Last Sunday we played a concert at the parish church of St Jean de Bray, just outside Orléans, on the river Loire. This was the birthplace of Norbert Dufourcq (1904–90), organist and musicologist, and also the grandfather of The Bach Players’ Nicolette and Marion Moonen.

We played our ‘Bach’s library’ programme – French music that J.S. Bach collected and copied, concluding with his own Ouverture no. 2 in B minor (for flute). Our CD of this music is dedicated to Norbert Dufourcq, a pioneer in the rediscovery of French early music and a leader in the French appreciation of Bach. It was a great delight to receive this invitation, and to be able to play in this remarkable church, so fitted for music of this kind. The very full and receptive audience included numerous members of the Dufourcq family.

Pawel Siwczak and Anna Curzon dance the polonaise from Bach’s B minor Suite, in the aisle of the church.

Nicolette, Anna, Rachel Stott, and Antoine Ladrette rehearsing in the church. (Photo by Marion)