A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/String (instruments)

by George Grove

STRING. The terms 'Strings,' 'Stringed instruments,' 'String-quartet,' 'String-trio,' have come to be applied in England to instruments of the violin tribe only, the terms answering to the German Streiehquartet, Streichinstrumente. Thus a quartet for four stringed instruments, usually two violins, viola, and cello, is called a String-quartet, to distinguish it from a piano-forte quartet that is, for piano and three other instruments; or for any other combination of four, such as a quartet for four horns, four flutes, etc.

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