An enterprising reconstruction of a Bachian musical funeral presents a welcome return for Andrew Parrott and his pioneering Taverner Consort and Players after several years. Needless to say with Parrott, there is a pinch of polemical spice: a reimagining of Prince Leopold of Cöthen’s funeral in 1728 with the extant text adorned by music from the St Matthew Passion and the Trauer Ode (Cantata No 198) composed for the death of the Electress of Saxony a year earlier.

The adaptation takes some getting used to, especially when applying examples from the ‘holy grail’ of the St Matthew Passion (‘Erbarme dich’ becoming ‘Erhalte mich’ and so on). By and large, hearing the Passion in a different context is deeply affecting, whatever one feels about speculative reworkings; the way the two pieces intersect within the ritual of the imagined service is indeed plausible, strengthened by the Passion-infused music in the Ode, which explains why Bach reused it for his now lost St Mark Passion. Ultimately, the performances must be taken on their own terms and thankfully they exhibit some of the time-honoured qualities of Parrott as the master-refiner, a director with a tactile sense of the inner workings of each movement and the subtle balance between singer and instrumentalist. The larger ensemble movements contain many revelatory moments in their easy, poignant lyricism and the heights are reached in the bittersweet music early on (though track 6, 6'14", has an unfortunate editing blip). The recitatives are newly composed by the director, though with recognisable Bachian derivations.

Parrott introduces two fine, fresh singers in Clare Wilkinson and Tom Meglioranza alongside soloists from the early years of the Taverners, of whom Charles Daniels is the most durable, evident in ‘Geh, Leopold’ (‘Ich will bei meinem’ from the St Matthew), where his experience and vocal intelligence bring special poignancy to the lamentation. The obbligatos are all top-drawer (what sweet violin-playing in ‘Erhalte mich’!) and contribute to this tombeau with distinction. Parrott’s critical uncovering of new meaning and intention is always thought-provoking and especially so in this compelling curiosity.