String quintet in 17th century Italy and can be seen as early as 1607 in Claudio Monteverdi's opera, "L'Orfeo". It can also be applied to the standard five-part orchestral string section: first violins, second violins, violas, cellos, and double basses. String quintet A string quintet is a musical composition for five string players. As an extension to the string quartet (two violins, a viola, and a cello), a string quintet includes a fifth string instrument, usually a second viola (a so-called "viola quintet") or a second cello (a "cello quintet"), or occasionally a double bass. Notable examples of classic "viola quintets", in
Fred Sherry String Quartet String Quartet" and the "Ode to Napoleon Buonaparte for Voice, Piano and String Quartet, Op. 41" as well as Anton Webern's "String Quartet, Op. 28" and "6 Bagatelles, Op. 9". Fred Sherry String Quartet The Fred Sherry String Quartet is an American classical string quartet. The quartet was founded by cellist Fred Sherry to perform and record the four string quartets of Arnold Schoenberg. He appears on all recordings by the quartet. The other members of the quartet have varied over time. They have included: Mr. Sherry also formed a string sextet consisting of Leila Josefowicz and David Chan (violins),