# The classical song used to denote dainty propriety **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [April 28, 2025, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-classical-song-used-to-denote-dainty-propriety/1017583 "2025-04-28T00:59:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DooProcess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f14d63/32.png) [@DooProcess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooProcess)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-classical-song-used-to-denote-dainty-propriety/1017583/1 "2025-04-28T00:59:59Z")
There is a classical song that seems to be shorthand for dainty tea parties and the like. It may have been used in things like grey poupon or the fancy jelly that didnt want you to call it jelly (Polaner all fruit). Most recently i saw it in a Liquid Death iced tea tv spot. Not the extreme heavy metal stuff, but the short clip at the very end. I can post a link to the ad if anyone likes, but i kind of want to see if somebody can get it just from the description. ---
**Author:** ![Jaycat.again](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat.again/32/11525_2.png) [@Jaycat.again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaycat.again)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-classical-song-used-to-denote-dainty-propriety/1017583/2 "2025-04-28T01:01:52Z")
Mozart. ---
**Author:** ![DooProcess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f14d63/32.png) [@DooProcess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooProcess)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-classical-song-used-to-denote-dainty-propriety/1017583/3 "2025-04-28T01:17:02Z")
I’m pretty sure it is Mozart. It’s a violin piece. The video is below: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/cXdZpsf5BI8/maxresdefault.jpg "Liquid Death Iced Tea - Your Grandma’s Energy Drink") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXdZpsf5BI8) Im sure it is something very notable that i should know the name of, but alas here i am. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-classical-song-used-to-denote-dainty-propriety/1017583/4 "2025-04-28T01:29:14Z")
Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 3? ---
**Author:** ![gkster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gkster/32/14107_2.png) [@gkster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gkster)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-classical-song-used-to-denote-dainty-propriety/1017583/5 "2025-04-28T01:35:47Z")
It’s Luigu Boccherini, Minuet from his String Quintet in E [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/2AZOknKotVc/maxresdefault.jpg "Luigi Boccherini - Minuet - String Quintet") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AZOknKotVc) I’d heard the piece many times, but didn’t know its name until last week. The PBS series “Now Hear This” did a program about musical street performances at night in Madrid. Boccherini lived there for some time and was inspired by that music. ---
**Author:** ![DooProcess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f14d63/32.png) [@DooProcess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooProcess)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-classical-song-used-to-denote-dainty-propriety/1017583/6 "2025-04-28T01:41:46Z")
Thank you! That is the one. The dope delivers yet again. ---
**Author:** ![DooProcess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f14d63/32.png) [@DooProcess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooProcess)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-classical-song-used-to-denote-dainty-propriety/1017583/7 "2025-04-28T01:42:33Z")
That definitely speaks to the finer things as described in my op, but its not the song im after. ---
**Author:** ![gkster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gkster/32/14107_2.png) [@gkster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gkster)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-classical-song-used-to-denote-dainty-propriety/1017583/8 "2025-04-28T01:45:51Z")
Oops it won’t let me edit without losing the video, but it’s Luigi not Luigu. And in spite of the daintiness of that piece, he had a badass streak. In his Wikipedia bio: “There [in Madrid], Boccherini flourished under royal patronage, until one day when the King expressed his disapproval at a passage in a new trio, and ordered Boccherini to change it. The composer, no doubt irritated with this intrusion into his art, doubled the passage instead, which led to his immediate dismissal.” Luckily, he found a new patron! ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-classical-song-used-to-denote-dainty-propriety/1017583/9 "2025-04-28T01:46:36Z")
I would have guessed Gossec’s Gavotte: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/U2j8Kakhg9A/maxresdefault.jpg "Gossec: Gavotte") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2j8Kakhg9A) ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-classical-song-used-to-denote-dainty-propriety/1017583/10 "2025-04-28T03:41:06Z")
This one is “Morning Mood” from Grieg’s Peer Gynt: > [https://youtu.be/jqtWWWhIMas](https://youtu.be/jqtWWWhIMas) ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-classical-song-used-to-denote-dainty-propriety/1017583/11 "2025-04-28T07:24:31Z")
> [@gkster](#): > > Boccherini, Minuet from his String Quintet As featured in The Ladykillers [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Es8-OwgsCOQ/hqdefault.jpg "The Ladykillers (The Boccherini Bird)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Es8-OwgsCOQ) ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-classical-song-used-to-denote-dainty-propriety/1017583/12 "2025-04-28T07:38:08Z")
And in “Beware of the Elephants”: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/7SI4SWX92gY/hqdefault.jpg "Terry Gilliam: Beware of the Elephants") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SI4SWX92gY) ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-classical-song-used-to-denote-dainty-propriety/1017583/13 "2025-04-28T11:31:55Z")
Come to think of it, I wonder if The Ladykillers was the origin of the use of the Boccherini as a dainty/genteel/twee foil/contrast to something darker or more aggressive? ---
**Author:** ![DooProcess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f14d63/32.png) [@DooProcess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooProcess)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2025, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-classical-song-used-to-denote-dainty-propriety/1017583/14 "2025-10-18T20:40:35Z")
Months later I return to thank you.