String Quartet Theory

Abstract

Why are we including this topic in a book on performance theory? Couldn’t one include any other topic relating to a specific musical genre as well? Solo piano music, operas, what not? The reason for the special role of the string quartet is that this genre has a theory, a re ection about why these four instruments—the two violins, the viola and the violoncello—merge to such a perfect harmony or collaborative music, a theory that is not only relevant sociologically, but also with respect to the intrinsic messaging of musical contents.