This concert was well worth attending just for the beautiful playing of Gail Hennessy, which had a suppleness and a variety and quality of tone, particularly on the oboe (Gail also played recorder this evening). Add to that the mastery of Philip Thorby, with his typically exuberant sense of dress, and the consummate ensemble for which The Parley of Instruments is renowned, and it already amounted to a glorious concert in purely instrumental terms.

We also had the singing of Philippa Hyde in an unusual cantata each by J. S. Bach and Telemann, and, although it sometimes seemed that the balance of her voice against the accompaniment was not quite as clear it might have been (and which may have resulted from her standing generously not as far forward from the other musicians as she might), she gave fine performances in both: what linked them was a theme concentrated on death, and, whereas the Bach piece was the graphic embodiment of a pious soul's hopes for salvation, the Telemann's tragicomic tone perfectly ran the gamut of emotions from desolation to anger, and from hectoring to eulogy on a topic in which one might have been surprised to find such passion.

In summary, a thoroughly enjoyable evening's music!