Good ensemble throughout, with the elegant string tone satisfyingly bass-heavy. The star here was leader Nadja Zwiener, delivering energetic and nimble melodies, and just a touch of vibrato to colour the longer lines.

Zwiener also gave a memorable obbligato in one of the arias of the final cantata, BWV 36, subtly ornamenting the da capo, but without intruding on the melodic contour. The oboists also excelled here, putting down their oboes for more wieldy oboes d’amore, but never seeming encumbered in Bach’s long and complex accompanying lines.

Gavin Dixon – The Arts Desk