It is traditional when dining out or attending fairs in Germany to hear folk music like this--ideally played by live bands, but if nothing else then on CD. This compilation of well-known folk melodies uses traditional Bavarian instrumentation--violin, clarinet, trumpet, zither, harp, and double bass--no guitars or synthesizers here. You"ll hear everything from 19th-century-style marches like "In Guter Laune" with its four-beat drive and stirring brass to enchanting Roma-inspired ballads like "Grüne Augen" with its wonderful and somber violin-piano conversation. An ideal CD for any dinner party with a Continental theme to say nothing of a reminder of your last vacation to Europe. --Erik Macki