Playing together is the beating heart of chamber music. Despite great diversity, there are values common across centuries and instrumentation. First, a principle of one player per part, without a conductor. Second, that location is more a state of mind than an actual venue—thus, chamber music can exist in the home and on the concert platform. Third, it is the province of both amateurs and professionals.

This Very Short Introduction explores why chamber music has become so valued by players, scholars, and audiences. Laura Tunbridge draws out the sociable aspect of music-making, apparent in metaphors of conversation, its presence in domestic spaces, and the ethics of all parts being equal. Through concise and accessible examples, Tunbridge explores the many forms and sizes taken by chamber music ensembles and the impact of music publishing and concert programming on this repertoire. She draws on the patterns of where musicians train and work, driven by economics, politics, and aesthetics. Rather than assuming that this type of music now is primarily about passive consumption, Chamber Music: A Very Short Introduction argues that the relatively small scale of chamber groups has made them mobile and adaptable, and thus particularly well-suited to engaging with and forming communities.