2014 is the centenary year of Andrzej Panufnik and, while his orchestral music has received attention, his innovative string quartets remain neglected. Bitter-sweet harmonies characterise the First Quartet. The Second Quartet, whose subtitle ‘Messages’ refers to the mysterious sounds of telegraph poles vibrating in the wind, is notable for its motivic coherence and emotional intensity. The Third Quartet, subtitled ‘Wycinanki’, a reference to paper cuts familiar in Polish rustic art, ends with one of Panufnik’s most moving statements. Lutoslawski’s dramatic and experimental String Quartet was written when he was at the forefront of the European avant-garde.