On hearing from Duncan Strachan, the ‘cellist of the Maxwell Quartet, in his excellent introduction that they had just received a Five Star review in The Times for their most recent Haydn recording, we knew we were about to enjoy a wonderful concert. Their refreshingly unconventional programme opened with a Gaelic psalm arrangement which transported us to the Western Isles of Scotland. The cello introduced the theme which was then improvised upon by the other instruments, producing an atmospheric cascade of extemporary sound which reminded me of the calls of seals. A subtle transition then took us into a group of rhythmic, foot-tapping Scottish jigs and reels which made for a very energetic start to the programme.

As a complete contrast William Byrd’s Ave Verum Corpus brought us back to the religious music theme of the evening. It was fascinating to hear a piece originally written for voices played so delicately and cleanly with a palette of sound which was very much that of a consort of Viols. It led seamlessly into another Gaelic psalm arrangement this time led by the viola player Elliott Perks – the honorary Scotsman in the quartet. The mellifluous lines of each statement by the “precentor” were echoed by the other instruments in a beautiful kaleidoscope of sound. A wistful Strathspey followed, soon transforming into another rhythmic slip-jig and reel.

The final work in the first half was Quartet No.1 ‘Aloysius’, written in 2018 by Edmund Finnis, Professor of Composition at the Royal Academy of Music in London. It continued the theme of the programme by reflecting on an old hymn arranged by William Byrd Christe, qui lux es. Making extensive use of harmonics, ably demonstrated to the audience before the piece was performed, an ethereal and delicate texture was created for much of the first three movements. In the fourth movement the wandering lines were brought to a halt by chordal writing, echoing the Byrd we had heard earlier in the programme. The final movement returned to the delicate timbres of earlier movements, reminding us of the Gaelic psalmody, but grew more assertive towards the last cadence. The Maxwell’s well-paced performance illustrated that contemporary writing for strings is alive and imaginative.

The monumental work of the programme came in the second half with Beethoven’s late String Quartet in a Minor, Opus 132. While Duncan Strachan sorted out his chair, Elliott Perks pointed out the main features of the work. He urged us to look out for the ‘epigraph’ or personal signature of four notes which appears throughout the work and is designed to echo the discomfort that Beethoven himself felt through his ill health. The third movement by complete contrast is a positive ‘Hymn of Thanksgiving to God’ for overcoming the illness, creating the link with the evening’s theme.

In the performance the quartet created a mystical atmosphere and the lyrical playing of the first violinist, Colin Scobie, did much to enhance the interplay and conversation between all the instruments. The hymn-like quality of the opening of the third movement contrasted magically with the energetic control of the opening movements. As the quartet came to its conclusion, we could almost have forgotten that we were listening to music composed in 1825, so modern and creative was Beethoven’s imagination.

The Maxwell Quartet gave us a very exciting and contemporary interpretation of Beethoven’s late work and the enthusiasm with which the audience greeted the performance paid tribute to all the thought and preparation that had been put into the performance.