Octet (music)In music, an octet is a musical ensemble consisting of eight instruments or voices, or a musical composition written for such an ensemble. Octets in classical music are one of the largest groupings of chamber music. Although eight-part scoring was fairly common for serenades and divertimenti in the 18th century, the word "octet" only first appeared at the beginning of the 19th century, as the title of a composition by Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia, whose Octet Op.
Trio (music)In music, a trio (from the Italian) is any of the following: a composition for three performers or three musical parts in larger works, the middle section of a ternary form (so named because of the 17th-century practice of scoring the contrasting second or middle dance appearing between two statements of a principal dance for three instruments) an ensemble of three instruments or voices performing trio compositions. A trio is a composition for three performers or musical parts.
QuartetIn music, a quartet (quatuor, Quartett, quartetto, cuarteto, kwartet) is an ensemble of four singers. String quartet In classical music, one of the most common combinations of four instruments in chamber music is the string quartet. String quartets most often consist of two violins, a viola, and a cello. The particular choice and number of instruments derives from the registers of the human voice: soprano, alto, tenor and bass (SATB).
Drum and bugle corps (classic)Classic (or "Golden Age") drum and bugle corps are musical ensembles that descended from military bugle and drum units returning from World War I and succeeding wars. Traditionally, drum and bugle corps served as signaling units as early as before the American Civil War, with these signaling units having descended in some fashion from ancient drum and fife corps. With the advent of the radio, bugle signaling units became obsolete and surplus equipment was sold to veteran organizations (such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion, two major organizers for classic drum corps).
Nonet (music)In music, a nonet is a chamber music composition which requires nine musicians for a performance. The standard nonet scoring is for wind quintet, violin, viola, cello, and double bass, though other combinations are also found. Additionally, the term may apply to a group of nine musicians regardless of whether they are playing chamber music. The first work to actually bear the title of nonet was Louis Spohr's Grand Nonetto in F major, Op. 31 (1813), for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, French horn, violin, viola, cello, and double bass.
