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This disc is recorded at rather a high volume level. On top of that the sound-quality is more than a little edgy and penetrating, particularly in respect of the first violin. So I think that my first duty as a reviewer is to advise anyone hearing the set for the first time to reduce the volume-setting as a precaution. I didn’t, and my ears were assaulted with an acid forte that I would not wish on anyone else, particularly as this is exceptionally pleasant music played with outstanding sympathy and insight.The sound-quality is actually quite liveable-with provided we start with reasonable expectations. Technical proficiency is something that we can take for granted from today’s quartets, and I see that these recording sessions are from just over a year ago. More importantly, these players seem completely at home with the style and idiom of the works, and there are even some points to be made in favour of the recording, notably in respect of balance and range of tone. Tempi strike me as reasonable throughout, the players’ affection for what they are playing is evident, and the whole experience is motivating me to hear some more of this series. This is #17 of 17, I picked the disc at random without even noticing that because I like prime numbers, but this is not music that fills me with any ungovernable desire to hear all the rest of it. Beethoven wrote 17 quartets and I could not be without any of them. 17 well-filled discs from Spohr make me aware that I have a menu available to me that I can choose from as I please.This is a project that I want to support to such extent as I reasonably can, and that I would like to encourage others to support as well. The booklet is helpful as it should be when the music is not overly familiar to most music-lovers, with two learned essays and some background material on the performers. This is not a review of the music itself, but it’s worth saying that Spohr’s melodic inspiration is what I might call ‘genuine’ like Mozart’s or Haydn’s, and not manufactured as I suspect may have to be the verdict on Berwald’s. I should have world enough and time for at least some more of this agreeable music, and if you have more of these commodities to look forward to then Spohr’s quartets are a byway where you might profitably carry out a treasure-hunt.