Undeservedly overshadowed by his two string quartets and piano trios, the small pieces for violin or cello and piano differ from those mainly by having partly salonesque titles and a more intimate expression. Arensky’s duo pieces are among the best of their genre from the 'Moscow School'.

Published in 1900, the Quintet in D major op.51 for piano, two violins, viola and cello, exemplifies the mature style of the 40-year-old composer. Its cyclic elements and formal density herald a new departure. The priority given to the piano and the variation movement (also with a salonesque waltz) suggest the influence of Tchaikowsky’s Piano Trio in A minor Op.50.