Baroque music, and especially that of J.S. Bach, however, holds a uniquely privileged place at St Anne’s, for obvious historical reasons. When the Reverend Englund came to an agreement in 1982 with Peter Lea-Cox and the Lecosaldi Ensemble to present a monthly cycle of Bach Vespers, no one dreamed that over the next twenty years almost all of Bach’s 389 chorale harmonisations would be sung there.

Throughout the period, audiences from a variety of backgrounds and faiths have regularly attended St Anne’s Vespers. “Our hope”, said Reverend Englund in a Times interview in 2004, “is that they both enjoyed the music and caught a glimpse of the Lord who inspired Bach’s glorious compositions”. Musical activities at St Anne’s naturally developed into concert cycles, and from there segued into a summer festival devoted almost exclusively to the music of Bach. A proclivity for perusals of Bach’s complete works in a variety of categories is in evidence in this year’s festival.

On 21 July flautist Rachel Latham and harpsichordist Martin Knizia will perform Bach’s Flute Sonatas, and on the 22nd Peter Lea-Cox will conduct the Lecosaldi Ensemble in an as-yet unspecified programme. The following day, gambist Mary Pells will play the complete Sonatas for Viola da Gamba, with Martin Knizia accompanying on the harpsichord. Knizia returns the next day to perform a programme of Bach’s famous organ works, while on the 25th the capella vitalis berlin will present a concert devoted to “Bach and his Contemporaries” which includes works by Handel, Buxtehude and, of course, Bach himself.

The Complete Brandenburg Concertos (along with concertos by Vivaldi, Telemann and Handel) will be given on the 25th and 26th by the Sweelinck Ensemble (conducted by Martin Knizia), and on the 27th, the free Bach Festival Mass will feature the Sweelinck Ensemble singing Cantata BWV 105, “Herr, gehe nicht ins Gericht”. On 28 July, the anniversary of Bach’s death, pianist Daniel-Ben Piennar will perform all of the Well-Tempered Clavier Book I (Preludes and Fugues 1-12 in the afternoon, and 13-24 in the evening).

Further details on www.stanneslutheranchurch.org