The dates of composition of the First String Quartet are known with unusual precision: Enescu began work on it at midnight of the (orthodox) Romanian New Year, 14 January 1916, at the Villa Copou in Iași.

[3][1]) The quartet is in four movements: This is an exceptionally long and thematically complex work, in which Enescu transmutes traditional structures, requiring repeated hearings if listeners are to keep their bearings.

In short, it is precisely because of the composer's wealth of invention on the levels of form, melody, rhythm, timbre, and harmony, that this work is not best suited as an introduction to Enescu's music.

[5] The first movement is in sonata-allegro form, though Enescu’s characteristic use of evolutionary processes and transformations results in the inclusion of some developmental passages within the exposition, as well as continuous variation of the melodic material there.

[6] The main theme is presented at the outset, over a pedal E♭ in the cello, but moves quickly on to the keys of C major and F minor, in a series of developing variations.