A string trio is a group of three
string instrument
String instruments, stringed instruments, or chordophones are musical instruments that produce sound from vibrating strings when a performer plays or sounds the strings in some manner.
Musicians play some string instruments by plucking the ...
s or a piece written for such a group. From at least the 19th century on, the term "string trio" with otherwise unspecified instrumentation normally refers to the combination
violin
The violin, sometimes known as a ''fiddle'', is a wooden chordophone (string instrument) in the violin family. Most violins have a hollow wooden body. It is the smallest and thus highest-pitched instrument (soprano) in the family in regular ...
,
viola
The viola ( , also , ) is a string instrument that is bow (music), bowed, plucked, or played with varying techniques. Slightly larger than a violin, it has a lower and deeper sound. Since the 18th century, it has been the middle or alto voice of ...
and
cello
The cello ( ; plural ''celli'' or ''cellos'') or violoncello ( ; ) is a Bow (music), bowed (sometimes pizzicato, plucked and occasionally col legno, hit) string instrument of the violin family. Its four strings are usually intonation (music), t ...
. The classical string trio emerged during the mid-18th century and later expanded into four subgenres: the grand trio, the concertant trio, the brilliant trio, and the Hausmusik trio.
Early History
The earliest string trio, found during the mid 18th century, consisted of two
violin
The violin, sometimes known as a ''fiddle'', is a wooden chordophone (string instrument) in the violin family. Most violins have a hollow wooden body. It is the smallest and thus highest-pitched instrument (soprano) in the family in regular ...
s and a
cello
The cello ( ; plural ''celli'' or ''cellos'') or violoncello ( ; ) is a Bow (music), bowed (sometimes pizzicato, plucked and occasionally col legno, hit) string instrument of the violin family. Its four strings are usually intonation (music), t ...
, a grouping which had grown out of the
Baroque
The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...
trio sonata
The trio sonata is a genre, typically consisting of several movements, with two melody instruments and basso continuo. Originating in the early 17th century, the trio sonata was a favorite chamber ensemble combination in the Baroque era.
Basic str ...
. Over the course of the late 18th century, the string trio scored for violin,
viola
The viola ( , also , ) is a string instrument that is bow (music), bowed, plucked, or played with varying techniques. Slightly larger than a violin, it has a lower and deeper sound. Since the 18th century, it has been the middle or alto voice of ...
, and cello came to be the predominant type.
[Tilmouth, Michael (2001). “String trio”. ''Grove Music Online.'' Oxford University Press, 2001.] String trios scored for two violins and viola were also used, although much less frequently.
[Brook, Barry S. (1983). “Haydn's String Trios: A Misunderstood Genre.” ''Current Musicology''. 36: 61-77.] The term "string trio" was not used until the late 19th century. The genre was previously referred to as ''divertimento a tre'', ''sonate a tre'', and ''terzetto''.
French composers sometimes used ''Trietti'' or ''Conversazioni a tré'' to name their trios.
[Herschel Baron, John. ''Intimate Music: A History of the Idea of Chamber Music''. Stuyvesant: Pendragon Press, 1998.] The early classical string trio generally consisted of three movements, although four, five and six movement trios were later written.
Most movements were in
binary form
Binary form is a musical form in 2 related sections, both of which are usually repeated. Binary is also a structure used to choreograph dance. In music this is usually performed as A-A-B-B.
Binary form was popular during the Baroque period, of ...
, although some of
Joseph Haydn
Franz Joseph Haydn ( , ; 31 March 173231 May 1809) was an Austrian composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. He was instrumental in the development of chamber music such as the string quartet and piano trio. His contributions ...
's trios were written as theme and variations. The violins shared the important thematic material, while the cello maintained an accompanimental role.
Later History
During the mid to late 18th century, a couple of developments occurred in the genre. The changes included the absence of a
figured bass
Figured bass is musical notation in which numerals and symbols appear above or below (or next to) a bass note. The numerals and symbols (often accidentals) indicate intervals, chords, and non-chord tones that a musician playing piano, harpsic ...
