The fifth movement of Australian composer Richard Meale’s String Quartet No.2 has long had a life of its own. Dedicated to the recent loss of a dear friend, Meale’s Cantilena Pacifica achieved stand-alone fame for its lyrical violin stretching mournfully over a gentle accompaniment.

Named after, and taking inspiration from, a song he had written many years earlier, Schubert’s Death and the Maiden – a meditation on the fragility of mortality – is one of the composer’s most acclaimed works.

Written at a time when Schubert himself was unwell, Death and the Maiden tells the story of a woman pleading with Death to spare her. Pulsing with intense emotion and drama, the stormy passages and gentle melodies throughout remain proof of Schubert’s brilliant lyricism and provide an unforgettable listening experience.