A string octet is a piece of music written for eight string instruments, or sometimes the group of eight players.Riemann, Hugo. Dictionary of Music. Trans. J.A. Shedlock. Augener, 1900. 550. It usually consists of four violins, two violas and two cellos, or four violins, two violas, a cello and a double bass.
Notable string octets
Most frequently performed string octets include: Felix Mendelssohn – Octet, Op. 20 Max Bruch – String Octet in B♭ major (with bass replacing the second cello)
Other string octets include: Airat Ichmouratov – Octet for strings in G minor "Letter from an Unknown Woman" Luciano Berio – Korót (eight cellos) Sylvano Bussotti – Poésies à Maldoror (eight cellos) George Enescu – Octet in C major, Op. 7 Niels Gade – String Octet in F major, Op. 17 Reinhold Glière – String Octet in D Major, Op. 5 Cristóbal Halffter – Fandango (eight cellos) Gordon Jacob Suite (eight violas) Cello Octet (eight cellos) Tomás Marco – Miró (eight cellos) Darius Milhaud – Octet for Strings, Op. 291 Arvo Pärt Fratres (version for eight cellos) L'abbé Agathon (eight cellos) Joachim Raff - String Octet Op. 176 Osmo Tapio Räihälä – Swarm Steve Reich – Cello Counterpoint (eight cellos) Kaija Saariaho – Neiges (eight cellos) Gunther Schuller – Hommage a Rayechka (eight cellos) Peter Sculthorpe – Chorale (eight cellos) Dmitri Shostakovich – Two Pieces for String Octet Giovanni Sollima – Violoncelles, vibrez! (eight cellos) Louis Spohr – Double Quartets Op. 65, 77, 87, 136 Johan Svendsen – String Octet in A major, Op. 3
See also
References