QUATUOR Diotima’s concert was a real treat: engaging, virtuosic and satisfying. Their performance of Szymanowski’s Second String Quartet exuded authentic atmosphere from the start, with intonation spot-on. This music’s frequent changes of mood never seemed alarming or wantonly capricious, yet its expressionist angst was unmistakable.

Hearing Ravel’s Quartet immediately after the Szymanowski was illuminating. The pieces are markedly different in effect, despite their many similarities in texture. An ingratiating opening drew the audience into rapt silence; this concentration was maintained through the scherzo to the surprisingly desolate slow movement, which displayed consummate artistry in the rationing of expressive vibrato.

Schubert’s Quartet in G major, D. 887 showed this group’s equal mastery of a contrasting style. Their habitually undemonstrative manner allows Quatuor Diotima to make telling musical gestures exceptionally striking. The slow movement was an example: the anguish of the emotional outbursts was accentuated by the understated simplicity of the preceding melody. Rhythmic ambiguity in the Scherzo’s Trio was nicely pointed.

The finale went at a lick – at this speed there are many technical hazards, but the Quatuor Diotima sure-footedly surmounted them, the only jeopardy being whether they could turn the pages quickly enough! This was a reflective, coherent, deeply felt reading, constantly absorbing despite the work’s length and the admirable observance of all Schubert’s repeats.

Formed in Paris, Quatuor Diotima have now been established for 20 years, and their seemingly effortless unanimity of ensemble is achieved with imperceptible mutual signals.