The Artea Quartet have been playing together for 15 years so it’s a neat choice to record Schubert’s 15th Quartet. The irony is that each of its members is so in demand that quartet-playing has taken something of a back seat, which makes the decision to record this of all works either brave or foolhardy, depending on whether the results appeal.

The vast plains of Schubert’s opening movement unfold at an unhurried pace, which is not a problem if the reading is sufficiently gripping. But there were times when I hankered after more forward impetus (for instance, from 5'21" in the first movement), while the tremolo passage that leads back into the exposition repeat sounded relatively pain-free, compared to the edge-of-madness conjured by some ensembles.

In the Andante, too, I felt the reading was just too slow. How much more natural the recent Doric performance sounds by comparison. But it’s not merely down to the pacing: the Artea are more conventionally warm in the opening theme, the Doric altogether more intriguing in their spectral colouring. To put it in context, the Artea’s account is at the opposite end of the spectrum to the Belcea’s, so if you find that too raw by half, then this might be more to your taste.

Comparison with the Melos Quartet is also interesting as, in essence, they’re not worlds apart. Yet listen to the Scherzo and how much more spirited the older group sound; the Artea only really come to life in the bucolic Trio, which is charmingly coloured, its Ländler-like mood irresistible.

But in the finale fresh doubts arise as they fail to capture the opening motif’s minor-major nervousness and underplay the drive and the drama of the movement as a whole. It doesn’t have to be fast to work (though how potent the Belcea are here); the Melos are not dissimilar in speed but reveal more of the slithering instability of the main theme, while allowing the inner voices more prominence. A pity, as this slight miss-hit is beautifully recorded.