For this late-night Prom, award-winning British counter-tenor Iestyn Davies (MBE) sings two of the church cantatas that Bach seems to have written specifically for one outstanding teenage male alto at the St Thomas School in Leipzig: Cantata No. 170, ‘Vergnügte Ruh, beliebte Seelenlust’ (1726) and Cantata No. 35, ‘Geist und Seele wird verwirret” (1726).

Davies’ inimitable voice is utterly pure and controlled. There’s no breathiness, just pure vocal tone, across an enormous register. As a performer, he is calm and collected, seemingly unfazed by the vastness of the auditorium. But while Davies’ machine-like precision is undeniably impressive, it sometimes seems at odds with the emotions of the vivid and over-the-top text (by Georg Christian Lehms), about the horrors of worldly sin and the inexpressible power of Jesus’ miracles.

This is not the case for chamber ensemble The English Concert, conducted at the harpsichord by Kristian Bezuidenhout. The highlight of the programme comes in the middle, when Davies and half the ensemble leave the stage, for an extremely small-scale playing of one of Bach’s most enduring hits: Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G major, breathing fresh life into a classic. It’s particularly amazing to hear Bezuidenhout’s harspichord take such a prominent role in a piece where it is normally dwarfed, with all manner of exciting and well-placed effects.

Particular shout-out has to go to Alexander Jones on the ensemble’s (only) double bass: watching him navigate Bach’s complex bass counterpoint lines is surely one of the most exciting things about this ensemble. Despite the enormous organ of the Royal Albert Hall right behind them, they also bring with them a pure white, mini continuo organ onto the stage, with only one manual and six stops. Tom Foster’s playing is exemplary, somehow finding emotion on such a quiet, undynamic instrument, for Bach’s many moments of organ spotlight.

Tickets for all 71 Proms are available from just £8 on the BBC Proms 2023 website.