The Orpheus Quartet doesn't use this music as a vehicle for its virtuosity; and they don't draw attention to their spot-on ensemble, immaculate intonation and tonal finesse, though they possess all these qualities. Take the Presto finale of Op 18 No 3. The sense of pace is in harmony with the horse-drawn rather than the jet-driven; every note speaks, every phrase tells and the overall effect is all the more exhilarating. Generally speaking, the Orpheus find the tempo giusto throughout. They remain attuned to the sensibility of the period and relate their pace to a dance movement in a manner that their rivals have lost. There's something very natural about the players' music-making. They're inside these scores and convey their involvement; no auto pilot, no ersatz feeling, no exaggerated or mechanised sforzatos. What a relief! The recording is bright and clean.