A string quartet consists of which combination of instruments?

• A. three violins and a viola
• B. two violins, viola, cello
• C. two violas, cello, double bass
• D. violin, viola, cello, bassoon

Answer: (B)

The standard string quartet is built from two violins, a viola, and a cello. This arrangement gives a balanced range across high, mid, and low voices, allowing rich interplay between the first and second violins, the inner voice of the viola, and the bass support of the cello. The option that matches this setup lists two violins, a viola, and a cello, making it the correct choice. The other groupings either omit the cello, replace a string with a non-string instrument, or introduce an instrument not typically part of a string quartet, so they don’t fit the traditional quartet makeup.