The Liverpudlian George Loughlin (1914–84) was appointed professor of music at the University of Melbourne in 1958, remaining in that post for 21 years. That he was also a composer was generally unknown – a former colleague, hearing one of the pieces on this album, exclaimed: ‘That’s George?’ The earliest works here are audibly by an English composer, one who knew his Vaughan Williams, and blend an honest sincerity with fleet-footed wit. The approach of the later pieces is more philosophical and searching, the harmony more at ease with dissonance and the melodic lines more angular – in both peppy counterpoint and long-breathed lyricism.

The name of the Darlington String Quartet came about through its association with the highly successful Darlington Chamber Music Series, in the Perth Hills, Western Australia. Having played together for decades, the members of the Darlington String Quartet officially formed the ensemble in 2016. As well as performing much of the standard quartet repertoire, the Quartet musicians are also strong advocates for new music and have close associations with a number of West Australian composers. In 2022, the Darlington Quartet was appointed Quartet in Residence at the Western Australia Academy of the Performing Arts and are joint heads of the string department.