As we knew it would be, last Sunday’s John Dowland concert with Emma Kirkby and Jakob Lindberg was truly magical.
As you will remember storm Isha was at her full fury on Sunday night and was howling round us up here on the heights of Highgate. With Isha as their backdrop, Jakob’s lute and Emma’s voice were, if anything, even more delicate and enchanting – and added to the warm cosiness of the evening. As one audience member posted on Facebook:
Last night a truly intimate concert, in a Highgate living room, of renaissance lute songs – mostly by John Dowland – from early music superstar Emma Kirkby and maestro lutenist Jakob Lindberg… Quite a nordic hygge feel what with Jakob being Swedish, Dowland having been employed by the King of Denmark despite being a favourite of Elizabeth I, and the gale howling outside…
Jakob (who was very complimentary about the acoustics of our ‘music room’ for his lute) played three delightful solos (by Robert Ballard, John Danyel and John Dowand) as well as accompanying Emma – in a selection of French songs from the early 17th century and three song sets from the ‘melancholy’ Mr Dowland. These included Flow my tears, Time, cruel time, canst thou subdue that brow?, Eyes look no more and, probably his best known melancholy song, In darkness let me dwell – with Emma setting each in its melancholy context for us before they performed them.
….Emma Kirkby was a feast for the ear and the lute was so enchanting….
…It was beyond magical to sit in your beautiful house a short distance from those two wonderful artists. I love medieval and baroque music and have been a fan of Emma’s since 1989, when I came across her recording of Pergolesi’s Strabat Mater with James Bowman. It was wonderful to meet her in person. Such a gracious and generous person….
…were just two of the many emails that I received on Monday morning.
Supper…..
Yes, we did have that Elizabethan supper – loosely based on Mr Dawson’s recipes – see my post on the 19th.
This is our ‘platter of meates’ – some fine free range chickens, pheasant and partridge served with mustard sauce – and this is Mr Dawson’s ‘dishe of artichokes’ – artichoke hearts and hardboiled eggs, in a raised pie crust, seasoned with apple cider vinegar.
To go with? Mrs Marshall’s trusty Cabbage and Caper salad – and a second rather delicious salad of potatoes, Cavolo Nero, spinach and currants seasoned with nutmeg. Not quite as Mr Dawson would have had it but definitely inspired by him. Plus, hunks of wholemeal bread and a fine spread of cheeses.
Recording the moment
And finally, to add icing to our cake – we had Alison there to record the moment!
And thank you to Ruth Rosenthal for the image of Emma and Jakob above.
Holocaust Memorial Day
A little late as is was yesterday but, if you have 10 minutes, Holland Park Opera (who have marked Holocaust Memorial Day in words and music annually since 2021) has created a short film of Kezia Bienek, with Lada Valešová at the paino, singing songs by Maurice Ravel, Hanns Eisler and Ilse Weber.
They reflect the experiences of those who suffered in the Russian pogroms and those who were forced into political exile by the Nazis alongside a lullaby written by the Czech composer Ilse Weber in Theresienstadt before she was deported to Auschwitz. You can watch it here.
Upcoming concerts
Friday 8th March
Madeleine Mitchell and the London Chamber Ensemble play Charles Wood and Debussy
For more details and to book go here.
Monday April 8th
The Vauxhall Band Bassett Horn Trio
Many more details to come very soon but booking is now open here.
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