Reddit reviews Music for a Medieval Banquet

Everyone here will recommend classical music written between from 1650-1850, but you owe it to yourself to check out Renaissance and Medieval music while you're at it. There was so much neglected but amazing stuff written before 1600.

Ronn McFarlane has some fantastic solo lute albums. If you prefer quiet beautiful introspective melodies, DEFINITELY pick up his albums "The Renaissance Lute" and "Between Two Hearts".
He's also a member of the Baltimore Consort, and their work is quite good if you find you want more of this genre.

If you want beautiful music to wash over you and bring you to tears, listen to THIS album of Renaissance choral music. Crank it up LOUD! It's like angels tickling your insides.

Medieval music has more dissonances in it, so you may or may not like it, but give it a shot. I like the quieter meditative pieces that sound like a twisted music box. Here are some decent CDs:

• Music For a Medieval Banquet
  
• Medieval Dance Music
  
• Songs and Dances of the Middle Ages
  
• Trouveres
  
• Sinners and Saints - older recording, and more 'orchestral' (with a few less good vocal pieces) but some really good spots.
  
  
  Of course, on the Rock side of things, just buy the entire Led Zeppelin discography. Sitting through Led Zeppelin IV is a religious experience!
  
  Oh, and The Beatles post 1965 - sooooo many colors in their sounds ... Sgt Pepper, Magical Mystery Tour, Abbey Road, hell buy those too!