In these troubled times, I do find Haydn’s music a particular delight and solace (I’m surely not alone in this!). Particularly the inexhaustible quartets. Four years ago, we had two outstanding CDs of the Op. 20 quartets from the Chiaroscuro Quartet, on gut strings with what has become the quartet’s distinctive and addictive sound. And then last year, to equal acclaim, they released a recording of the first three of the Op. 76 quartets. Now we have the remaining three quartets. This has already been Radio 3’s new release of the week. It really is extraordinarily fine. All the Chiaroscuro Quartet’s virtues are here. Appropriately to their name, all their constrasts of light and shade, now exuberant, now subtly serious, passionate and then playful again, make for quite wonderful listening. Indisputably great music played by what is now an indisputably great quartet.