Viewed from a purely technical standpoint this is an outstanding release. The blend of voices – within the string quartet and between the strings and piano – is ideal, the Suffolk Potton Hall acoustic free enough to allow the instruments breathing space but without sacrificing a sense of intimacy. Of the two performances, that of the First Quintet struck me as the more memorable, which is useful given that there isn’t too much in the way of competition. “The [first] quintet shows something of the discursiveness of the early string quartets,” writes Jan Smaczny in the context of an excellent note, which is certainly true, but in a performance such as this that captures the music’s often tempestuous mood (especially in the first movement), premonitions of future masterpieces abound. The Andante is even more convincing, though Richter and the Borodins (Philips, 1/86^R) are both broader overall and rather more intense (also, their Scherzo has more bite), but the build-up at the start of the mostly dancing finale is dramatically projected. Sound-wise, the Goldner Quartet achieve a warm and often radiant pooled tone, often reminding me of the late, lamented Guarneris.

The Second Quintet starts well (a beautiful cello solo from Julian Smiles) and I was glad that the ensemble observes the important first-movement exposition repeat; but while the rest is dependably musical, with pianist Piers Lane a sane yet vigorous presence at the centre of things (the Scherzo is particularly good), I couldn’t in all honesty place it above, say, Peter Frankl and the Lindsays (ASV, 6/94), Richter and the Borodins (same coupling) or Pavel Stepán and the Smetanas (Testament, 3/96), though the sound quality steals a lead on all of them.