When we think of Scotish composers, not a lot of names come readily to mind. There's Malcolm Arnold, of course, and Edvard Grieg was of Scotish descent, at least. But who else?

The music of Sotsman Sir John Blackwood McEwen (1868-1948) has been surfacing in recordings lately. Chandos has already released a CD of his solo piano music and this is the third release volume of an ongoing string quartet project.

Born in the Scottish border town of Haswick and formally educated in Glasgow, he nevertheless centred his career in London. He wrote a certain amount of orchestral music, including five symphonies, but chamber music seems to have been his major love. He even left a substantial bequest to promote the composition and performance of Scottish chamber music.

The notes accompanying the CD say that his music is "characterized by the folk traditions and landscape of Scotland, but infused with the colour of French impressionism." You can hear both of those in these quartets, but there is also a pleasing if generic late-Romantic sound and feel. McEwen's harmonic and formal language is at about the same level of modernity as that of Grieg, though the comparison shouldn't be taken much further than that.

The Chilingirian Quartet plays this music superbly and inhabit McEwen's musical world with ease and a genial assurance. The Chandos sound is, as ever, natural and transparent.