Carl Vine has emerged as one of Australia’s foremost and popular composers, his music performed and heard regularly in concert halls. His 5 string quartets – 3 of them recorded here for the first time – are alive with beauty, wit and humour. Vine’s first string quartet – Knips Suite, was written in London for choreographer Ian Spink to accompany a dance for the Basic Space Dance Group for performances in Edinburgh in 1979.

Formed in 1995, and still retaining all founding members, the Goldner String Quartet is named after Richard Goldner, founder of the original and the world’s largest chamber music organisation, Musica Viva Australia. The players are all well known to Australian and international audiences through solo performances and recordings, for amongst others Hyperion and Naxos. All members have occupied principal positions in organisations such as the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and Australian Chamber Orchestra.