Pehr Henrik Nordgren (1944–2008) has an output that is both extensive and diverse. He drew inspiration from such sources as Finnish and Japanese folk music, and his music has a strong narrative element. And although it is often described as being painted in dark hues, there are also flashes of hope. He composed some 40 works for chamber ensemble during his lifetime. He began his professional career as a composer of music in this genre with his first string quartet in 1967 and ended it with his eleventh, premiered more than four decades later and only a month before his death. The Kokkola Quartet is violinists Reijo Tunkkari and Annica Brannkarr, violist Hanna Pakkala, and cellist Lauri Pulakka. The ensemble had a close relationship with the composer, with several of his string quartets being written specifically for them.