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 The term “Chamber Music” originated from the time when private musical performances were presented to royalty in a palace chamber. These works were thus written for a small group of instruments, rather than a full orchestra, and were often specifically commissioned. Although theoretically chamber music can still be performed in a small room or intimate space, today chamber music is such a popular form that concerts often take place in large venues as well.
The string quartet is perhaps the best known form of chamber music, and dates back to the eighteenth century. While the volume and tonal richness of a full symphony orchestra is hard to beat, the popularity of the string quartet can be attributed to the flexibility of the form as well as its ease of performance and access.
It needs only four players to perform so concerts can be more easily and more cheaply scheduled. Unlike a symphony or concerto, which requires many performers and large venues, just four instruments are needed for the whole work. As such, none of the instruments ever really rests. The melody line might be scored to the first violin while the second violin and viola play an accompaniment which has its own life. Sometimes it sounds like the instruments are having a conversation, interjecting witty comments and replies, and underneath it all, the cello plays a bass line often with substance enough to be a melody itself. |
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