Initial brownie points on the issue of repeats, both in the first movement (fairly crucial in my view) and the perky replacement finale. Neither are observed that often. The expressive badinage between players, the enthusiastic rough and tumble in the opening Allegro with just a smidgen of tonal darkening for the second subject, not to mention the occasional hint of a portamento, place this performance securely in the realms of an inherited European tradition. The Presto second movement has a studied insouciance about it, until the madcap Trio, while the Andante opens broadly and turns artfully into the main body of the movement, which is beautifully played, with flexible tempi and an attentive attitude to matters of balance. An affecting and warm-textured account of the lovely Cavatina is possibly the highlight of the performance, the fragmented ‘speaking’ (or sobbing) commentary near the end, marked beklemmt (heavy at heart, oppressed), eloquently expressed by lead violinist Mark Steinberg. Beyond the Cavatina comes the replacement finale, in this context light, bouncy, unassuming and maddeningly inconclusive.

I’d recently been comparing the two recordings of Op 130 by the Tokyo Quartet (both newly reissued, the first on RCA, the second on Harmonia Mundi) and happily found that both place the Grosse Fuge in its rightful position as the quartet’s finale. Once experienced in that way there’s no going back, at least not in my view. My favourite recent version of the movement is by the Belcea Quartet, who not only fail to instate the Fuge as Op 130’s denouement but programme it as part of an entirely different CD. Come on guys, at least give us the option! In any case the Brentano’s otherwise energetic performance of the Grosse Fuge is marred by numerous tiny ritardandos that spoil the flow, and, for me, the concentration, but at least the recording captures the weight of Nina Maria Lee’s excellent cello-playing. Of course not everyone will take my stance on the Grosse Fuge and as it’s the least impressive segment of this particular performance it’s hardly a vital consideration. In other respects, a strong, communicative interpretation, though I’ll be staying loyal to the Takács, Tokyo and Juilliard Quartets, all of which, as it happens, round Op 130 off with that shattering Great Fugue.