Details: Death and the Maiden, Schubert's disturbing, death-obsessed quartet, composed in the winter of 1822/3 when he was suffering from the syphilis that would eventually take his life at the age of 31, has become one of his most performed works. The opening bars are electrifying, proving without a doubt, that the early romantic age in music had dawned. Berlin based Kuss Quartet perform the piece alongside contemporary works by Schiphorst and André, two composers the quartet have championed.