The dates of this work might suggest that it is written in an early Romantic style - say, similar to that of Schumann or Mendelssohn. In fact, Spohr was a very conservative composer, highly critical even of the "modernism" of Beethoven. His music is very much in a late Classical form. It largely suffered the fate of pieces that are palpably behind the times, quickly passing out the repertory. In the late twentieth century it no longer seems important that this 1845 work would have been more at home in 1805.If this concerto had no role in the historical development of music, it still has plenty of charm and melodic appeal.

Spohr wrote thirty-eight concertos, mostly for violin, and seven for multiple instruments. This concerto is a rare example of a genuine "String Quartet Concerto," where the quartet is not treated like a concerto grosso's concertino group, but as an individual voice opposed to the full the orchestra.

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