Music quartets remind us of bygone times and the genre of romantic songs that touched us. Four-part vocal harmony has been a staple of the music scene since ancient times, historically featuring small groups of madrigals and a’capella choirs.
In the mid-19th century, mixed male and female choral assemblies were vocalized in the form of barber quartets, gospel choirs, and popular music ensembles. The common point of these various musical expressions was their presentation with or without instrumental accompaniment.
During the 1940s and 1950s, a close resurgence of vocal harmony revived popular music, inspiring dozens of melodic singing groups, including the renowned Ames Brothers, Mills Brothers, Williams Brothers, Andrews Sisters, McGuire Sisters, Four Lads and Platters. The harmonizing success of this era used the classic format of selecting easily singable and recognizable melodies, thus conspiring to inspire an unforgettable mix of various vocal parts.
Traditionally, larger family groups enjoy a harmonization advantage because they have similar vocal timbres within various ranges. Everything from church choirs to school performances to street corner humming encouraged what began as family entertainment gatherings before, and despite, the attention-consuming invention of television.
Early male quartets coveted a dominant moving baseline, evident in Elvis’s Jordanaires Singers, immortalized within Johnny Cash’s hit album “Daddy Sang Base.” The harmonics of modern pop music emphasized a closer and more compact structure, highlighting the dissonance topped with elegant high notes.
The historic invention of close harmony, its traditional appreciation of the audience, and progressive refinement through various musical eras has reached its zenith within popular modern times.