, the equal treatment of all voices (as opposed to the top voice dominating the musical texture), and the use of
sonata form
Sonata form (also ''sonata-allegro form'' or ''first movement form'') is a musical form, musical structure generally consisting of three main sections: an exposition, a development, and a recapitulation. It has been used widely since the middle ...
in the first movement.
These early developments paved the way for the genre to further expand into four specific types: the grand trio, the concertant trio, the brilliant trio, and the Hausmusik trio.
Grand Trio
The grand trio was a product of South Germany and Austria. It was modeled after the mid to late 18th century
serenade and
nocturne
A nocturne is a musical composition that is inspired by, or evocative of, the night.
History
The term ''nocturne'' (from French '' nocturne'' 'of the night') was first applied to musical pieces in the 18th century, when it indicated an ensembl ...
.
One of the best-known examples that legitimized the grand trio is Mozart’s
Divertimento in E-flat, K. 563. Inspired by the piece,
Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music; his works rank amongst the most performed of the classical ...
set out to write
String Trio in E-flat, Op. 3.
Concertant Trio
The concertant trio was created in France, consists of two movements, and all three voices are used equally in the texture. The first movement is usually in
binary
Binary may refer to:
Science and technology Mathematics
* Binary number, a representation of numbers using only two digits (0 and 1)
* Binary function, a function that takes two arguments
* Binary operation, a mathematical operation that t ...
or sonata form.
Giuseppe Cambini
Giuseppe Maria Gioacchino Cambini ( Livorno, 13 February? 1746Netherlands? 1810s? or Paris? 1825?) was an Italian composer and violinist.
Life Unconfirmed information
Information about his life is scarcely traceable. Louis-Gabriel Michaud,Louis-Ga ...
was the leading composer of the genre.
Some of his works include ''3 trios concertants pour violon alto et violoncelle'', Op. 2 and ''6 trios concertants pour Deux Violons et Basse'', Op. 18.
Brilliant Trio
The brilliant trio became the most popular string trio in France in the 19th century due to its virtuosic passages featured in the first violin part.
The trio consists of three movements, organized in a fast-slow-fast pattern, and the first movement is written in sonata form. The first composer to use "brilliant" in the genre was Rudolph Kreutzer in his pieces ''3 Trios brillants'', Op. 15 and Op. 16.
Hausmusik Trio
The Hausmusik trio was intended for amateurs and student musicians. It was regarded as a pedagogical tool intended as preparation for the grand trio, the brilliant trio, and the
string quartet
The term string quartet can refer to either a type of musical composition or a group of four people who play them. Many composers from the mid-18th century onwards wrote string quartets. The associated musical ensemble consists of two violinists ...
.
Some examples of the Hausmusik trio include ''6 Trios progressives'', Op. 28 by
Franz Anton Hoffmeister
Franz Anton Hoffmeister (12 May 1754 – 9 February 1812) was an Austrian composer and History of music publishing, music publisher.
Early years
Franz Anton Hoffmeister was born in Rottenburg am Neckar (Further Austria) on 12 May 1754. At ...
and ''3 Trios faciles et progressives'', Op. 43 by Franz Alexander Pössinger.
List of string trios
Violin, viola, cello
Two violins, cello
Two violins, viola
Alternative scoring
See also
*
String quintet
A string quintet is a musical composition for five string players. As an extension to the string quartet (two violins, a viola, and a cello), a string quintet includes a fifth string instrument, usually a second viola (a so-called "viola quintet" ...
*
String sextet
In classical music, a string sextet is a composition written for six string instruments, or a group of six musicians who perform such a composition. Most string sextets have been written for an ensemble consisting of two violins, two violas, and ...
*
String octet
A string octet is a piece of music written for eight string instruments, or sometimes the group of eight players. It usually consists of four violins, two violas and two cellos, or four violins, two violas, a cello and a double bass.
Notable s ...
Notes
Sources
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Further reading
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External links
Dresden String Trio
{{Authority control
Chamber music
Types of musical groups
*String