After an intense period of creative activity in Oslo, Edvard Grieg moved to Hardanger with his wife Nina in 1877. Within a few years, he composed numerous important works there, including his String Quartet No. 1 in G minor, which stands out from his other compositions due to its dense sonic structure and rich musical texture. For this quartet, Grieg drew on the melody of his song "Spillemaend," which serves as a central motif connecting all the movements. The work was praised as particularly impressive by Franz Liszt.
During his time in Copenhagen, Grieg repeatedly faced artistic doubts, yet still found the inspiration to compose parts of his String Quartet No. 2 in F major. He planned to complete this piece in Oslo, but the music remained unfinished and preoccupied him until the end of his life. Despite his desire to complete the work, he lacked the peace and quiet and the necessary conditions to do so.
The unfinished quartet was a source of long-standing regret for Grieg. Eventually, the manuscript came into the possession of his friend Julius Röntgen, who completed the first two movements. These were performed privately, with renowned musicians playing unusual instruments. Public performances remained rare, but in 1996 the work was performed by the Chilingirian Quartet in Norway. Levon Chilingirian arranged the first two movements to present Grieg's original version.