It’s most pleasant to meet an unknown composer from the past. János Végh (1845-1918) came from an aristocratic family and became Justice of the Hungarian Supreme Court, but music remained a dominant interest throughout his life. These string quartets have never been published; their regular form reveals a composer keen to follow classical traditions and a generally intimate tone suggests they may have been aimed at gifted amateur performers, rather than the concert hall. However, Végh’s command of complex chromatic harmony shows a composer in touch with the progressive trends of his time (he was a friend of Lizst and attended the 1876 premiere of The Ring), and the quartets show no traces of amateurishness. I particularly enjoyed the first movements and andantes of the quartets in D and in G minor, where Végh goes beyond inventiveness and expertise to create structures with emotional power. The Andante of the D major work contrasts a tranquil, somewhat Schumannesque opening with an intensely passionate middle section.

Another fascinating piece is the ‘Serenatina’ in the F major Quartet, a playful movement featuring a theme exploiting portamentos, alternating with Mendelssohnian quick passages. I imagine that Végh will have indicated these slides, elegantly executed by the Authentic Quartet. Elsewhere, however, the group eschews the use of portamento, ubiquitous in 19th-century string-playing, and intended to bring out the emotional content of the music. As a result, despite beautifully blended sound, the performances sound less ‘authentic’ than they might. But this shouldn’t put you off sampling some distinctive and enjoyable music, very well presented.