The Best Composed Instrumental Music

Looking for the best composed instrumental music? Look no further than our top picks. From relaxing piano pieces to energizing orchestral tracks, we’ve got you covered.

The Different Types of Composed Instrumental Music

Instrumental music is a great way to make a mood, set the tone, or just have some beautiful background noise. It’s perfect for when you need to focus or want to relax. There are many different types of composed instrumental music, from classical to jazz to rock. Let’s explore some of the best composed instrumental music from each genre.

Solo Music

If a piece of music is written for a single instrument, it’s considered solo music. Solo pieces can be written for any instrument, but they’re particularly common for instruments that are able to play a melody line, such as the violin, piano, or flute.

Duet Music

Duet music, as the name suggests, is music composed for two performers. It can be written for any combination of instruments, but is most commonly written for piano or guitar. The performers will usually alternate playing the melody and accompaniment, or they may both play the melody together.

Some of the most popular duet pieces are those written for piano and violin, such as Beethoven’s “Für Elise” and “ Moonlight Sonata”. Other well-known examples include Schubert’s “Ave Maria”, which has been arranged for many different instrument combinations, and Gershwin’s “Summertime” from Porgy and Bess.

Trio Music

In music, a trio is a method of instrumentation or vocalization by three different sounds or voices to make a melodious music or song. The term “trio” is used to describe both the ensemble and the composition. While “trio music” is considered to be classical in nature, it can be found in any musical genre, including pop, rock, jazz, blues, and country.

The most common type of trio is the piano trio, which consists of a piano, a bass instrument (usually a double bass or cello), and a percussion instrument (usually drums). Other popular trios include the string trio (violin, viola, and cello), wind trio (flute, clarinet, and bassoon), brass trio (trumpet, trombone, and tuba), and mixed vocal trio (soprano, mezzo-soprano, and tenor).

A less common but still important type of instrumental trio is the keyboard trio. As the name suggests, this group consists of three keyboard instruments playing together. The most common keyboard trios are those featuring the piano (one pianist playing all three parts), organ (two manualists playing with pedal support), and harpsichord (two players with one additional continuo part).

Vocal trios are also relatively common in Western music. While more often thought of as solo pieces with accompaniment, there are many examples of true trios where all three singers have an equal melodic role. A cappella trios are perhaps the best-known type of vocal trio. These groups sing without instrumental accompaniment and are often found in religious settings such as churches or chapels. Popular music also features many examples of vocal trios, including boy bands, girl groups, and barbershop quartets.

Quartet Music

A chamber music quartet is a musical ensemble of four players – two violinists, a viola player and a cellist – or a musical composition written to be performed by such a group. The word “chamber” refers to the fact that this type of music was originally meant to be played in smaller rooms and intimate venues, as opposed to large concert halls.

The earliest chamber music ensembles were probably informal gatherings of musicians who simply enjoyed playing together. In time, however, certain pieces of music were specifically composed for four players, and the chamber music quartet became a more formalized musical genre.

One of the most famous chamber music quartets of all time is the Quartet in F Major by Austrian composer Franz Joseph Haydn. This piece, which was written in 1773, is often considered to be the first truly great work in the genre.

Today, chamber music quartets are still quite popular, and there are many different types of repertoire available for them to perform. While some quartets prefer to stick with older classical pieces, others enjoy performing more modern works by contemporary composers. No matter what their repertoire may be, all chamber music quartets strive to create a uniquely intimate and satisfying musical experience for both themselves and their audiences.

Quintet Music

A quintet is a group of five musicians who play together. The most common type of quintet is a string quintet, which is made up of five string players. Wind quintets, which are made up of five wind instrument players, are also common. Piano quintets, which feature a piano along with four other instruments, are less common but still widely performed.

The word “quintet” can also be used to refer to a specific composition for five instruments or voices. In classical music, there are many examples of quintets for different instrument combinations.

