John W Miller asked in 011128 MMDigest about a "good definition of
this term (if there is one)."

"Music played in salons" -- which, during the currency of the phrase,
meant salons (large drawing-rooms using for entertaining) between 1850
and 1910.  Since fat ladies who preferred talking to listening needed
something reasonably anodyne that they didn't have to shout over, the
music needed to be soothing with not too many loud climaxes -- indeed,
an important criterion today when you're playing rolls in a public
eating area.

The result: only the softer variety of Chopin qualified, and the
need was fulfilled by lesser composers who could turn it out in large
amounts, on piano rolls, notably, Schutt, Moszkowski and Chaminade.
So to "true music lovers" it's inferior music -- except that there is
no inferior music, only music inappropriate to its setting.

The modern equivalent is probably soggy rambling on the theme of
originally snappy numbers by Gershwin, Jerome Kern and Hammerstein.
But there we go -- I'm falling into the prejudicial trap already !

Dan Wilson

 [ Um, yes -- music heard in elevators!  -- Robbie