Apart from being famous son of famous father, CPE Bach was known for two particular reasons.

One was the “fantastical and far-fetched nature” of his music with its intellectual vigour, harmonic tension and violent contrast.

And the other was his influence on Joseph Haydn.

Both were celebrated by the East Sussex Bach Choir, Orchestra and soloists in a sublime concert at St John sub Castro.

Under the baton of John Hancorn, the Choir attacked CPE Bach’s Magnificat, a work of challenge and excitement and rarely performed.

They warmed up into the final fugal Amen, surely one of the longest and most complex chorale finales ever written, strands of wool perfectly knitted together.

Haydn’s Nelson Mass, more familiar and more satisfying in musical terms, was beautifully performed.

Soloists Isabella Valentini, Anne Mason, Paul Austin Kelly and last minute stand-in Stephen Charlesworth acquitted themselves with musical grace.

The baritone aria Qui Tolis was almost unbearably moving as were the shaded dymanics and floating sopranos in the Sanctus.

Strings, keyboard and percussion were notable for sympathy and support but brass players in the Magnificat, trumpeters in Haydn and the wondrous double bass continuo lifted the performance to a rare excellence.