One of the greatest moments in the classical repertoire occurs 31 bars into the slow movement of Beethoven’s late A minor Quartet (that’s at around 3’12” into track 7 on this particular recording). After the solemnly archaic sounds of music cast ‘in the Lydian Mode’, the sun suddenly breaks through, adagio molto turns to andante and the sick composer sings a prayer of thanksgiving. He’d at last recovered – and surely no music before or since so vividly expresses the sensation of an emotional weight being lifted.

The Endellion Quartet do a nice job, pacing the Adagio judiciously then, come the chirping birdsong of the Andante, effortlessly easing into the new tempo. ‘Nicely’ I say, but not especially movingly. Their sound is a trifle nondescript in comparison with, say, the Hagens who although more stylised are also more appreciative of dynamic contrasts (especially in the Andante) which helps make their comparatively broad speed for the passage sound quicker than it actually is. The Takács are different again, more intense and vibrantly expressive than either the Hagens or the Endellions and with a slower overall tempo for the movement as a whole.

This is the second volume of the Endellions’ projected complete set of the quartets (plus string quintets and fragments), conscientious playing, a little reserved at times perhaps, but musical and, at the mysterious onset of the development section of the A minor’s first movement, memorable. The D major Quartet from Op 18 is another fine example of considered ensemble playing where phrases ‘lift’ with just the right degree of emphasis: try the sparring between paired upper and lower strings near the start of the finale. Sensible and sensitive I’d say, but not earth-shattering.

Both recordings use texts ‘based on the latest research into all known surviving sources’, which means mistakes put right – not big mistakes (ie, whole passages cut, re-scored, re-harmonised or restored) but significant notational errors. The scholar Jonathan Del Mar offers chapter and verse in the CD booklet, and there will no doubt be some readers for whom the urtext angle alone will make purchase mandatory. Not me though: I’ll be happy to stick with the Takács and, on more adventurous days, the Hagens. Nicely balanced sound.