By Edward Jenkins, director of music at Queen’s College

IF you attend a recital by a noted singer such as Dame Emma Kirkby, a superb level of virtuosity and musicianship would be expected.

What was truly amazing about her recital, ‘The English Muse’, accompanied by Jakob Lindberg, was that this expectation still did not prepare the audience for what was a stunning display of artistry and skill. 

Drawing on the repertoire of the late Renaissance and early Baroque English School of Madrigals, Dame Emma led the audience through a varied selection of songs ranging from the more well known output of Dowland through some less well known composers, such as Pelham Humphrey and John Eccles. 

In all these songs Dame Emma’s clarity and purity of tone, coupled with faultless diction, made for utterly compelling listening.

In addition, the songs were delivered with a sparkling wit and warmth clearly embedded within the music, but often not convincingly delivered by other performers. 

Between the songs, Dame Emma spoke of each item, giving a context which, together with her delivery of the material, created a sense of an intimate space between performer and audience – not an easy task in a 500-seat auditorium. 

Accompanying and also playing a variety of solo lute pieces, Jakob Lindberg perfectly complemented Dame Emma’s voice in a superb demonstration of subtle, supportive, but by no means muted, accompaniment. 

The audience were enthralled by a musician who is also at the forefront of his medium in Europe. 

What was made very apparent was that Dame Emma is still at the forefront of early music singing and rightly deserving of her international reputation as one of the world’s leading singers.