THE final offering in the series of Autumn and Winter Concerts with the Amersham Festival Chamber Orchestra was a finely planned mixture of J. S. Bach, Handel and Vivaldi.

Designed to provide not only suitable variety for the audience, it was also almost an exhibition of the individual talents in the orchestra itself.

Three Bach Brandenburg Concertos in themselves make for an appealing programme, and No. 5 opened the concert in fine form. In particular the refined playing of Jennifer Stinton (flute) and Charlotte Edwards (violin) illustrated the great beauties of marvellous second movement; while in the opening allegro the orchestra’s director, Iain Ledingham, gave a truly virtuoso performance on the harpsichord. His rendering of the formidable cadenza was a dominating and technical tour de force.

Nos. 4 in G Major and 2 in F, which formed the second part of the concert, illustrated Bach’s genius with varying instruments. In No. 4, scored for recorders - played on flutes - and violin, were interpreted by Edwards and Stinton again, joined by Timothy Tayolorson as the supporting flute.

Amersham “regular” Christopher Hooker (oboe), with Amy Whittlesea (recorder) and Marjorie King (violin) complimented, in the two outer movements, the trumpet of Christopher Avison, in the famous No 2. He played with the distinct clarity and punch required, overcoming most of the formidable difficulties presented to him.

Handel’s Concerto Grosso Opus 6 No. 12 in B Minor gave the orchestral strings an opportunity to demonstrate their combined skills, which they did splendidly. Particularly impressive was the rendering of the marvellous third movement, with its (to quote) “serene ... long breathed cantabile tune”.

However, for me, the highlight was Vivaldi’s Flute Concerto in D Major (“The Goldfinch”) as played by Jennifer Stinton. Indeed bird-song is the pervading influence in this beautiful work, and Stinton exploited her instrument’s range and qualities marvellously. Indeed sometimes she raised her face and eyebrows to the ceiling as if inviting a near-seemingly present dawn chorus to join her. Our imagination was able to take flight.