Quality oozes from their playing. Individually they are highly accomplished and collectively they sound fresh and vigorous with exceptional balance and unison.

The distinguishing feature that kept recurring was fulsome, homogeneous, rich tone, instantly noticeable in a musicianly Bartók No 2, its first movement building to overwhelming intensity, the second vibrant and technically assured, and the third's sombre desolation admirably captured and sustained.

Debussy's solitary quartet was even finer with broad splashes of velvety sound lavished on the surging passion of the first movement and, later, a wonderfully expressive andantino.

Approaching it boldly, the Badke were not too profound (a benefit of being young) in the sadness that permeates Mozart's K421 quartet (No 15), an irresistible, memorable highlight being the ray of sunshine that is the trio of the menuetto, delightfully skipped through by first violin Heather Badke.

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