Few knew what to expect for the inaugural "Allentown Bach At Noon" concert If they present it, will they come?

Indeed they did, with an estimated 650 (Ushers handed out all of the 500 printed programs.) in attendance June 9 at St. John's Lutheran Church, Allentown.

As he does during the "Bach At Noon" concerts at Central Moravian Church, Bethlehem, Greg Funfgeld, Bach Choir of Bethlehem Artistic Director and Conductor, regaled the St. John's audience with his scholarship about Bach history, composition and performance practice, relating anecdotes and fascinating detail about the program.

Funfgeld is a concert musician, as well, and was superb: light, fastidious and blindingly-fast on harpsichord for Johann Sebastian Bach's (1685-1750) Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D Major, with Robin Kani, delightful as always on flute, and Mary Ogletree, giving thrilling voice to the violin. The trio filled the sanctuary with wonderful music-making, enthralling the attentive audience, which responded with generous applause.

Funfgeld conducted members of The Bach Choir and Bach Festival Orchestra and soloists Laura Heimes, soprano; Barbara Hollinshead, mezzo-soprano; Stephen Ng, tenor; and Dashon Burton, bass-baritone, for Bach's Cantata BWV 149 "Man Singet Mit Freuden Vom Sieg" ("Let Songs Of Rejoicing Be Raised"). The powerful voices of the soloists rang out, the choir's voices soared and the orchestra's glorious sound rose upward and out, thrilling the audience and eliciting "Bravos" and a standing ovation.

It was an auspicious beginning for "Allentown Bach At Noon," so much so that it made one wonder: Why didn't they think of this before? The music, the musicians and the setting seemed so right. It's a match, if you will, made in heaven.

The reason that "Allentown Bach At Noon" is happening now, according to Bridget George, Executive Director of the Bach Choir of Bethlehem, is because of a confluence of forces in the renaissance of center city Allentown.

Lead sponsors of the premiere "Allentown Bach at Noon" series are the Rider-Pool Foundation, Air Products, and Center City Corporation.

The second "Allentown Bach At Noon" is July 14 at St. John's. Funfgeld and Thomas Goeman begin the program with Bach's "Concerto for Two Keyboards in C Major," BWV 1061, played on two pianos. Members of the Bach Choir perform Johannes Brahms' "Liebeslieder Walzer" ("Love Song Waltzes"), Opus 52, accompanied by Funfgeld and Goeman on piano for four hands.

George says the second Tuesday format of the Bethlehem "Bach At Noon" works well for "Allentown Bach At Noon," which she hopes becomes an annual event.

The 75th "Bach At Noon" at Central Moravian Church is Sept. 15, with the series continuing there, Oct. 13, Nov. 10 and Jan. 12, Feb. 9, March 8 and April 12, 2016.

The concerts are free, but free-will offerings are accepted.

Paul Willistein is a member of the Arts at St. John's committee, which facilitates the "Allentown Bach At Noon" concerts.