I wasn't sure just how well this was going to work - the lute songs of Dowland are essentially very intimate pieces, and the Sheldonian Theatre can't very well be called an intimate space. Over the years I'd heard these pieces performed in a couple of churches, the Wigmore Hall, and a small college canteen, and the last of these was the one that had worked best!

But Elizabeth Kenny's brilliant lute and the expert, mellifluous voice of Ian Bostridge were reinforced by Fretwork, by any reckoning one of the most important and impressive early music ensembles extant, and very well practised in this repertoire over the course of over 27 years. They took ownership of the Sheldonian completely.

The lute is a very quiet instrument, but even Kenny's solo lute piece held the very full audience and the big space in total, rapt attention. Liz Kenny was as excellent as always, and because of the close, respectful heed of the audience there was no danger of missing a stroke.

Ian Bostridge's tenor was completely captivating, while Fretwork's incomparable grasp of both the repertoire and their craft added colour, energy and dimension. They of course play on original instruments, with their plangent and slightly astringent tones that grace the Sheldonian all too rarely.

The Lachrimae suite is unremittingly sad, of course! The complex, brilliantly crafted instrumentals were programmed with songs from various of Dowland's works, all beautiful (they are by any measure, just fantastic songs) if a little uniform in atmosphere.

The encores were well chosen - first Kenny and Bostridge treating Britten's 'Lute Song' from Gloriana - originally orchestrated but here rendered on the lute! And then the whole ensemble giving a short and sweet rendition of 'The Frog Galliard' to say farewell to a tremendous, very successful evening.