One of the strengths of the Early Music Festival is the number of artists who mix some history in with their performance.

Duo Alva spiced up a programme of Medieval and folklore lyrics with insights into the period and its musical traditions. The music was enhanced by this wealth of knowledge.

This and the input of musicians from a previous workshop gave the concert an informal, friendly atmosphere, though it was overlong at an hour and a half.

Singer Vivien Ellis held the audience spellbound with storytelling English folk songs complemented by fiddler Giles Lewin's simple, heartfelt playing.

There was a good balance of tragic yearning and humour with songs like Lovely Joan in which a maiden pursued by a knight forgoes her accepted role of blushing and simpering to do a runner with his horse and his ring.