Had Chausson finished his String Quartet, it would surely have taken its place alongside the Concert in D and the Piano Quartet among his best-known chamber works. It was planned with the conventional four movements, but only two were completed; the scherzo-like third movement, finished by d’Indy, fails to round off the whole in an entirely satisfactory way, though all three movements are finely wrought. The Chilingirian play this highly romantic work in a boldly expressive style, their excellent balance and rhythmic sense helping to make the often complex textures very clear. The Quatuor Ludwig, with their smoother, less varied manner, make the tres calme second movement a more intense experience – it occasionally sounds somewhat like the exactly contemporary Verklarte Nacht – but on balance I prefer the Chilingirian’s more flowing speed (seven minutes rather than 10) and far greater contrast of texture and articulation. Their livelier, more sharply etched playing is a distinct advantage in the other movements, too.
Chausson’s inspiration is predominantly lyrical; d’Indy’s more eclectic style tends to the dramatic. Coming fresh to the First Quartet, I was struck by the echoes of Franck, his teacher; of late Beethoven, with several moments that recall the Ninth Symphony; and by pre-echoes of the quartet Debussy was shortly to write. D’Indy, with his purposeful formal sense and contrapuntal mastery, somehow welds this mixture together convincingly, except perhaps in the finale, where the folksy jollity doesn’t fit too well alongside the darker ideas recalled from earlier movements. The performance is really impressive; poised and with fine tone and passionate delivery, backed by typically well- balanced Hyperion recordings.'