string quartet
A chamber ensemble of two violins, a viola, and a cello, or music written for it.
In Depth
The string quartet — two violins, viola, and cello — is often considered the most refined and intimate form of chamber music. The four instruments share a similar tone colour, creating a unified sound, while their different ranges allow for a full harmonic and melodic palette.
Haydn wrote 68 string quartets and is called the father of the genre. Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, and Bartók all made crucial contributions. Beethoven's late quartets (Op. 127–135) are among the most profound works in all of Western music, pushing the medium to its expressive limits. The string quartet has attracted every major composer from the Classical era to the present day.
Beethoven's late quartets were so radical that performers refused to play them. One violinist asked Beethoven if he truly believed these works were music. Beethoven replied: Not for you — for a later age.