As one of Peter Tchaikovsky’s early works, String Quartet No. 1 in D Major was composed in February 1871 and was premiered one month later in Moscow by members of the Russian Musical Society, including Ferdinand Laub and Ludvig Minkus on violins; Pryanishnikov on viola; and Wilhelm Fitzenhagen on cello. After a performance of the piece in 1876, Tchaikovsky recalled in his diary, ‘‘Probably never in my life have I been so moved by the pride of authorship as when Lev Tolstoy, sitting by me and listening to the Andante of my Quartet, burst into tears.” This celebrity-author of War and Peace then invited Tchaikovsky and the four string players to choose their favorites among his novels, which he inscribed to them; Tchaikovsky requested and received The Cossacks.

The second movement of the string quartet - Andante cantabile, with its serenely beautiful melodies, and melancholic yet charming lyricism, earns great popularity and had often been performed as a standalone movement. Tchaikovsky himself made a concert arrangement for cello and string orchestra in 1888.

While there are numerous cello ensemble transcriptions of the Andante cantabile from the cello-string orchestra version featuring a soloist accompanied by other cellists, this cello quartet transcription is based on the original string quartet version where melodic material is shared by all four parts. Original slurs and articulation markings are kept as much as possible, while fingerings and bowings by the arranger are added. This transcription can be played by a cello quartet or larger cello ensemble. The “divisi” markings are for the larger ensemble only.

-Ka-Wai Yu