More than a hundred years ago small get-togethers and domestic recitals were garnished with jewels from the classical repertoire, foxtrots, waltzes, tangos, medleys, and opera and operetta arrangements for small groups of instruments. “Salon music” of this sort was extremely popular. In the early twentieth century it moved into the concert hall, luxury resorts, and places of entertainment. Today the salon has vanished and the belle époque and fin de siècle are things of the past, but salon music is witnessing a renaissance.

Small ensembles are mushrooming to savour this tuneful music and present it to a large and appreciative audience. This edition for Melody I (voice or violin), Melody II (violin or flute), Piano, and Bass (or cello), with chordal notation for guitar, offers timelessly beautiful nineteenth-century melodies such as Salut d´amour or the Barcarole from Tales of Hoffmann, combined with hits from the early twentieth century.


The Editor
Bertold Breig is a pianist who teaches in Frankfurt and arranges music for salon ensemble. He has also edited the volume of “Coffee House Music” for the Combocom series.