Hugh,

Musically, "String Quartet" literally means an ensemble made of four stringed instruments. They can play whatever music they want... popular, jazz, classical, bluegrass, etc. After all, music is music.

The usual instrumental setup for a string quartet consists of 2 x violins, 1 x viola, 1 x cello (as you mention). This doesn't have to be the case, though.


Here's Elvis Presley's "Can't Help Falling In Love"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7S5viqJT9o


The Tempations "My Girl" (I like this one)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhBeJ2-0bfs&index=24&list=PLS8_VsVDk9PiwJheMNI4sG095f2xOXG4S&t=0s


Jason Mraz "I'm Yours"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WfrXpcA3cM&index=46&list=PLS8_VsVDk9PiwJheMNI4sG095f2xOXG4S&t=0s


The standard "Fly Me To The Moon" (lots of skill on show here)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_HlghebuOs


Here's the jazz standard "Take Five' (an excellent arrangement)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lq-kSZ0IY8


If you want to spend an exciting day or two on Youtube, just search for STRING QUARTETS POPULAR COVERS or STRING QUARTETS JAZZ, etc.

Music with 4 movements is most likely those works based on what people loosely call 'classical music'.

With arranging for a string quartet, it is definitely useful to know some principles of classical harmony. This is based around writing arrangements in 4-parts. The reason I suggest this is because getting a full sound from just 4 instruments is a skill in itself.

Hope this information helps,
Noel Adams


MY SONGS...
Audiophile BIAB 2024