Party Theming 101: Music

As mentioned earlier, music is one of the most important elements in setting the mood for your party. There are places you can skimp, there are things you can leave to chance – but music should not be one of them.  Music can make a good party great, or suck some of the life out of an otherwise well-executed event. Some of what follows initially is a recap, as we're getting back to a topic previously touched upon, that was not fully explored.

  

Music selection for a party is a personal choice, so the first question to ask yourself is, simply, “What music do I and the people I am inviting really enjoy listening to?”

The next consideration is, as always: “What kind of event is this”?

The answers to these two questions should provide you with most of the information you will need to select your party music– there’s no more point in playing music that no one likes just because it fits your party concept than there is in, for instance, playing Christmas music you normally enjoy at a Halloween party; both (admittedly extreme) situations are party-killers. Instead, the goal should be to present music that is at least a little tuned-in to your event, and that all or most guests present will probably also enjoy, or at least find inoffensive.

Consider two cases. The first is either a dinner party for a few couples, or perhaps a laid-back appetizer and cocktail social for a slightly larger group; the second case a lively house party where dancing, games, and general carrying-on are expected – let’s assume an adult-oriented Halloween costume party for house party example. In both of these cases, well-chosen music will  a) Match the theme of the party, if any, and b) reflect the rhythm that you want to have at your event (Even if you all love AC/DC, you may not want to roll it out for a Sunday night meal with friends, any more than you’d pull Kenny G off the shelf for a raging dance party. Can we say "Mutiny?" ).

  

Music for a dinner or low key apps-and-drinks social is relatively easy. In this case, the primary function of this music is to provide a pleasant level of background sound that does not compete with conversation but will also help fill the silence if there is a period in which no one is talking (like those long silences during the meal when everyone is busy chewing). The music should not be so loud, catchy, or otherwise intrusive that it makes it difficult to talk, or makes people feel like wiggling around in their chairs -- but it should be something most everyone present will find pleasant, or at least unobjectionable.

At a party where a lot of conversation is expected, instrumental music is often good a choice, as lyrics tend to be a little more disruptive when people are speaking to one another (go figure). However, songs sung in a language no one present speaks often works well too – the non-understood lyrics become like just another instrument in the musical composition for the average listener. For instance, at an appetizer-and-drinks party, a compilation of lounge music can be a good choice, as it is often instrumental, sometimes in a foreign language, and normally pretty low-key.

If there is no particular party theme for your dinner or cocktail social, just about any music you like that fits the above criteria will do. If you do have a theme in mind for your occasion and want to accent it with the musical choices, this is still pretty easy – for instance, if you’ve laboriously prepared a lovely French meal, a little French café music playing in the background will be a great touch. If the dinner is Creole, a little New Orleans Brass may be your ticket … or if you’re serving a Russian dinner, perhaps a little Rimsky-Korsakov or Shostakovich (sp?) would provide just the right ambience for your caviar-and-blini, piroshki, and vodka repast. However its executed, it is surprising how the simple addition of a matching “soundtrack” to your event can enhance the dinner experience for everyone present. 

If you do not happen to own any fitting music, and don’t want to spend any additional money for music for single evening’s company meal, there is recourse: Be sure to check out the collection at your local library.  The Putamayo series of recordings is often readily available, and provides a huge variety of reliably good, listenable music from all over the world – French, Italian, Turkish, Asian Lounge, you name it. If you have your sights set on that Italian-American dinner for close family or friends, for instance, you could use the Putamayo Italian Café CD,  Or, if you prefer a Rat Pack, Godfather-esqe vibe for the dinner (Volare!), look for CDs from the Mob Hits series for a spirited addition to the evening’s fun.  For that matter, a compilation of Italian opera themes would be great here too – its hard to go wrong with a little Pavorati when you’re dishing out the pasta.

Pretty simple stuff, inexpensive to execute (or free, if the local library comes through for you here), and a big boost to that special occasion – what’s not to like?

We'll delve into music for that wild drinking party next time.