quintet
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An ensemble of five musicians, or a composition written for five performers.
A quintet is a group of five musicians performing together, or a work composed for five parts. Important classical quintet types include the string quintet (usually two violins, two violas, and cello), piano quintet (piano plus string quartet), wind quintet (flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and French horn), and brass quintet (two trumpets, horn, trombone, and tuba). Mozart and Brahms wrote landmark string quintets, while Schumann and Dvořák composed celebrated piano quintets. In jazz, a quintet typically adds a saxophone or trumpet to the standard piano trio plus another horn. The quintet offers a richer palette than the quartet while retaining the intimacy and transparency of chamber music. Each voice remains clearly audible, yet the five-part texture allows for more complex harmony and counterpoint.