String sextet

Ensemble layout

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 two cellos.

Among the earliest works in this form are the six string sextets Op. 23 of Luigi Boccherini, written in 1776. Other notable string sextets include the Opp. 18 and 36 of Johannes Brahms, the Op. 48 of Antonín Dvořák, the Souvenir de Florence (Op. 70) of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Verklärte Nacht (Op. 4) by Arnold Schoenberg, the op. 10 of Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Erwin Schulhoff's String Sextet (1924) and the String Sextet (1989) of Charles Wuorinen.

More unusual combinations for a string sextet:

• three violins, viola and two cellos: Ferdinand David (1810-1873), op. 38, Gaetano Brunetti (1744-1798), op. 1
• three violins, two violas and cello: Jan Brandts Buys (1868-1933), op. 40.

Notable string sextets

• Luigi Boccherini (1743–1805) String Sextets, Op. 23 (1776)
• Alexander Borodin (1833–1887) String Sextet in D minor (2 mvts) (1860/61)
• Hakon Børresen (1876–1954) Sextet in G major, Op. 5 (1901)
• Johannes Brahms (1833–1897)
  • String Sextet No. 1 in B-flat major, Op. 18 (33')
  • String Sextet No. 2 in G major, Op. 36 (33')
• Frank Bridge (1879–1941) String Sextet (1906–1912) (27')
• Karl Davydov (1838–1889) Sextet, Op. 35 (1880) dedicated to Leopold Auer
• Ignacy Feliks Dobrzyński (1807–67) Sextet in E-flat major, Op.39 (1845) (for 2 Violins, Viola & 2 Cellos & Bass)
• Ernő Dohnányi (1877–1960) String Sextet in B-flat major (1893, revised 1898) (27')
• Antonín Dvořák (1841–1904) String Sextet in A major, Op. 48, B. 80 (31')
• Iván Erőd (b. 1936)
  • Serenade for String Sextet, Op. 45 (1983)
  • 2nd String Sextet, Op. 68 (1996)
• Eduard Franck (1817–1893)
  • String Sextet No. 1 in E-flat, Op. 41 (1882)
  • String Sextet No. 2 in D major, Op. 50 (1894)
• Niels Gade (1871–1890) Sextet in E-flat major, Op. 44 (1865)
• Louis Glass (1864–1936) Sextet in G major, Op. 15 (1893)
• Reinhold Glière (1875–1956)
  • Sextet No. 1 in C minor (1898)
  • String Sextet No. 2 in B minor, Op. 7 (1904)
  • String Sextet No. 3 in C major, Op. 11 (1904)
• Heinrich Hofmann (1842–1902) Sextet Op. 25 (1874)
• Joseph Holbrooke (1878–1958) Sextet in D, Op. 43 (1924)
• Vincent d'Indy (1851–1931) String Sextet in B-flat major, Op. 92 (1927)
• Mauricio Kagel (1931-2008) String Sextet (1953, rev. 1957)
• Hans von Koessler (1853–1926) Sextet in F minor (1902)
• Erich Wolfgang Korngold (1897–1957) String Sextet in D major, Op. 10 (1917) (33')
• Arnold Krug (1849–1904) Sextet in D major, Op. 68
• Max Lewandowsky (1874–1906) Sextet, Op. 5 (1904)
• Bohuslav Martinů (1890–1959) String Sextet, H. 224 Paris, 1932 (15-16')
• Mihály Mosonyi (1815–1870) String Sextet in C minor (32')
• Per August Ölander (1824–1886) String Sextet (1876?)
• Walter Piston (1894–1976) String Sextet (1964) (18')
• Joachim Raff (1822–1882) Sextet in G minor, Op. 178 (1872)
• Max Reger (1873–1916) Sextet in F major, Op. 118 (1910)
• Friedhelm Rentzsch (b. 1955) String Sextet (1981) (15')
• Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844–1908) String Sextet in A major (30')
• Paul Rosenbloom (b. 1952) String Sextet (1978) (30')
• Anton Rubinstein (1829–1894) Sextet in D major, Op. 97
• Peter Schickele (b. 1935) String Sextet (1990) (26')
• Arnold Schoenberg (1874–1951) Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured Night), Op. 4 (1899) (29')
• Erwin Schulhoff (1894–1942) String Sextet (1924) (21')
• Salvatore Sciarrino (b. 1947) Sestetto(2003) (22')
• Louis Spohr (1784–1859) String Sextet in C major, Op. 140 (1848) (24')
• Richard Strauss (1864–1949) from the Opera Capriccio, Op. 85 (1942) (10')
• Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840–1893) Souvenir de Florence, Op. 70 (35')
• Nicolai von Wilm (1834–1911) Sextet in B minor, Op. 27 (1898)
• Charles Wuorinen (b. 1938) String Sextet (1989)

References

• The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians ed. S. Sadie (London: Macmillan, 1980)
• Naxos Music Library (www.NaxosMusicLibrary.com)

See also

• String sextet repertoire
• Sextet
• String trio
• String quartet
• String quintet
• String octet