sextet
formseks-TET
An ensemble of six musicians, or a composition written for six performers.
A sextet is a group of six musicians performing together, or a work composed for six parts. The string sextet — typically two violins, two violas, and two cellos — is one of the richest chamber music formats, with masterpieces by Brahms (his two string sextets are among his most beloved works) and Dvořák. Other sextet types include the piano sextet and wind sextet. The operatic sextet is one of the great challenges of ensemble writing, requiring six distinct vocal lines to be heard simultaneously while creating coherent harmony. The famous sextet from Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor is considered one of the greatest ensemble pieces in all of opera. In jazz, a sextet adds instruments to the basic quintet for a fuller ensemble sound while still maintaining the spontaneity of small-group improvisation.
Brahms's String Sextet No. 1 in B-flat major is one of the most frequently performed pieces of chamber music, admired for its warmth and melodic beauty.