The string quartet has always been seen as the musical equivalent of a gentlemanly chat, but an evening with the Gringolts Quartet takes things much further, regaling listeners with unbridled inspiration, flashes of dialogue and exchanges of ideas. This stems not only from the robust, coherent and logical thread that winds all the way from Haydn to Schönberg (before finally returning to Brahms’ late romanticism) but also the chamber ensemble's unquestioned brilliance. The Gringolts quartet, based in Zurich since 2008, is perfectly balanced in both its structure (two men and two women) and playing, and its vibrancy and captivating performance style make it a shining example of everything a modern quartet should be.