Music for small groups of instruments

They can include any types of instruments incombination, and the focus again is on theinterplay between the instruments.

The most famous style is the string quartet,which is made up of 2 violins, viola andcello.

These are usually very complex,serious pieces.

The equivalent of a symphonybut for just one or twoinstruments

A piano sonata is usually a piano alone(Beethoven wrote 31 of them) while a violinsonata usually has a piano accompaniment.

A quaint definition is that chambermusic is for a small group oflisteners

More precisely, it is for a smallgroup of performers

They can include any types of instruments incombination, and the focus again is on theinterplay between the instruments.

Operas are very large scale piecesthat are a mixture of music andtheatre

Operas usually contain a full orchestra, solosingers and choir, who are required to act aswell as sing.

Operas can also be enjoyed fortheir music content alone.

Well known operas are

A collection of short musical pieces,usually dances, to form a largerwork.

Can be for orchestra or solo instrument.

Best known are

Also a large-scale work for full orchestrabut with the addition of an instrumentalsoloist

The interplay between the orchestra and thesoloist is the distinguishing feature of theconcerto.

Vivaldi's Four Seasons is acollection of four violinconcertos.

Other great concertos include:

A large-scale work for full orchestra.

Usually consists of four movementsor sections, often alternatingfast-slow.

Beethoven's ninth symphony was the first tobreak with tradition in that he included vocalsoloists and a full choir into the final movement.

Other composers who wrotewell-known symphonies are: