The choir of 25 (including children on the upper parts) and Le Concert des Nations produce a vivid performance in which emotional directness is paramount. David Szigetvári is a capable Evangelist… although Konstantin Wolff’s gritty Christus is closer to a roaring Wotan than the compassionate redeemer of the world.

After the scholars have put their pens down, the crucial question is of course whether the result is a musically satisfying response to the text. Could there ever be any doubt? Savall is no dusty academic disconnected from musical reality; he knows exactly what he’s doing, building thoughtfully on others’ work to create something coherent and convincing, and his team of musicians communicate his intention magnificently.