Having studied the cello as a child, I have always felt a special affinity with string music. My introduction at the age of 14 to the music of Britten was through his first string quartet, the opening of which still fills me with awe, and his works—especially those for strings—have remained a lifelong inspiration. I am delighted, therefore, that this recording of my String Quartets Nos. 2–4 has been released, made possible by the generous support of the Richard Thomas Foundation. I have been fortunate to work closely with the Piatti Quartet over a number of years. It was they who commissioned my String Quartet No. 1 (2014), a piece they have performed extensively and recorded (Champs Hill Records 2018). Their enthusiasm encouraged me to continue exploring the genre, and—a decade later—it has been both a privilege and a huge pleasure to have another opportunity to write for them (String Quartet No. 4). -Joseph Phibbs