Ives wrote that in the course of the work, the performers "converse, discuss, argue (in RE 'politick'), fight, shake hands shut up -then walk up the mountain side to view the firmament!" ves's comments in the score highlight the conversational nature of the 1st and 2nd movements. He recalls friends from his post-collegiate days and pokes fun at the academic, conservative musicians of his day - all depicted in the music. The arguments in Mvt. 2 can get heated, but the quartet put it all aside in the transcendent finale. The manuscript pages for the quartet are available for study online, at http: http://peer.ms/ives2stqt