Written during Bacewicz' notably neoclassical era of composition, this quartet preceded her later use of Polish folk tunes as seen in her String Quartet No.4. Featuring frequent polyphonic use of contrary motion, interweaving melodic lines, whole tone scales, and chromatic passages, the quartet is more based in triadic harmony than that of her later works which feature attempts at more avant garde compositional techniques such as serialism, though it is still not entirely tonal and contains many gestures and phrases without a traditional cadence. All 3 movements have a key signature with no sharps or flats, however are not particularly in the associated keys of C major or A minor. This can be seen clearly in the opening of the first movement, which arrives at a section which could be considered in D Major, however is notated entirely with accidentals. This work includes detailed markings of bowings, styles, articulations, intended strings on which to play, and expressive gestures such as downward glissandos. Bacewicz distinctly orchestrated large sections of the quartet to harmonically allow the frequent use of open strings and their respective natural harmonics throughout all three movements.
