CHAMBER MUSIC

DEFINITION

From c1500 to the mid-1700s (Renaissance and Baroque eras), all music was classified by its social function as being either (1) church music, (2) theater music, or (3) chamber music--a term which included all secular music that was performed in private household--whether vocal or instrumental, solo or ensemble, or even orchestral because at that time orchestras were rather small.

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. Since the interplay of parts is considered an essential element of chamber music, music for a solo performer with or without accompaniment is usually excluded from this definition.

COMMON TRAITS

The tradition of chamber music was first established in the late 1700s and early 1800s by Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven during the so-called Viennese Classic Era, and usually has the following traits:

- Usually called trios, quartets, quintets, sextets, etc. depending on the number of players.
- Commonly written for strings, but can also include piano, winds and strings, winds alone or a variety of other combinations.
- Four-movement overall design, with each the internal design of each movement based on one of the standard "classical forms":

Later, as the genre progressed from the 1800s to the present, chamber music became increasingly more complex and challenging, making greater demands on the individual players while still requiring them to work as a cohesive, constantly inter-responsive unit.

EXAMPLES OF CHAMBER ENSEMBLES

Figure 1: The Wellington String Trio (2 violins and cello)

Figure 2: The Merling Trio (violin, cello, piano)

Right-Click here to watch a YouTube clip of the Merling Trio playing the delightful final movement of Franz Josef Haydn's Piano Trio in G major

Figure 3: The Jerusalem String Quartet (2 violins, viola and cello)

Figure 4: The Western Wind Quintet (horn, oboe, flute, bassoon, clarinet)

Figure 5: The Western Brass Quintet (tuba, trombone, horn, 2 trumpets)

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Historical Overview

Classic Era (c1750-1820):

Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1826):
  String Quartet in C minor, Op. 18, No. 4 (1798-1800)

This work for two violins, viola and cello is a fine example of a Classic 4-movement string quartet, with each movement having one of the standard Classical forms as its internal design (for the 4-movement design, refer to the bottom of the diagram below). 

(Right-Click on the movement numbers below to see YouTube performance clips)

Movement 1: Fast (allegro), in the "home" key of C minor, in 4/4 time, and based on the internal Classic form known as "sonata form":

Movement 2: Slow (andante scherzoso) in the opposite key of C major, in 3/8 time (triple meter), and based on the internal Classic form known as "ternary form":

Movement 3: Medium speed (allegretto--which means less fast than allegro), back in the home key of C minor, in 3/4 time (triple meter), and based on the internal Classic form known as "Minuet and Trio form":

Movement 4: Fast then very fast (allegro, then prestissimo) in the home key of C minor, in 2/2 time, and based on the internal Classic form known as "rondo form", which has a catchy "A" tune that comes back either two or three times after contrasting material:

This "finale" movement of Beethoven's Op. 18, no.4 features an aggressive "gypsy-style" main theme, with lighter contrasting sections to create the larger rondo design, then blends it with a "sonata form" harmonic debate to create what is called "sonata-rondo form".  Right-Click here to listen to the first 20 seconds of this YouTube clip (so you can hear the main "A" theme", then play the entire movement and follow the diagram below to see if you can recognize each time the main theme returns after significantly contrasting material (remember, you can click on the "movement" titles above to see and hear those movements):

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Romantic Era (c1820-1900):

Johannes BRAHMS (1833-1897):
  Piano Trio No. 2 in C, Op. 87 (1880-82)

This work for violin, viola and cello has a different 4-movement design than Beethoven's Op. 18, No. 4, with a "fast, slow, very fast, fast" overall tempo structure.  Although Brahms uses Classical designs and forms, he sounds very different that Haydn, Mozart or Beethoven--because he is a conservative Romantic compopser who uses more unusual harmionies, cross-rhythms, a wider range of emotional transitions, darker tone colors, and a more expressive melodic style.

(Right-Click on the movement numbers below to see YouTube performance clips)

Movement 1: Fast (allegro), in the "home" key of C major, based on the internal Classic form known as "sonata form":

Movement 2: Slow (andante con moto--slow, with momentum) in the opposing key of A minor, and based on the internal Classic form known as "Theme and Variations", in which a main musical idea is stated (the "theme"), then it undergoes a series of "variations" in which aspects of the theme (such as key, meter, instrumentation, mood, dynamics, etc.) can be altered.

Movement 3: Very fast (presto), back in opposite key of C minor, and based on the internal Classic form known as "Scherzo and Trio form", which is similar to "Minuet and Trio form", but unlike the aristocratic minuet, a "scherzo" is a faster, more aggressive common person's dance in 6/8 with a "2"-beat feel because of the hard accents on beats 1 and 4:  (1   2   3   4   5   6):

      SCHERZO    *     TRIO      *    SCHERZO

Movement 4: Fast (allegro giocoso--meaning fast and merry) in the home key of C major, with a sonata form (which indicated that Brahms wanted a heavier finale for this work than a traditional "rondo" would have provided.

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Modern Art-Music Era:

Maurice RAVEL (1875-1937):
  String Quartet in F major (1903)

This 4-movement work for 2 violins, viola and cello is a wonderful example of how experimentally creative composers became in the 20th century.  This work is also an example of French impressionism--a musical reflection of the types of vivid colors and blurred imagery used by the French impressionist painter Claude Monet.  Right-Click on this YouTube clip for Movement 2 which shows the amazing range of coloristic effects (pizzicato--plucking the strings with the fingers; rapid trills--quickly wiggling the finger back and forth on a string), lively rhythms, lovely melodies, and gorgeous new harmonies.