Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Like most composers, Tchaikovsky often arranged or reworked earlier compositions. This Andante Cantabile is an arrangement for cello and string orchestra of the second movement of his String Quartet No. 1, the most popular of his chamber works.

The character of the music remains essentially the same in this version, though, naturally, the focus shifts more heavily to the solo cello. Of course, anyone familiar with the Quartet will know that much of the writing is in the middle ranges of the violins and viola and would thus adapt reasonably well to the cello. The piece opens with a lovely, if somewhat solemn theme, whose pacing may seem slower than the Andante marking given in the score. The brighter alternate melody works up some tension in its two brief appearances, but the piece is dominated by the sweet main theme, which, upon its final return, turns more gentle and reflective.

A typical performance of the Andante Cantabile lasts from six to seven minutes.