CHARLES VILLIERS STANFORD (1852-1924): String Quartets No. 1 in G, Op. 44 and No. 2 in A Minor, Op. 45, Fantasy for Horn Quartet in A Minor (ed. Jeremy Dibble).

Description: The two quartets are from 1891 and are light in texture (more Mendelssohn than Brahms in that respect) while still full of contrapuntal ingenuity as well as much lovely melody (maybe no one writes such ingratiating and instantly memorable melody as Raff but Stanford comes close, as collectors of his symphonies and Irish Rhapsodies will know). The late horn quintet (1922), edited for this recording, telescopes four movements into a single, 12-minute form and makes a worthy addition to a very small genre. Stephen Stirling (horn), RTÉ Vanbrugh Quartet. Original 2005 Hyperion release (03G050).