Hi Bree, actually I don't know the "Suite Bergamasque" all that well -- I probably have it somewhere (I've a fair number of CDs). But the "Clair de Lune" is just such a chestnut....

But I listen to Debussy's piano music quite regularly and return constantly to "Preludes," "Images," "Estampes" and even "L'Isle Joyeuse."

Anyway, since I'm at it again, it's good to mention "Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un faune." This thread motivated me to use this as a clue in the European crossword thread:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...p;tid=34539355

There's a great deal that's been written about how this piece has revolutionized (classical) music. (Debussy is known for extensive use of the pentatonic scale, which explains why his music sounds quite different what's come before -- I'm not a music theorist, so forgive me if that's wrong).

In any case, the opening flute solo is quite magical. It has your requisite "Frenchness."

The recording by Bernard Haitink is frequently recommended (it's usually offered in a 2 CD set), and you get the other main Debussy orchestral pieces.

Otherwise, Pierre Boulez, an important contemporary French music composer (for a long time, he was the head of IRCAM, right next to the Pompidou Center), who's also an important conductor, has a classic recording with the Philharmonia orchestra.

No one's mentioned Satie??? Great cooking-and-wine-sipping music.

Last week in Toronto, in a Second Cup coffee shop (sort of Starbucks-like) I got teh French CAfe feelingthree times, as, on different days, people at nearby tables were speaking French.Don't know anything about one couple. SEcond group were two youngish, stylish, lawyers from Montreal in town to do a deal between two media companies. Just because they were speaking French did not mean they were not revealing secrets, if I actually cared. One of their clients used to be a client of mine, but that was decades ago.

The the third French-speaking group were from Paris, in Toronto for a multi-national conference of documentary style film makers. I had them go back to the conference and pass on the thanks of my ten year old, who loves to watch documentary style shows on television, whether exploring the arctic, or, his favorites, modifying vehicles on Monster Garage or watching re-runs of Popular Mechanics for Kids.

And, the same coffee shop was playing Edith Piaf last Saturday morning, but no customers were speaking French.

BAK

This probably sounds really stupid but go pick up the soundtrack to Somethings Gotta Give (that Jack Nicholson movie)...it puts me in a French state of mind:) It's easier to pick the soundtrack up than researching all of those different artists. Many french songs on it and some Louie Armstrong.

topping

Well done, degas, mon ami!
My new favorite French CD is called Cafe de Flor and it helps me pretend when I am cooking that I am really in a small ok, large Paris apartment along the Seine, waiting for friends to come have some wine and share dinner then we will all walk along the Blvd St Germain and windowshop~
How's that ? :D
((F)) Scarlett

A little story to share:

Two years ago my long-time girlfriend and I went to Paris together. We'd been talking about it since high school and promised ourselves we would try to take a trip every year from then on.

Well, the next year came and neither of us could afford it. So she suggested we drive over to New Orleans and combine our trip-anniversary with some Christmas shopping. So off we went!

We had never been to Feelings Cafe, but decided to try it for dinner. It was such a nice November night that we were able to sit in their lovely enclosed courtyard. One whole wall is old french doors opening onto the tiny bar. Vines cover the walls. In other words, very French looking.

Just as our drinks arrived, the bartender put on Edith Piaf's "La Vie en Rose". We practically melted. It wasn't Paris. But it wasn't bupkas, either!

Scarlett, I bet you can cook up some mighty fine dishes listening to that tape.

But add a light dizzle, some distant thunder, and several energetic servants to clean up the kitchen and serve wine and dessert!

I second the music of Eric Satie.

degas, if I can find a dizzle, I will add it LOL

Yes, Eric Satie!
I have Gymnopadaies (sp) and love it!

The excellent American label Putumayo has released a "Cafe de Paris" album that harmoniously blends old school and more modern trends of "chanson française". The "Café Costes" series is a string of 7 lounge music CDs that, although aimed at an international market, has a distinctive French feel to it (including some lyrics). I just saw that they have issued a compilation of the 7 albums for Christmas, available on amazon.fr. Otherwise, for more up to date names in chanson française, Vincent Delerm can't be missed, moody and romantic, try his last, "Kensington Square". Or AlexisHK, or Amélie-les-Crayons. On www.fnac.com you can even listen to a few seconds of any record available on their extensive catalogue.

Try the original soundtrack of the movie, "Amelie from Montmartre." It's one of my favorites.

Instead of the very old chestnuts, except for Satie's Gnossiennes, 1 through 5, I'll add "Malcom Mclaren's Paris," my number one,
Gary Moore's, "Pariesienne Walkways,"
The Les Enfoires,
the Hotel Costes series.

At the Ste-Chapelle I bought a CD of Paul Hillier (remember the Hilliard Ensemble?) singing French troubadour songs. He sings beautifully, and the music makes me think of the Courts of Love in the south of France in days of old.

BTW, you can find the recording at Amazon.

Vincent, when I looked at Amazon.fr, I only found volume 1. Can you give me the link for the compilation? I just happened to have received an Amazon gift certificate for Christmas...

Btilke this is .com

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...77568?v=glance

Better still Uk

http://www.internet-guide.co.uk/prod...tel-Costes.php

Thanks Cigalechanta, but it still looks like you have to order them separately...is there a special box set of all 7 (with special price)?
Of course, my gift certificate is in $$, which won't go very far in the UK these days. I've already decided to order the DVD of The Politician's Wife--I love the ending where the philandering politician is "exiled" to Brussels ;-) so with the remainder, I guess I'll try one of the Costes series.

Blueswimmer, that was a Woody Allen film, "Sweet and Lowdown,"where "Ray'(sean) thought he was second to Django.

Edith Piaf. Personally I can't abide France but when I listen to her I almost find the idea of going there again tolerable. Believe me, this is a HUGE step in my world!!!

French baroque music immediately puts me in a French state of mind:
instrumental music by Francois Couperin, instrumental and vocal music by Jean Phillipe Rameau, two of the greatest composers ever.
Their music is elegant, subtle, colourful. A true delight.

I don't know why exactly, but there isn't really any French music that evokes France for me. I'm not at all up on French popular music, and I know nothing about traditional French folk songs, with the exception of a few Christmas carols, but I'm familiar with most of the composers mentioned here. But French composers' music doesn't make me think of France in the same way that the music of Russian, Czech, Italian, Spanish, Hungarian, and a very few Scandinavian composers makes me think of their cultures and lands.
Are there identifiable French folk song traditions, and are there easily available CDs that include such songs? Folk songs of Sicily, Turkey, Greece, Ireland, etc., make me think of those places.

BTilke, I just checked on amazon.fr, and the compilation does appear : just type in "Hôtel Costes Sept", and you'll get the icon with the CD cover.