Instrumental ensemble music includes two distinct types:
- music for ensembles where there is more than one instrument per part, for example a Symphony orchestra, where there is a violin 'section' with many violins playing the same part. We typically refer to this type as 'Orchestral music' and locate it in SCO 784
- music for ensembles with only one instrument per part, for example a String quartet, where each instrument (in this case 2 violins, viola, and cello) are playing a different part. This is referred to as 'Chamber music' and located in SCO 785
Sometimes the terminology can be confusing, because we often speak of a string quartet being "chamber" music, but there is also such a thing as a "chamber orchestra" (which is smaller than a symphony orchestra, but will still have more than one instrument per part!)