Title: Quartet No. 2, Op. 92
Description: During that critical period of World War II in 1941 when the German armies were advancing all too rapidly on Moscow, the Soviet government evacuated a number of its important creative artists to safer areas. Prokofieff went to Nalchik in the Caucasus. It was here during the early part of 1942 that the String Quartet No. 2 in F Major, Op. 92 was composed. Nalchik which is located in the Karbardinao-Balkaria Autonomous Republic, is surrounded by a rich musical folklore. Prokofieff became very much interested in it and drew the thematic materials for his quartet from this little explored source. Like his first string quartet, the second is also written in three movements. Both of the first movements are written in the conventional sonata-allegro form, but the second movement of the first quartet is a brilliant scherzo, while the parallel portion of the second quartet is a lovely slow movement based on a Caucasian love song. In effect, Prokofieff has simply reversed procedures in the last two movements of these quartets, for the finale of Opus 50 is slow and lyrical, while the final movement of his latest quartet is wild and free, based on the weird and brilliant dance music of the people living in the mountains of the Nalchik region. The Second String Quartet was first performed in Moscow on April 7, 1942 by the Beethoven String Quartet. In the United States it has been widely performed by several distinguished chamber music organizations and has been hailed as one of the most important additions to string quartet literature in recent years. - Lee Fairley, inside front cover.