Comments on: Classical Music For A Wedding?

Question: Classical Music For A Wedding?

herc — Mon, 11 Jul 2005 02:11:01 -0800

Like others I will be the DIY DJ at my upcoming wedding. I have everything covered but the background music played while the meal is served. Suggestions?

I know what I'm hungry for: instrumentals (I find vocals difficult to talk over). Classics and classical wanted over Stereolab type-stuff (plenty of time for The Postal Service later in the reception). I am so classical music ignorant I don't even know where to start looking for my music. Bonus points for Irish or Welsh selections as that's part of her heritage...

By: altolinguistic

altolinguistic — Mon, 11 Jul 2005 02:48:54 -0800

I assume you don't want to be fiddling with music equipment during the meal, so you could either get a long playlist together and leave it running - or you could hire real live musicians. Ones that advertise that they do weddings would know exactly the kind of thing that is appropriate, and you wouldn't have to worry.

I'd suggest a string quartet as the standard wedding group - but I'm sure if you look around you could find a harpist or similar (depending where you are). Could be expensive though, depending on how many players and for how long. I had a quartet for a while, and for a wedding we'd cost £300 for an afternoon, plus travel expenses (and we were towards the cheap end).

good luck!

By: lemonfridge

lemonfridge — Mon, 11 Jul 2005 02:54:17 -0800

A bit of John Mayer works well as background music.

By: softlord

softlord — Mon, 11 Jul 2005 03:45:34 -0800

Disclaimer: I work for the company that released this CD

The Knot Collection of Ceremony and Wedding Music.

By: IndigoJones

IndigoJones — Mon, 11 Jul 2005 04:41:37 -0800

Turlough O'Carolan, for starters.

By: adamfunman

adamfunman — Mon, 11 Jul 2005 04:59:21 -0800

Without a doubt, Steve Tyrell .. you can generally find his stuff on ebay or amazon. Congrats!

By: dpx.mfx

dpx.mfx — Mon, 11 Jul 2005 05:16:19 -0800

We ended up with a harp during dinner at our wedding, which was great, but before that, we were going to use Vince Guaraldi. A Boy Named Charlie Brown and In Person, in particular. It's quiet enough, and both recognizable but not distracting, if that makes sense. We have used both - and Charlie Brown Christmas - at dinner parties with great success.

And, indeed, Congrats!

By: dagnyduquette

dagnyduquette — Mon, 11 Jul 2005 05:19:40 -0800

I would recommend some old school big band, Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, Chet Baker or something similar that will provide a pleasant background for all of the visiting that tends to dominate this part of the festivities.
While classical is relaxing, I find that jazz is a nice way to warm up the crowd for the "getting down" that is to come after dinner.

By: ROU_Xenophobe

ROU_Xenophobe — Mon, 11 Jul 2005 05:34:34 -0800

Methinks you want chamber music or solo pieces, not full orchestra.

I'll recommend Les Voix Humaines, a collection of Baroque pieces for viola-da-gamba played by Jordi Savall. Purty, and I think it would get out of the way.

By: geeky

geeky — Mon, 11 Jul 2005 05:53:50 -0800

Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring is a popular classical wedding song, as well as Pachabel's Canon in D.

Hrm, parts of Handel's Water Music may also work, or one of the Bach Brandenburg Concertos (No. 3 in G Major is my favorite).

Oh, and you can't go wrong with Vivaldi's Four Seasons - I would go with Spring or Autumn.

By: qwip

qwip — Mon, 11 Jul 2005 06:21:00 -0800

Bossa Nova

By: cior

cior — Mon, 11 Jul 2005 07:28:12 -0800

Tango music by Astor Piazzolla!

By: kdern

kdern — Mon, 11 Jul 2005 07:59:27 -0800

I would go with acoustic Irish music, like track #15 on The Celts Rise Again (From Green Linnet records). (You can listen to it on the Amazon page. The artist is Gerald Trimble.)

If you want something more lively, listen to track #8 (Patrick Street - a very prolific Irish band).

By: Capn

Capn — Mon, 11 Jul 2005 08:24:46 -0800

Just make sure you don't leave the software set to repeat one short track (instead of the whole 2 hour playlist) then wander off for half an hour to attend to something else like... um... this guy I know... did at my sister's wedding.

Also: Miles Davis.

By: Count Ziggurat

Count Ziggurat — Mon, 11 Jul 2005 08:25:52 -0800

I'm seconding dagnyduquette. Skip the classical music. Sinatra, Billie Holiday, Miles Davis, etc are good suggestions.

By: Saucy Intruder

Saucy Intruder — Mon, 11 Jul 2005 09:04:50 -0800

I'd be contrarian and say no music at all while people are eating. This is supposed to be a time for conversation, and for lots of people, background music is distracting even at a low volume.

By: fingers_of_fire

fingers_of_fire — Mon, 11 Jul 2005 09:15:10 -0800

Miles Davis Quintet/Sextet with John Coltrane:

Smokin'
Relaxin'
Cookin'
(there's one more in the ***-in' vein that I can't remember)
'Round About Midnight
Kind of Blue

These guys wrote the book on small-group Jazz.

Also, Getz/Gilberto. Highly mocked and overplayed, but it's a classic for a very good reason.

By: lalalana

lalalana — Mon, 11 Jul 2005 11:07:11 -0800

What about some 60s Harry Mancini stuff? It's fun, pretty, and doesn't take itself too seriously...

By: herc

herc — Mon, 11 Jul 2005 17:28:30 -0800

Some great suggestions! Thanks to everyone for their help and ideas. Off to Amoeba Music / iTunes store to start my mix!

By: ikkyu2

ikkyu2 — Tue, 12 Jul 2005 21:10:23 -0800

Thelonius Monk's 'Straight No Chaser' is one of my favorite albums to listen to. It is particularly pleasant to listen to while eating; I'm not sure why, but the clank of cutlery on crockery only improves on those crazy angular tones he's putting out there.