History is in the making in Axminster. A rediscovered setting of the St Matthew Passion by C.P.E. Bach is set to be performed for the first time since 1789 in the town.

Two hundred and thirty four years later, Axminster & District Choral Society will perform the UK première of this work on April 1 at 7.30pm in the Minster Church.

The second son of Johann Sebastian Bach, Carl Philipp Emanuel was appointed director of music for all five of the Hamburg churches in 1767.

Part of the job description was to compose a setting of the Passion every year. But C.P.E. Bach was never to see a performance of this work, dying in December 1788, three months before it received its première.

"At the time, it was perfectly in order for composers to borrow and re–arrange the music of others," said Peter Lea-Cox, the choir's accompanist and a leading expert on the Bach family.

"For this Passion setting, C.P.E. Bach drew on his father's St Matthew Passion, rearranging some of the choruses for four, instead of eight–part, choir.

"Additionally, several of his father's wonderful chorale harmonisations are included. In fact there is more of J.S. Bach in this work than there is of his son!"

Peter Parshall, the choir's director of music, said: "We are very lucky in having been given access to performing parts based on the critical edition CPE Bach: the Complete Works made available by the publisher, the Packard Humanities Institute.

"It is very difficult for a choir of our size to perform the popular J.S. Bach St Matthew Passion, because it demands both double choir and double orchestra and we don't have space for all the musicians required.

"We are therefore fortunate to have the opportunity of offering a flavour of one of the great J.S. Bach Passions, specially modified by his son, to those in the South West who do not usually have the opportunity of hearing a live performance of this work".

The concert, featuring professional soloists and orchestra, takes place on Saturday, April 1 at the Minster Church, Axminster at 7.30pm. Tickets cost £12 and £15 from Archway Bookshop in Trinity Square, Axminster, by phoning 01404 41907, or online at www.axminsterchoral.co.uk