Everyone knows Sibelius’s orchestral works – even if you don’t think you do, you’ve probably heard his enormously famous Finlandia at least once – which are stirring and sublime in character. I was delighted to discover that his string quartets are made of exactly the same stuff. With lush harmonies and delightful melodies peppering his String Quartets No 2 and No 4, I’ve had this new album on repeat since it arrived on my doorstep.

The other fantastic part of this recording is that it’s performed by Melbourne’s own Flinders Quartet. Their other two albums have been rotated on and off the stereo since they were released, not only because of their innovative style but also for their pure musicianship. This comes through again strongly in the recording of the Sibelius String Quartets. These four musicians sound like they’ve been playing together for a lifetime – each by turn effortlessly blending with the others and allowing them their moments as soloists. The opening conversation between the violin and cello is fantastic and it’s one of those sunshine moments when you first hear the four of them together. The only small sad thing about this recording is that I wish the other two string quartets were also included. We’ll just have to hope for a companion album in the years to come.

Kate Rockstrom