There were several \"slow movements\" that popped into my head whilst writing this, and may to some extent have had an influence. These include the slow movement from Nielsen\'s 2nd Symphony (Four Temperaments), the slow movement from Tippett\'s Concerto for Double String Orchestra, both of which perhaps can be heard in the leaning rhythm of the early phrases of the 1st movement (recapitulated at the end). Howard Skempton\'s \"Tendrils\" also inspired me to start this quartet. The second movement interpolates whole-tone fast sections with two slower \"trio\" sections which utilise some of the tone-rows from the first movement. Much of this movement was written without any instruments to hand, sitting on the patio of a holiday cottage looking over Whitsand Bay in Cornwall, May 2006. The third movement is based around my own improvisations using some of the tone rows from the first movement. The scenario can be interpreted as an argument between the two violins. The viola mediates, the cello can\'t decide between one point of view or the other. A general free-for all ensues, followed by the two violins not talking whilst the viola and cello ponder the whole situation at the end of the movement. The fourth movement is an adagio with two interruptions by faster, rhythmic, music. Both of these short episodes are firmly super ceded by the continuation of the slowly unfolding music based around two of the first movement\'s tone-rows. I\'d originally intended two further movements, although this movement began to sound rather final to me. I realised the work was concluding as I wrote, therefore I decided to allow this work, which appeared to now have taken control of its own growth, to lead me to its final statement. Peter Marsh, Hampshire, 2009