Oxford Philomusica’s pair of concerts devoted to masterpieces of the Baroque promised to “enliven the winter evenings”, and last Saturday’s offering, the second of the two, certainly did just that. In fact, it did more; this delightful programme was delivered with such joyousness, and such lightness of touch, that it conjured up images of warm, spring days – a far cry from Saturday’s forlorn greyness. The upbeat mood of the players was both cheering and infectious.

The first baroque concert was a purely string affair; this one brought in wind as well, adding a brightness that reinforced that feeling of joie de vivre. First up was the third of Handel’s Water Music suites – the flute suite – a charming cocktail of dances. Articulate, well-sculpted phrasing from flautist Anthony Robb resulted in an engaging dialogue between orchestra and soloist, held together with customary precision by Marios Papadopoulos, directing from the harpsichord.

Telemann’s Wassermusik continued the watery theme and again made use of a variety of dance forms, this time to portray mythological characters with connections to water and the wind. Telemann’s skill at creating vivid musical portraits was very much to the fore here, and Papadopoulos ensured that the many facets of this gorgeous suite were drawn out with great warmth and simplicity.

After the interval the orchestra turned their attention from suites to concerti, the first an oboe concerto by the little-known Alessandro Marcello, one of an Italian dynasty of musicians. Once again, some fine solo work – this time from Timothy Watts – gave the piece eloquence, the middle Adagio movement being particularly stirring.

But it was left to Bach to wrap up the proceedings, with Robb and Watts now joined by orchestra leader Tamás András and trumpeter Timothy Hawes to lead the Brandenburg Concerto No.2 in F – and there can surely have been no better choice to bring the evening to an uplifting finale.