Interesting question. It really depends on what kinds of chores I'm doing. If it's something that requires no brain power at all, and I can stay in one room while I do it (washing dishes, for example), then I'll put on whatever it is that I'm most into listening to at that particular moment -- in other words, anything at all, no matter how difficult or challenging. On the other hand, if it's something that requires me to think while I'm working (financial paperwork, for instance), or move from room to room (general straightening up), then I need something that I don't have to follow too closely, and can "come back to" periodically without feeling like I messed the critical moment. Lots of Irish or Scottish music is good for this (Altan, Bonnie Rideout), as is American instrumental old-time music (Jay Ungar and Molly Mason, Paul Smith, some Norman Blake). Other favorites in this vein include some of Keith Jarrett's long solo piano improvisations (the Koln concert, etc.); music by Oregon, collectively and as individuals (Ralph Towner, Paul McCandless); and recent favorites by a couple of Malian guitarists -- Ali Farka Toure and Habib Koite.

My problem: I spend half of my allotted housework time deciding what music should play in the background, and the rest of the time I'm running back into the room where the stero is to catch a favorite moment.