This Quartet has 4 movements: 00:02 - I. Moderato 05:11 - II. Allegro 10:50 - III. Largo - attacca: 15:27 - IV. Allegro non troppo Performers: Ilya Ioff (1st. Violin) Elena Raskova (2nd. Violin) Lydia Kovalenko (Viola) Alexey Massarsky (Cello) The Second Quartet (written in 1961, one year before the completion of the epic Piano Quintet, a milestone in Boris Tchaikovsky's career) is minor-colored. The four movements are different facets of one image. The strain is not relieved in any of its movements. The opus offers no clear image or theme contrast. Each movement is just a tint, a new phase of development of the initial status. The essence of the quartet is constant motion,restrained in tempo but active (in the 1st, 2nd, and 4th movement), and slow in the 3rd movement.The 2nd movement combines a march element and harsh scherzo accents. It is interesting that the march attitude is combined with non-quadratic elements and rhythmic drop-outs. The strain does not disappear, either, in the opus's lyrical center, i.e. in the 3rd movement. Solo episodes reminding thoughtful sincere utterances or monologues are of great importance in it. The emotional sequence of the Second Quartet is strain that cannot find a way out. The opus has no general culmination, it has no resolution, or summary, or conclusion. It does not end, but seems to withdraw. ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_xHa2MLQkI