_The Music Story Series_ EDITED BY FREDERICK J. CROWEST. THE STORY OF CHAMBER MUSIC =The Music Story Series.= _Already published in this Series._ THE STORY OF ORATORIO. By ANNIE PATTERSON, B.A., Mus. Doc. With Illustrations. THE STORY OF NOTATION. By C.F. ABDY WILLIAMS, M.A., Mus. Bac. With Illustrations. THE STORY OF THE ORGAN. By C.F. ABDY WILLIAMS, M.A., Mus. Bac. With Illustrations. THE STORY OF CHAMBER MUSIC. By N. KILBURN, Mus. Bac. (Cantab). With Illustrations. _The next volume will be_ THE STORY OF THE VIOLIN. By PAUL STOEVING. With Illustrations. _This Series, in superior leather bindings, may be had on application to the Publishers._ [ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.] [Illustration: _Sir E. Burne-Jones, pinx._ _F. Hollyer, photo._ _Chant d’Amour._] The Story of Chamber Music BY N. KILBURN MUS. BAC. (CANTAB.) Conductor of the Middlesbrough, Sunderland, and Bishop Auckland Musical Societies. London The Walter Scott Publishing Co., Ltd. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons 1904 Introduction. Berlioz, who, by the way, wrote no chamber music save a serenade for two flutes and harp (“L’Enfance du Christ”), in his imaginative fashion somewhere speculates as to which of his own works he would preserve if it were ordained that all except one should perish. In like manner, we may ask ourselves which of the great forms of musical composition we would plead for in case all the rest were doomed to destruction. Music for the orchestra, with its vivid colours, its strength and delicacy; the vast range of choral music; works for the organ, that huge modern plexus of pipe and reed;—these and others no doubt have strong claims on our musical affections. But, if forced to such a choice, it is certain that many a musician would, without hesitation, pledge himself to uphold the claims of Chamber music, for who can measure the almost infinite variety and charm which it affords, and that, too, with the slenderest means? Probably no other form of music would wear so well as this, and to hardly any other could we turn, day by day, with such abiding satisfaction. Of course, in a matter of this kind unanimity is not to be expected, and some will no doubt take exception to the view here stated; but, all the same, it may be confidently asserted that the more this kind of music is cultivated, and the more thoroughly its literature is known and studied, the less divergent will opinion tend to become. The term chamber music, excluding piano solos, which, strictly speaking, do not come under this head, embraces compositions in the form of duets, trios, quartetts, and other larger combinations, for strings (_i.e._ violins, violas, ’cellos, and double basses), and for wind instruments (chiefly wood wind and horns), both with and without the pianoforte.