The string quartets of Béla Bartók punctuate the evolution of his style and the turning points in his life. The second quartet reflects the period of World War One and his troubled personal life. The fourth explores rhythm, tonality and timbre to produce magnificent and unprecedented sonorities. The sixth expresses unbearable anguish, as his dream of fraternity was shattered by the rise of nationalism and fascism. In this superb set the Jerusalem Quartet brings us the essence of the Bartókian genius.