The discovery of a long-lost work is a cause for celebration, and it is usually a mystery why such a piece has been neglected. Herbert Howells’s choral epic Sir Patrick Spens was discovered by Howells scholar Paul Spicer in the Royal College of Music archives, where it had been gathering dust for 80 years, and is a work of great dramatic intensity, in which the instruments and voices vividly capture the movement of the sea and the prophecy of doom. Under Paul Ingram’s authoritative baton, Woodstock Music Society attacked the piece with gusto, and there was no doubting their commitment. Unfortunately, much of the piece was so unrelentingly loud it felt like a constant aural assault.

The choir’s words were mostly drowned out by the orchestra; without the text printed in the programme, we would have had no idea what they were singing. More subtlety from both choir and orchestra would have allowed Howells’ instrumental colouring to come through with greater clarity. The redeeming feature of this performance was Quentin Hayes’s forthright account of the role of Sir Patrick Spens, which he delivered with great theatricality and sense of purpose.

It was a relief to turn to Elgar’s The Wand of Youth Suite No.2, a delightful collection of miniatures that showcased the composer’s melodic playfulness and rich textural layering. The orchestra was clearly enjoying itself, and gave a sparkling performance to bring the first half to a joyful finish.

Edmund Rubbra’s son was in the audience to hear a rare performance of The Morning Watch, a setting of Henry Vaughan’s poem O joys! Infinite sweetness! Again, there was a slight tendency to overdo the more energetic sections, but there were some lovely moments too, particularly the reflective ending. Finzi’s For St Cecilia, set to words by Edmund Blunden, was delivered in glorious style by tenor Benjamin Segal, with proficient support from choir and orchestra, bringing the evening to a rousing finale.