Sextet Music

A sextet is a musical composition for six instruments or voices. It can be harmonious, meaning all six parts move together in harmony, or contrapuntal, meaning the parts are independent but interact melodically.

One of the most famous sextets ever written is the Sextet in E-flat major by Antonín Dvořák. This work was originally composed for two violins, two violas, and two cellos, but it has also been adapted for piano and winds.

Other well-known sextets include:
-The Sextet from Lucio Silla by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
-The Leipzig Sextet by Felix Mendelssohn
-The Raphael Sextet by Gabriel Fauré

Septet Music

Septet music is a type of composed instrumental music that is made up of seven parts. These seven parts can be divided into any combination, but they are typically made up of one first violin, one second violin, one viola, one cello, one double bass, and two woodwind instruments. The woodwind instruments can be any combination of flute, clarinet, and oboe. Septet music is usually written in a specific format that includes a score for each instrument as well as a conductor’s score.

Octet Music

An octet is a group consisting of eight instruments or voices, or a musical composition for such a group. Octets were first popular in the Baroque era (1600-1750) as a sized alternative to the larger sonata and concerto chamber music groups which typically included a string quartet plus one or more wind instruments. Wind octets typically feature four horns (which sound an octave lower than written), two clarinets, two bassoons, and sometimes two oboes.

During the Classical era (1750-1820), composer Franz Joseph Haydn wrote the first known octets, which were scored for four violins, two violas, and two cellos with basso continuo. These works were likely influenced by Johann Georg Pisendel’s “Sonata a 8” in G major, which was written around 1710 and scored for four violins, two violas da gamba, and basso continuo.

Other Classical-era composers who wrote octets include Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Octet in F Major, K. 370), Johann Christian Bach (Opus 18 No. 1 in B-flat Major), Luigi Boccherini (Opus 38 No. 1 in C Major), and Franz Danzi (Wind Octet in F Major).

Since the Classical era, many other notable composers have written octets including Ludwig van Beethoven (Sextet in E-flat major Opus 71 for Two Horns and String Quartet), Felix Mendelssohn (Octet in E-flat major Opus 20 for Strings), Antonín Dvořák (‘Slavonic’ Octet Opus 46 for Strings and Winds), Ottorino Respighi (String Octet in A minor P 142), George Enescu (“Octuor” Opus 7 for Winds and Strings) Sergei Prokofiev (“Classical” Symphony op. 25 transcribed by the composer into an Octet version), Heitor Villa-Lobos (“Bachianas Brasileiras” no 10), Ralph Vaughan Williams (“Fantasia on Greensleeves”), Aaron Copland(Octett 1927/52) Darius Milhaud(Divertissement La Création du monde).

The word “octet” is also used to refer to ensembles of eight musicians who are not playing strictly chamber music; examples include George Gershwin’s “An American in Paris”, Claude Debussy’s “La Mer”, Maurice Ravel’s “Daphnis et Chloé”, Arnold Schoenberg’s “Pierrot Lunaire”.

The Various Instruments Used in Composed Instrumental Music

There are a wide variety of instruments used in composed instrumental music. Some of the most popular instruments used in this type of music include the piano, violin, cello, and flute. Each of these instruments has its own unique sound that can add a lot of depth and feeling to a piece of music.

The Piano

The piano is a keyboard stringed instrument that has been used in composed instrumental music for centuries. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world, and its popularity is only increasing. The piano has a wide range of tones and dynamics that can be used to create beautiful music. It is a versatile instrument that can be used in solo, ensemble, or orchestra settings.

The Violin

The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello.

The Cello

The cello (violoncello) is a bowed or plucked string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. Its strings are usually tuned to C2, G2, D3 and A3, an octave below middle C. The cello is used as a solo instrument, as well as in chamber music ensembles, string orchestras, as a member of the string section of symphony orchestras, and some rock bands. This list does not include works that feature the cello accompanied by other instruments.

