The string quartet is at the very heart of 20th-century British music, encompassing some of the quintessential works of the chamber music repertory. This compendium features fine examples of the genre, revealing the precocious talents of Benjamin Britten and John Ireland, the quicksilver craftsmanship of Frank Bridge and Alan Rawsthorne, the captured sunshine of Edward Elgars writing and the evocative pastoral renderings of Arthur Bliss and Arnold Bax. Although the musical styles of each of the composers featured in this collection are unique, their contributions are unified by an innate understanding and mastery of the string quartet form.

Alwyn: Novelette
Alwyn: String Quartet No. 1 in D minor
Alwyn: String Quartet No. 2 (Spring Waters) (c. 1978)
Alwyn: String Quartet No. 3 (c. 1985)
Arnold: Phantasy for String Quartet “Vita Abundans” (1941)
Arnold: String Quartet No. 1, Op. 23
Arnold: String Quartet No. 2, Op. 118
Bax: Adagio ma non troppo 'Cathaleen-ni-Hoolihan', from String Quartet in E major
Bax: Lyrical Interlude for string quintet
Bax: String Quartet No. 1 in G major
Bax: String Quartet No. 2 in A minor
Bax: String Quartet No. 3 in F major
Berkeley, L: String Quartet No. 1, Op. 6 (1935)
Berkeley, L: String Quartet No. 2, Op. 15
Berkeley, L: String Quartet No. 3, Op. 76 (1970)
Bliss: Clarinet Quintet
Bliss: Conversations for Flute, Oboe, Violin, Viola and Cello
Bliss: String Quartet in A major
Bliss: String Quartet No. 1 in B flat major
Bliss: String Quartet No. 2 in F minor
Bridge: An Irish Melody, "Londonderry Air"
Bridge: Novelletten
Bridge: Phantasie in F minor for string quartet
Bridge: Phantasy in F sharp minor for piano quartet
Bridge: String Quartet No. 1 in E minor 'Bologna'
Bridge: String Quartet No. 2 in G minor
Bridge: String Quartet No. 3
Bridge: String Quartet No. 4
Bridge: Three Idylls
Bridge: Three Pieces
Britten: Alla Marcia
Britten: Quartettino
Britten: Simple Symphony, Op. 4
Britten: String Quartet No. 1 in D major, Op. 25
Britten: String Quartet No. 2 in C major, Op. 36
Britten: String Quartet No. 3, Op. 94
Britten: Three Divertimenti
Elgar: Piano Quintet in A minor, Op. 84
Elgar: String Quartet in E minor, Op. 83
Ireland: String Quartet No. 1 in D minor
Ireland: String Quartet No. 2 in C minor
Ireland: The Holy Boy
Moeran: String Quartet No. 1 in A minor
Moeran: String Quartet No. 2 in E flat major
Moeran: String Trio in G major (1931), R.59
Rawsthorne, A: String Quartet No. 1 'Theme & Variations'
Rawsthorne, A: String Quartet No. 2
Rawsthorne, A: String Quartet No. 3
Rawsthorne, A: Theme and Variations for Two Violins
Rubbra: Amoretti
Rubbra: Ave Maria Gratia Plena
Rubbra: Piano Trio in One Movement op.68
Rubbra: String Quartet No.1 in F minor op.35
Rubbra: String Quartet No.2 in E flat op.73
Rubbra: String Quartet No.3 op.112
Rubbra: String Quartet No.4 op.150
Vaughan Williams: Phantasy Quintet
Vaughan Williams: String Quartet No. 1 in G minor
Vaughan Williams: String Quartet No. 2 in A minor
Walton: Piano Quartet
Walton: String Quartet in A Minor