Inmusic,aquartet(French:quatuor,German:Quartett,Italian:quartetto,Spanish:cuarteto,Polish:kwartet) is an ensemble of four singers or instrumental performers.[1][2]
Classical
editString quartet
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Inclassical music,one of the most common combinations of four instruments inchamber musicis the string quartet.[3]String quartets most often consist of twoviolins,aviola,and acello.The particular choice and number of instruments derives from the registers of the human voice:soprano,alto,tenorandbass(SATB). In the string quartet, two violins play the soprano and alto vocal registers, the viola plays the tenor register and the cello plays the bass register.
Composers of notable string quartets includeJoseph Haydn(68 compositions),Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart(23),Ludwig van Beethoven(16),Franz Schubert(15),Felix Mendelssohn(6),Johannes Brahms(3),Antonín Dvořák(14),Alexander Borodin(2),Béla Bartók(6),Elizabeth Maconchy(13),Darius Milhaud(18),Heitor Villa-Lobos(17), andDmitri Shostakovich(15).[3]The Italian composerLuigi Boccherini(1743–1805), wrote 91 string quartets.
Less often, string quartets are written for other combinations of the standard string ensemble. These include quartets for one violin, two violas, and one cello, notably byCarl Stamitz(6 compositions) and others; and for one violin, one viola, and two cellos, byJohann Georg Albrechtsbergerand others.
Piano quartet
editAnother common standard classical quartet is thepiano quartet,usually consisting of violin, viola, cello, andpiano.Romantic composersBeethoven, Brahms, and Mendelssohn each wrote three important compositions in this form, and Mozart, Dvořák, andGabriel Fauréeach wrote two.[3]Olivier Messiaen'sQuartet for the End of Timesubstitutesclarinetfor viola.
Other instrumental quartets
editWind quartets are scored either the same as a string quartet with thewind instrumentreplacing the first violin (i.e. scored for wind, violin, viola and cello) or are groups of four wind instruments. Among the latter, the SATB formatwoodwind quartetofflute,oboe,clarinet, andbassoonis relatively common.
An example of a wind quartet featuring four of the same types of wind instruments is thesaxophone quartet,consisting ofsoprano saxophone,alto saxophone,tenor saxophoneandbaritone saxophone.Often a second alto may be substituted for the soprano part or abass saxophonemay be substituted for the baritone.[citation needed]
Vocal quartet
editCompositions for four singers have been written for quartetsa cappella;accompanied by instruments, such as a piano; and accompanied by larger vocal forces, such as achoir.Brahms and Schubert wrote numerous pieces for four voices that were once popular in private salons, although they are seldom performed today. Vocal quartets also feature within larger classical compositions, such asopera,choral works, andsymphoniccompositions. The final movement ofBeethoven's Ninth SymphonyandGiuseppe Verdi'sMessa da Requiemare two examples of renowned concert works that include vocal quartets.
Typically, a vocal quartet is composed of:
- Soprano, alto (ormezzo-soprano), tenor, and bass (orbaritone), for mixed ensembles; or
- 1st tenor, 2nd tenor, baritone, and bass, for male groups; or
- 1st soprano, 2nd soprano, mezzo-soprano, andcontralto,for female groups; or
- Tenor, lead, baritone, and bass, forbarbershop style(both male and female).
Baroque quartet
editThebaroquequartet is a form of music composition similar to thetrio sonata,but with fourmusic partsperformed by three solo melodic instruments andbasso continuo.The solo instruments could bestringsor wind instruments.
Examples of baroque quartets areGeorg Philipp Telemann'sParis quartets.
Jazz
editQuartets are popular injazzandjazz fusionmusic. Jazz quartet ensembles are often composed of ahorn,classically clarinet (orsaxophone,trumpet,etc.), a chordal instrument (e.g.,electric guitar,piano,Hammond organ,vibraphone,etc.), a bass instrument (e.g.,double bass,tubaorbass guitar) and adrum kit.This configuration is sometimes modified by using a second horn replacing the chordal instrument, such as a trumpet and saxophone with string bass and drum kit, or by using two chordal instruments (e.g., piano and electric guitar).
Popular music
editRock and pop
editThe quartet lineup is also very common inpopandrock music.A standard quartet formation in pop and rock music is an ensemble typically consisting of avocalist,an electric guitar, a bass guitar, and a drum kit. This configuration is sometimes modified so that the vocalist also plays guitar, or sometimes akeyboard instrument(e.g.,organ,piano,synthesizer) or soloing instrument (e.g., saxophone) may be used.[citation needed]
Vocal quartet
editIn the 20th century Westernpopular music,the term "vocal quartet" usually refers to ensembles of four singers of the same gender. This is particularly common forbarbershop quartetsandGospel quartets.
Some well-known female US vocal quartets includeThe Carter Sisters;The Forester Sisters;The Chiffons;The Chordettes;The Lennon Sisters;Blackpinkthe South Korean girl group; andEn Vogue.Some well-known male US vocal quartets includeThe Oak Ridge Boys;The Statler Brothers;The Ames Brothers;The Chi-Lites;Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young;The Dixie Hummingbirds;The Four Aces;The Four Freshmen;The Four Seasons;Four Tops;The Statesmen Quartet;The Blackwood Brothers;Cathedral Quartet;Ernie Haase & Signature Sound;Golden Gate Quartet;The Hilltoppers;The Jordanaires;andThe Mills Brothers.The only known U.S.dragquartet isThe Kinsey Sicks.Some mixed-gender vocal quartets includeABBA,The Pied Pipers;The Mamas & the Papas;The Merry Macs;andThe Weavers.
Folk music
editRussian
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• Alexander Smertin, artistic director, bayan,
• Alexander Barbolin, Prima Balalaika,
• Alexey Busin, Viola Balalaika,
• Evgeny Redkin, Contrabass Balalaika.
ARussian folk-instrument quartet commonly consists of abayan,a primabalalaika,a prima or altodomra,and a contrabass balalaika (e.g., Quartet Moskovskaya Balalaika). Configurations without a bayan include a prima domra, a prima balalaika, an alto domra, and a bass balalaika (Quartet Skaz); or two prima domras, a prima balalaika, and a bass balalaika.
References
editFurther reading
edit- Allen, Ray.Singing in the Spirit: African-American Sacred Quartets in New York City,in series,Publication[s] of the American Folklore Society: New Series.Philadelphia, Penn.: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1991. xx,[2], 268 p., ill. with b&w photos.ISBN0-8122-1331-9pbk.