The Guitar

The guitar is a string instrument played with the fingers or a plectrum (a pick). It has a body, neck and head. The strings vibrate when plucked or strummed and produce different notes depending on their thickness and which one is plucked. The guitar is used in a wide variety of musical genres including classical, jazz, rock and pop.

The Flute

The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening. According to the instrument classification of Hornbostel–Sachs, flutes are classified as edge-blown aerophones. A musician who plays the flute can be referred to as a flautist, flutist, flute player, or (rarely) fluter.

The earliest published use of the term flute was in 14 §^{\text{th}}$ century Germany. Originally, such instruments were called by many different names, including blockflöte (German), blocflûte (French), Blockflötenspiel (German), blockfiuta (Italian), blokfluit (Dutch), and blocco-flauto (Italian). The term Bockflöte is still used in some German speaking countries and signfies “wooden tube”. The English word “flute” first appeared in print in 1597. It was derived from the French word “flûte”, which can be traced back to the Latin word “flautus”.

The modern concert flute was developed in the early $^{\text{th}}$ century by Theobald Boehm. It has a cylindrical head joint which tenon into a body held at an angle on the hip, and feet which extend from both sides of the body to support it on the floor. The Boehm system assigns note numbers to each hole along with a unique fingering pattern which uses all hole notes including partial covering of holes to create new notes, something previous systems could not do because they lacked sufficient keys.

The Clarinet

The clarinet is a popular instrument in a wide variety of genres, including classical, jazz, and folk music. Although it has been around for centuries, the clarinet did not gain widespread popularity until the late 18th century.

The most common type of clarinet is the Bı̂◊össe, which has a single-reed mouthpiece and an cylindrical bore. The clarinetist uses his or her lips to vibrate the reed, which produces a sound that is then amplified by the instrument’s body. Clarinets come in a range of sizes, from the bass clarinet (which is lower in pitch) to the soprano clarinet (which is higher in pitch).

The sound of the clarinet can be described as warm and mellow, with a wide range of dynamic possibilities. The instrument is particularly well-suited for jazz music, thanks to its expressive capabilities.

The Trumpet

The trumpet is a musical instrument that has been around for hundreds of years. It is used in many different genres of music, including classical, jazz, and rock. The trumpet is made of brass and has a cylindrical shape. It is played by blowing into the mouthpiece and pressing the valves with the fingers. The sound of the trumpet can be vary from loud and brassy to soft and mellow.

The trumpet has a very important role in composed instrumental music. Many famous composers have written pieces specifically for the trumpet, and it is often used as a solo instrument in Orchestral works. The trumpet can also be used in small ensembles, such as a brass quintet, or as part of a larger band or orchestra.

The Trombone

The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. As with all brass instruments, the sound is produced by lip vibration into a large mouthpiece. It has a telescoping slide mechanism that can extend or shorten the instrument to change the pitch.
The trombone is most commonly used in jazz, symphony orchestras and concert bands. It also appears in marching bands, brass quintets, quartets and smaller ensembles.

The Different Genres of Composed Instrumental Music

There are many different genres of composed instrumental music to choose from when finding the right piece for your needs. Some popular genres include classical, pop, rock, jazz, and hip hop. Each genre has its own feel and style that can give your project the right mood.

Classical Music

Classical music is a broad term that usually refers to music produced in, or rooted in the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 9th century to present times. The central norms of this tradition became codified between 1550 and 1900, which is known as the common practice period.

Western classical music has long been an inspiration for composers of instrumental music such as film scores, video game music and popular songs. Some of the most well-known classical pieces have been adapted for use in these genres, with many becoming standards that are widely recognizable even to those who are not familiar with the original work.

