Carl Loewe, who was born in 1796 and died in 1869, isn’t exactly the best-known composer ever to set foot on this earth. His songs occasionally appear in recital programmes, but otherwise he is little heard. There was a sense of anticipation, therefore, when the massed ranks of the Oxford Harmonic Society embarked on Loewe’s Passion Oratorio: The Expiatory Sacrifice of the New Covenant in the Town Hall.

Loewe begins with a low-key orchestral introduction, as does Bach in his Matthew Passion. But while Bach develops his opening chorus into a mighty and gripping structure, Loewe continues in unshowy fashion, with an alto soloist introducing the story of Christ at the house of Lazarus — there is no Evangelist carrying the narrative throughout. The first chorus, when it comes, is written by someone else: Melchior Teschner, in a setting also used by Bach. There is much use of muted strings, and the whole effect is of a modest composer feeling his way.

By the end of the first part, my anticipatory juices were not running high. But the dramatic content then increases as the Passion story itself unfolds. There are some gutsy choruses, which the OHS seized upon with relish — including an extraordinary, dance-like demand that Barabbas be released, and a chilling demand that Christ be crucified. Several more strong choruses follow in Part III, all of them snappily sung — the Chorus of Risen Saints was the crowning moment of the evening for me.

The recitatives and arias are as important as they are in the Bach Passions, and the four soloists need to be both lyrically and dramatically strong. This performance really scored here — Nathalie Chalkley, Anna Harvey, Iain Milne and Frederick Long were all first rate, while the Orchestra of Stowe Opera made the most of the rather pallid, strings-only accompaniment. At the helm, Robert Secret conducted with strong commitment.