  Number's 23 (A) and 21 (C) are
    pretty popular.
    
    --John

    I believe that Chopin's piano works make the best dinner music.
    Except for the Revolutionary etude and perhaps a few other pieces,
    his piano works create a nearly magical atmosphere for dining, as
    far as I'm concerned.  Try a few.

    re -.1
    
    Just out of curiousity, which Chopin pieces do you like/recommend.  I like
    some of his piano music, but have never thought of it as particularly
    soothing.  

    D
   

    Two of my favorites for dinner music are:
    
    Bach and Sons - Isaac Stern, Jean Pierre Rampal, et al. - CBS
    
    Mozart Flute Quartets - Aurele Nicolet plus string trio - Denon

    The Scarlatti (Domenico) harpsichord sonatas, played on the piano,
    make nice dinner music.
    
    Ken....

If you are looking to Chopin for a little dinner music, you should try
the Nocturnes, as a lot of the others (including Preludes) might bring
you out of your chair.  There are many recordings of the Noctures, 
usually in a 2-cd set.  It should last a long multi-course meal.

AAA