10 Facts About String Quartets

Royal ties, Billie Eilish, and brain benefits—did you know these 10 facts about string quartets?

#1: The string quartet is made up of two violins, a viola, and a cello.

#2: String quartets have been around for centuries, and gained popularity around the mid-1700s thanks to composers like Joseph Haydn, who wrote over 60 compositions for string quartet.

#3: Many of the most popular composers have written string quartets, including Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, and more!

#4: Studies have shown that listening to string quartets while studying or working can boost concentration and brain function.

#5: The string quartet continues to be a favorite string combination even for pop artists, and can be heard on tracks by Billie Eilish, Lady Gaga, Radiohead, and The Beatles.

#6: A string quartet is often described as a “musical conversation” because of the way all four instruments are in constant musical communication with each other.

#7: Unlike a symphony, small groups of instrumentalists like quartets do not need a conductor. The musicians rely on eye contact, body language, breathing cues, and non-verbal communication during performances.

#8: Throughout history, many royals were huge fans of string quartets.

King Friedrich Wilhelm II of Prussia commissioned both Haydn and Mozart to write quartets for him.

#9: King Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette were patrons of the arts and hosted chamber music performances at Versailles, often featuring string quartets.

#10: Famous instrument makers like Antonio Stradivari sometimes made quartets of instruments--four instruments crafted as a set, intended to be played and kept together, like a family of four forever.

You can hear a LIVE string quartet performance on November 11, 2024 at our first Showcase Soirée of the season with the Red Door Quartet! See Calendar & Tickets for more information.