Chamber music. What is chamber-instrumental music?

Probably everyone is not indifferent to music. It accompanies humanity inextricably, it is impossible to determine when a person has learned to perceive it. Most likely, this happened when our ancestor, trying to express his emotions, struck the hollow tree trunk. Since then, people and music are inextricably linked, today there are many of its genres, styles and directions. It is folklore, spiritual and, finally, classical instrumental - symphonic and chamber music. What is the direction, as chamber music exists, know almost everything, but in what its differences and features are few. Let's try to understand this further in the article.

The history of chamber music

The history of chamber music originates in the Middle Ages. In the XVI century, music began to go beyond the church temples. Some authors began to write works that were performed outside the church walls for a small circle of connoisseurs. It should be noted that at first these were only vocal parts, and chamber-instrumental music appeared much later. But first things first.

The chamber music is fascinating. What is the name derived from the Italian word camera ("room"), probably everyone remembers. Unlike church and theatrical music, the chamber was originally intended for performance in the premises by a small collective for a narrow circle of listeners. As a rule, the performance took place at home, and later - in small concert halls. The peak of its popularity chamber-instrumental music reached in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, when similar concerts were held in all living rooms of secured houses. Later, aristocrats even introduced full-time posts of musicians.

The images of chamber music

Initially, chamber music was intended for performance in front of a small circle of people who are its connoisseurs and connoisseurs. And the size of the room, where the concert was held, allowed performers and listeners to closely interact with each other. All this created a unique atmosphere of ownership. Perhaps, for this reason, this art is characterized by a high ability to discover lyrical emotions and various nuances of human experience.

The genres of chamber music can not be more accurately calculated to convey the feelings of a person with the help of laconic, but at the same time detailed means. Unlike symphonic music, where parties are performed by groups of instruments, in such works for each instrument their own part is written, and all of them are practically equal to each other.

Types of chamber instrumental ensemble

With the development of history, chamber music developed. That such a direction should have some special characteristics in respect of performers does not require proof. Modern instrumental ensembles are:

• Duets (two performers);
• A trio (three members);
• Quartets (four);
• Quintets (five);
• Sextets (six);
• Septets (seven);
• Octets (eight);
• Nonets (nine);
• Decimetes (ten).

At the same time, the instrumental composition can be very diverse. It can include both stringed and wind instruments. In the composition of one collective only string or only wind instruments can be included. And there can be mixed chamber ensembles - especially often they include a piano. In general, their composition is limited only by one - the composer's imagination, and she is most often boundless. In addition, there are also chamber orchestras - collectives, which include no more than 25 musicians.

Genres of instrumental chamber music

Modern genres of chamber music were formed under the influence of creativity of such great composers as VA Mozart, L. Beethoven, I. Haydn. It was these masters that created unsurpassed in terms of sharpness of content and emotional depth of the work. Sonatas, duets, trios, quartets and quintets in due time paid tribute to the most famous romantics of the XIX century: F. Mendelssohn, R. Schumann, F. Schubert, F. Chopin. In addition, the genre of instrumental miniatures (nocturnes, intermezzo) also gained immense popularity at that time.

There are also chamber concerts, suites, fugues, cantatas. Even in the XVIII century, the genres of chamber music were very diverse. In addition, they absorbed the stylistic features of other trends and styles. For example, L. Beethoven so clearly traced the desire to push the boundaries of such phenomena as chamber music, what is his work, like "Kreutzer Sonata", in its monumental and emotional intensity is not inferior to symphonic creations.

Genres of vocal chamber music

In the XIX century, vocal chamber music became very popular. Many great composers such as R. Schumann, F. Schubert, G. Berlioz, J. Brahms paid tribute to the new genres of the artistic song and romance. An invaluable contribution to the world collection of works of chamber music was made by Russian composers. Magnificent romances of M. I. Glinka, P. I. Tchaikovsky, M. P. Mussorgsky, M. A. Rimsky-Korsakov and today do not leave anyone indifferent. In addition to small works, there is also a genre of chamber opera. It implies the presence of a small number of performers and does not require for setting up a large room.

Chamber music today

Of course, today there are practically no houses where, as in past centuries, chamber ensembles play in the circle of a limited circle of people. However, contrary to existing stereotypes, this direction remains very popular. Halls of organ and chamber music all over the world gather millions of fans, both works of classical composers, and contemporary authors. Regularly there are festivals, where famous and novice performers share their art.