In recent decades, much deserved attention has been coming to Carl Philipp Emanuel, whose career was mostly based in Hamburg, and Johann Christian, Bach’s youngest child — known as the “London” Bach, since he thrived in that city. But Mr. Botstein’s program opened with a rarity by the lesser-known Wilhelm Friedemann Bach, “Erzittert und fallet” (“Tremble and falter”), a 30-minute church cantata.

Like his father, W.F., the eldest of the concert’s four Bachs, was a renowned organist. He held a prestigious post in Dresden for many years. But his career as a composer did not fulfill his early promise. Many of his scores are thought to have been lost.

This cantata, with a text presenting God as the fearless victor over blustering dark spirits, begins with a startling dramatic stroke: the unaccompanied chorus sings sputtered declamations of the word “Erzittert” to grab the listener’s attention. Sung by the excellent Bard Festival Chorale, it worked.

The music plunges into a jubilant yet focused chorus of bustling counterpoint. The next movement, a melting tenor aria, presents Jesus as an entrancing prince. Later, a duet for tenor and soprano depicts the divine-human relationship as the almost romantic connection of a shepherd and a beguiled follower. The work has somewhat stiff passages, but also music of inventiveness, especially a turbulent chorus that evokes thunder, lightning and rushing water. The soprano Amanda Woodbury, the mezzo-soprano Taylor Raven, the tenor Jack Swanson and the baritone Chris Kenney all sang splendidly.