Chamber music is the most intimate, and arguably the most joyful and sociable, form of music-making in the world. It may also be the oldest, and its scope is all-embracing, ranging from infectious light entertainment to profound explorations of the human spirit, from boisterous humour to the outer reaches of intellectual adventure, and in time from pre-history to the present. More than any other, it is the music of community organised, spontaneous, bonding and liberating. This survey, containing surprises for newcomer and connoisseur alike, explores the nature and development of the genre in its social and historical context, through a rich and entertaining tapestry of text and sound.