This quartet was written upon the request of Jean Stewart, a friend of Vaughan Williams's and professional viola player, and in light of this the viola part is prominent throughout. The first three movements are among the composer's darkest output: turbulent, bleak, and menacing by turn. The final movement, however, reaches a sound world of warmth and serenity reminiscent of the finale of the Fifth Symphony (the composition of this work fell between the Fifth and Sixth Symphonies, a fact that is reflected in the music language). The quartet is also influenced by Vaughan Williams's film music: the final movement is subtitled 'Greetings from Joan to Jean', in reference to the fact that the main theme was originally intended for the score of a film about Joan of Arc. The second movement, meanwhile, takes its theme from music for an escape scene in The 49th Parallel.
