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It is 50 years since the eminent violinist Eli Goren founded the Allegri String Quartet with second violinist James Barton, violist Patrick Ireland and cellist William Pleeth - rapidly establishing themselves as Britain's (and, indeed, Britten's) - best-loved quartet after the Amadeus. But where the older group cultivated a tremulous sweetness of sound, the Allegri always went for a plainer, perhaps more deeply penetrating manner - not to say, more adventurous programming. And this approach was maintained by Hugh Maguire when he succeeded Goren as leader, and passed on in turn to Peter Carter in 1976.
With the other founder-members long retired, Carter now finds himself veteran leader to...