chamber ensemble

Chamber music ensembles typically include string quartets, piano trios, and wind instrument quartets. The term “chamber music” frequently describes classical music ensembles, but it can apply to any small group playing art music.

If they talk about chamber groups, they'll talk about the traditional ensembles like a string quartet (2 violins, viola, cello), woodwind quintet (flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, bassoon), and various subsets or augmentations of these ensembles (with a piano).

The name 'chamber music' comes from its origins as music written to be played at home, in a smaller room (or 'chamber'), where small groups would play as entertainment for guests. The performers were often amateur musicians.

A piece of chamber music generally employs a small and variable body of performers, ranging from two up to ten or twelve, while an orchestral composition usually exceeds this number and can involve even more than one hundred instrumentalists.

The name comes from centuries ago when small groups of musicians were hired to fit a palace "chamber." It is "the music of friends," and is often described as a "musical conversation," often played just for fun when musicians gather.

Chamber music is still loved by audiences all around the world and is performed in venues of all shapes and sizes. For Strike A Chord, chamber groups can vary in size from 3 to 8 players, with each musician singing or playing one instrument for each part of music that is written with no conductor, or adult accompanist.

The most popular chamber music works are sonatas for piano and one other instrument such as violin or cello and string quartets. Most great composers have written such instrumental sonatas and quartets. … There are also a few works for ten instruments known by the French name dixtuor.

As orchestras grew significantly in size starting in the later 1700s, the term chamber music took on its present definition as music written for and performed by a small instrumental ensemble with one player on each part.

The acoustic limitations mean that chamber orchestras are smaller (up to 50 musicians) as opposed to a full orchestra (around 100). Of course, chamber orchestras can play in a concert hall, but a full orchestra would not be able to fit in a small room.

In its original sense, chamber music referred to music composed for the home, as opposed to that written for the theatre or church. Since the “home” - whether it be drawing room, reception hall, or palace chamber - may be assumed to be of limited size, chamber music most often permits no more than one player to a part.

Chamber group combinations

• String - violin, viola, cello, double bass, classical guitar.
• Woodwind - flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, bassoon, recorder.
• Brass - trumpet, horn, trombone, tuba, euphonium.
• Percussion - xylophone, marimba, glockenspiel, bongos, maracas, triangle.

Chamber music refers to “a form of classical music that is composed for a small group of instruments - traditionally a group that could fit in a palace chamber or a large room.” Pieces generally include a small number of performers, with each performer playing a unique part.