In October 1874, Tchaikovsky is on record as considering it his finest work. "I regard it as my best work; no other piece has poured forth from me so simply and easily. I wrote it almost at one sitting. (from letter to his brother Modest, quoted in reference ). Also, later (quoted in the chapter '1879-1881'), "I wrote that music (Vakula) with affection and with delight, just as I did... the Second Quartet" (from letter to Nadezhda von Meck, ibid).

Date of composition 1874 (December 1873 to January 1874)
Premiered 1874, March 22nd in Moscow, Russia
First published 1875 in Moscow, Russia
Dedicated to Dedicated to Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich of Russia
Type String Quartet
Catalogue Op. 22
Approx. duration 36 minutes
Instruments String Quartet
Autotranslations beta Piotr Ilitch Tchaïkovski: Quatuor à cordes n°2, Op. 22
Pëtr Il'ič Čajkovskij: Quartetto d'archi n. 2, Op. 22
Pjotr Iljitsch Tschaikowski: Streichquartett Nr. 2, Op. 22