String Quartet No. 1 (Villa-Lobos)

String Quartet No. 1 is the first of 17 works in the genre by the Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos, originally written in Nova Friburgo in 1915 and extensively revised in 1946.

Villa-Lobos composed his First Quartet in Nova Friburgo, Brazil in 1915, originally under the title Suíte de Quartetos de Corda: Suíte Graciosa and in just three movements: "Cantilena" (Andante), "Cançonetinha Grega" (Allegretto), and "Brinquedo". This version, the manuscript of which is dated 5 March 1915, was given its first performance privately at the home of the Brazilian composer, pianist, and teacher Homero de Sá Barreto (1884–1924), on 3 December 1915. The score of this version, which was never given a public performance, is dedicated to the Quarteto de Friburgo, for whom it was written.

In 1946, believing the original manuscript to have been lost, Villa-Lobos rewrote the score, adding three movements and retitling the work, String Quartet No. 1. This version was performed in Rio de Janeiro for the first time by the Iacovino Quartet on 7 August 1946.

A typical performance lasts approximately 18 minutes.