String quartet Violini, Violetta [viola], e Violoncello senza Cembalo" (Sonata for four instruments: two violins, viola, and cello without harpsichord), this was a natural evolution from the existing tradition. The string quartet in its now accepted form came about with Haydn. If the combination of two violins, viola and cello was not unknown before Haydn, when it occurred in chamber music it was more likely through circumstance than conscious design; certainly the string quartet enjoyed no recognized status as an ensemble in the way that two violins with basso continuo – the so-called 'trio sonata' – had for more than a hundred
Cavani String Quartet the Naumburg Chamber Music Award in 1989. For their 20th anniversary, they commissioned the work "Musings for String Quintet" from composer Joseph Hallman. The premiere took place with Alisa Weilerstein, cellist, at the Cleveland Institute of Music. The quartet has been partners with many organizations, including the Chamber Music Connection, led by Debbie Price. They also run many free concerts for growing and learning string players, many of whom are under age 18. In June 2018, the Cleveland Institute of Music announced the severance of its affiliation with the Cavani String Quartet. Cavani String Quartet The Cavani String Quartet is