When you hear a violin solo played with lots of “double stopping” you find that the air develops a new richness of tone color, for the violinist is playing the “air” notes and certain other harmony notes at the same time. This is substantially what happens in the quartettes and trios. One instrument or voice plays or sings the air while the others play or sing harmony parts, and in the smaller groups of instruments, where there are only three or four “parts,” it is easier to follow the work of each instrument and consequently it is easier to get the musical “pattern” of the selection.

The basis of chamber music is the string quartette, comprising two violins, viola and ’cello. These instruments are, of course, alike in character, but each has its own peculiar quality of tone. Other effective combinations are violin, ’cello and piano; flute, violin, ’cello and piano; and additional instruments heard with the string quartette.

It would be a mistake, however, to think of the string quartette as being elementary—for it is one of the richest and most satisfying branches of musical art.

A special interest attaches to all the smaller combinations of strings, and the Victor Catalogue contains many selections by such small combinations, among which the following are perhaps worthy of special attention: The Mendelssohn Canzonetta, the Quartette in G Major, the Minuet of Boccherini and Tschaikowsky’s “Andante Cantabile.”