Jazz Music

Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, United States. It emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and developed from roots in blues and ragtime. Jazz is seen by many as “America’s classical music”. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, jazz has become recognized as a major form of musical expression.It then emerged in the form of independent traditional and popular musical styles, all linked by the common bonds of African-American and European-American musical parentage with a performance orientation. Jazz is characterized by swing and blue notes, call and response vocals, polyrhythms and improvisation. Jazz has roots in West African cultural and musical expression, and in African-American music traditions including blues and ragtime. As jazz spread around the world, it drew on different national, regional,and local musical cultures, which gave rise to many distinctive styles. New Orleans jazz began in the early 1910s, combining earlier brass band marches, French quadrilles, biguine, ragtime and blues with collective polyphonic improvisation. In the 1930s significantly Louis Armstrong & Earl Hines developed Swing (jazz), which split into West Coast jazz based in California & Kansas City jazz based centered around Benny Goodman’s big bands out of Chicago traveling east to New York City to play at venues such as Carnegie Hall & The Waldorf Astoria Hotel; bebop emerged from Harlenham & 42nd Street after World War II featuring artists such as Dizzy Gillespie & Charlie Parker; Latin jazz combined rhythms from Africa with influences from Iberian Peninsula Afro-Cuban rhythms became quite popular during America’s Endless Summer days of the 1950s featuring musicians such as Machito; hard bop developed at about 1955–56 often fusing together an R&B approach with bebop’s harmonic style while leaving out its complex chord progressions often seen as “bad for dancing” – drummer Art Blakey being one of its key developers while adding artists such as pianist Horace Silver to his band The Jazz Messengers; modal jazz developed at about 1959–60 extending hard bop ideas using Miles Davis’s “Kind Of Blue” recording; free jazz was developed around 1960 by saxophonist John Coltrane who starts departing from conventional harmony often introducing more dissonance creating controversy among audiences who saw this new type of jazz as a negation of swing rhythm completely distancing itself from danceable music entirely eventually dividing listeners between those who found it exciting & avant-garde vs. those who felt it was too dissonant & cerebral with an arbitrary structure; Avant-garde or experimental jazz started being developed around 1963–66 leading to some drastic changes especially concerning time signatureScott LaFaro being one of its key developers; acid Jazz started developing in Britain during the mid 1980s originally fusing together house music withooky samples often taken from classic 1960s/1970s soul & funk recordings though sometimes also used more recent recordings especially drum breakbeat tracks; ethno jazz started developing during late 1980smainly fusing together world music harmonies/melodies with American funk/soul grooves often using traditional ethnic instruments in innovative wayswhile adding artists such as Youssou N’Dour .

Pop Music

Pop music is a genre of popular music that originated in its modern form in the United States and United Kingdom during the mid-1950s. The terms “popular music” and “pop music” are often used interchangeably, although the former describes all music that is popular and includes many diverse styles. “Pop” and “rock” were synonymous terms until the late 1960s, when they became increasingly differentiated from each other.

Typically, pop music is composed of one or two electric guitars, a drums set, and bass guitar. The electric guitars are normally played with distortion to create a “crunchy” sound. The drums set provides the beat for the song and can be played with various degrees of complexity. The bass guitar riffs create a sense of motion within the song and provide the low notes that hold everything together.

Some pop songs also include keyboards or synthesizers to create different sound effects or textures. Pop songs may also include saxophone, trombone, or trumpet for added flavor. You can find pop songs in a variety of tempos, from slow and mellow to fast-paced and energetic.

Rock Music

Rock music is a genre of popular music that originated in the United States in the 1950s. It uses a heavy beat and electric guitars played with distortion to create a sound that is both unique and instantly recognizable. Rock music has been a staple of American culture for decades, and its influence can be heard in many other genres of music including pop, hip-hop, and country.

The first recordings of rock music were made in the 1950s by artists such as Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, and Little Richard. These artists took the basic elements of blues and country music and combined them with a new attitude and energy that was all their own. Rock music quickly became popular with young people all over the world, and its popularity has only grown in the decades since.

Rock music has evolved significantly since its earliest days, but it has always maintained its essential character. Today, there are many different subgenres of rock music, each with its own style and sound. Some of the most popular include heavy metal, punk rock, indie rock, and classic rock. No matter what your taste in music is, there is a type of rock that you are sure to enjoy.