The association of Pavel Haas, Hans Krása and Viktor Ullman – all born in either 1898 or 1899 and perishing in Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1944 via a spell in Terezín – and the slightly older Erwin Schulhoff (b1894, died in 1942 in Wülzburg concentration camp) is long established. Together, they formed the cutting edge of Czech music following – chronologically, if not artistically – in Martinů’s wake. Their quartet output shows how strong-minded they were, not least in assimilating a wide range of influences: Janáček (Haas and, to a point, Ullmann), Schoenberg (Krása and Ullmann – the latter also studied with Hába), jazz (notably Schulhoff) and, of course, Stravinsky (all of them).

The quartets collected here arguably represent their foremost achievements in the genre. Haas’s fine Third never quite matches the élan of its predecessor (1925) with its daring optional part for percussion in the finale. This is very nicely performed by Pavel Rehberger, giving Colin Currie – who partnered the Pavel Haas Quartet in their Gramophone Award-winning recording – a good run for his money. In the Five Pieces (1923), Schulhoff achieved his most engaging composition for quartet, which at times might fool the ‘innocent ear’ into thinking it a lost Shostakovich work (as does Schulhoff’s Second Quartet), until one realises it pre-dates the premiere of the Russian’s First Symphony (let alone any of his quartets) by three years. Krása’s Theme and Variations (1935 36) is a beautifully conceived set, still relatively carefree, unlike Ullman’s quartet, composed looking out of the abyss in Terezín.

The Bennewitz Quartet, who I had not heard perform before, are a wonderfully balanced ensemble with superb intonation and internal harmony. Their accounts of all of these works are exemplary and they need fear no comparison with any of their rivals. Wonderfully warm and natural sound from Supraphon, too. A splendid disc.