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The year 2020 will forever be remembered. Never before have we known life to come to such a complete halt. For the past several months we have had lots of time. Time to think, and time to sort out what is important and what is not. Time for tidying up, time for organising shelves of music scores, attic rooms, sheds and gardens; in short, time for getting caught up with things that have been put off. This relative tranquility has allowed us to take out and finish old projects, like the knitting of a sweater perhaps, or how about finally completing and releasing a recording? Recordings of two towering works of the string quartet literature have been waiting for this opportunity to emerge. Now they are here. A musical excursion — Jean Sibelius’s string quartet “Voces intimae”, which, according to the composer, would elicit a smile from his deathbed, and Guiseppe Verdi’s sole instrumental work, a magnificent journey to the musically unconventional land of Italy. Both quartets stand out from the rest of Vertavo’s repertoire, and for this reason the two lone wolves are presented here on the same album. Vertavo String Quartet is recognised internationally as one of the most exciting string quartets playing today. Since its formation in Norway in 1984, Vertavo’s inspired performances and unique sound have captivated audiences wherever it has appeared. The quartet performs in major international concert halls and tours Europe, Scandinavia and the USA. It has been invited to appear at prestigious festivals and chamber music venues, including Wigmore Hall in London, the Royal Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, and Carnegie Hall in New York City.