THE brochure showed 19 players, so this large arena looked a sensible choice.

In the event, there were never more than eight members of the Dunedin Consort on the platform, including their redoubtable conductor John Butt, which made the sound at the back distinctly thin.

A late start, long interval and early finish meant that there were barely 75 minutes of music and no encore. Punters were entitled to feel short-changed on both counts.

So to the positives on this menu of Bach concertos. At its best, even down-sized, the Dunedin is a world-class outfit. In the C minor concerto (BWV 1060), originally conceived for two harpsichords, Alexandra Bellamy’s baroque oboe, sounding much like a cor anglais in its lower register, was a complementary partner to Cecilia Bernardini’s dancing violin. They formed a colourful trio with frolicsome violone in the fast movements.

Bernardini was underpowered in the adagio of the E major concerto but dazzled in the succeeding finale, dauntless at considerable speed. Balance improved after the interval, where she delivered sinuous sighs in the slow movement of the A minor, before a twinkling jig at the close.

She was joined by Huw Daniel in the double violin concerto. They developed a lovely, lilting serenity in the Largo. In the outer movements, urged on by Butt from the harpsichord, their accents cleverly highlighted Bach’s rolling harmonies. It was undeniably exciting stuff, but we deserved to expect more than one to a part in the orchestra.