Andante cantabile, op. 11

The Andante cantabile is the second movement of Tchaikovsky’s String Quartet No. 1 in D major, op. 11, composed in 1871. Its main theme is based on a Russian folk melody that Tchaikovsky is said to have heard during a visit to Ukraine. With its simple and heartfelt tone, the Andante cantabile soon became one of Tchaikovsky’s most beloved slow movements – even Leo Tolstoy was reportedly moved to tears by it.

In the arrangement for cello and string orchestra, the lyrical character of the solo instrument comes to the fore. The cello’s warm, melancholic line unfolds above a gentle, finely woven string texture, creating a moment of quiet intensity and emotional depth.