Carter's Second String Quartet (1959) is structured as a drama in which each of the four players assumes a distinct and largely independent role; the composer even recommends that the members of the ensemble separate themselves spatially, though few quartets choose to do this, as it increases the already imposing technical difficulties of the piece. In contrast to the traditional view of the string quartet, in which homogeneiety is often a primary goal, the Second Quartet demands four individuals who observe and comment on one another as the music progresses. Carter further explored this idea of musical discourse among multiple, often conflicting personalities in the two great concerti of the following decade, the Double Concerto (1961) for piano, harpsichord, and chamber orchestras, and the Piano Concerto (1967). In both of these works, the soloists and orchestras occupy the sort of distinct, even opposing musical realms that are integral to the Second Quartet.

Each of the players in the Second Quartet assumes a unique voice: The first violin is instructed to play in a largely bravura manner, the cello takes on a Romantic character, and so on. The work's four main movements are separated by cadenzas, each featuring one of the instruments in a prominent role while the remaining players provide commentary on the musings of the soloist. The viola is the first member of the quartet to present a cadenza, which unfolds in a broad expressive manner. Throughout this passage the other three players burst in with violent exclamations, as though in anger at the viola's self-centeredness or in ridicule of its pompous manner. The ensuing Presto scherzando is followed by a cadenza for the cello, which struggles to preserve an atmosphere of freedom and melodiousness against the metric rigor demanded by the rest of the ensemble. The first violin's cadenza, which follows the lyrical Andante espressivo, is full of virtuosic highlights yet meets with no response whatsoever from the other three players. Significantly, there is no cadenza for the second violin, perhaps because of the rigid character of its part throughout the work.

Carter endeavors in the Second Quartet to emphasize the relationships between the players in the ensemble rather than imposing a preconceived dramatic structure. Instead of merely presenting the composer's musical ideas to an audience, the individual players are asked to actively join in the creation of the musical drama, each in a specific role. Carter added new dimension to the idea of chamber music by fusing a centuries-old genre and traditional musical performance with elements of theater, an innovation which exerted much influence on generations of American composers.

Both the Second Quartet and its successor, the Third (1971), were awarded the Pulitzer Prize, in no small part due to the expertise and commitment of the Juilliard Quartet at the works' premieres and in numerous subsequent performances.

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