String octet

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First page of the autograph manuscript score of Mendelssohn's String Octet Octetp1.jpg
First page of the autograph manuscript score of Mendelssohn's String Octet
One possible ensemble layout Ensemble layout - string octet.png
One possible ensemble layout

A string octet is a piece of music written for eight string instruments, or sometimes the group of eight players. [1] It usually consists of four violins, two violas and two cellos, or four violins, two violas, a cello and a double bass.

Contents

Notable string octets

First page of the autograph manuscript score of Bruch's String Octet Bruch-Octet-Manuscript.jpg
First page of the autograph manuscript score of Bruch's String Octet

Most frequently performed string octets include:

Other string octets include:

See also

Related Research Articles

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The String Octet in E-flat major, Op. 20, MWV R 20, was written by the 16-year-old Felix Mendelssohn during the fall of 1825 and completed on October 15. Written for four violins, two violas, and two cellos, this work created a new chamber music genre. Conrad Wilson summarizes much of its reception ever since: "Its youthful verve, brilliance and perfection make it one of the miracles of nineteenth-century music." This was one of the first works of Mendelssohn to be very well received.

Steven Dann is a Canadian violist.

Felix Mendelssohn's Sextet in D major, Op. 110, MWV Q 16, for piano, violin, two violas, cello, and double bass was composed in April–May 1824, when Mendelssohn was only 15, the same time he was working on a comic opera Die Hochzeit des Camacho. Its composition took place between the Viola Sonata and the Piano Quartet No. 3. It also preceded the famous Octet, Op. 20 by about a year. 1824 is also the probable year of the composition of the Clarinet Sonata. Like the latter, the Sextet was not published during the composer's lifetime. Its first edition was issued in 1868 as a part of a complete collection of Mendelssohn's works. Hence the misleading high opus number.

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In music, a duodecet—sometimes duodectet, or duodecimette—is a composition which requires twelve musicians for a performance, or a musical group that consists of twelve people. In jazz, such a group of twelve players is sometimes called a "twelvetet". The corresponding German word is Duodezett. The French equivalent form, douzetuor, is virtually unknown. Unlike some other musical ensembles such as the string quartet, there is no established or standard set of instruments in a duodecet.

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The Octet for strings in C major, Op. 7, is an octet composition for string instruments by the Romanian composer George Enescu, completed in 1900. Together with the Octet in F major, Op. 17 (1849) by Niels Gade, it is regarded as amongst the most notable successors to Felix Mendelssohn's celebrated Octet, Op. 20.

References

  1. Riemann, Hugo. Dictionary of Music . Trans. J.A. Shedlock. Augener, 1900. 550.