Charles Koechlin was known as a charming and highly honest man and the works on this CD confirm that it is beyond doubt that he suffered a great sense of shock as the First World War unraveled.

Although there is no suggestion that it was a conscious decision, in the works presented on this CD, one can hear the sense of anger Koechlin suffered, especially in the Scherzo of the third quartet, the horror he felt at the slaughter led to the birth of the Piano Quintet.

Performed by the Antigone Quartet and accompanied by pianist Sarah Lavaud, this disc is a wonderful representation of the French music scene at the time of World War 1.