There is a surreal dichotomy between the haven-like atmosphere of the mid-19th century St Paul's Church and the bustle of the notoriously busy city street it is part of.

At one unavoidably comical point during these beautiful renditions of ancient pieces, organist Claire Williams admirably avoided being distracted by the certain hammer of a dancebeat, audible from a bar beyond the stained glass windows of the hushed space. Her sense of rhythm and time, matched by Emily Ashton on the strings of a viola da gamba, was unwavering.

These 11 pieces, performed by six sopranos and eight altos and tenors whose quiet joy crept through their smiles as they sang, were largely the holy works of Cipriano de Rore, a composer for the Court of Ferrara more than 450 years ago.

Other vespers, yearning for strength, resurrections and faith, were the likely compositions of Suor Leonora – a highly-gifted nun who, appropriately, commissioned chapel organs and keyboards in between her transcriptions in the convents of Renaissance Italy.

The quality of music made at sacred sites has been a somewhat under-celebrated wonder of the period until recent years.

Against a cathedralesque backdrop, its illumination here was a rare and soothing treat.

Four stars