Emma Kirkby is a much admired singer, not only in early music circles where she specialises but with a much wider audience as well, so her visit to Ilkley was something keenly anticipated.

That it turned out to be a disappointment, not only for me but for many others judging by the relatively muted applause the concert received, was for a number of reasons.

The programme itself was more concerned with literary and historical structure than musical contrast. Thus in the first half we heard just one piece in the major key. Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing' came to mind: Sing no more of dumps so dull and heavy'. The second half was better in this respect, rescued mainly by the ever life-enhancing Handel's cantata Notte Placida e Ceta'.

As well as musical items there were readings from contemporaries, often amusing but sometimes arch in presentation. Yet overall the effect was glum, not enough Sounds of woe converted into Hey nonny nonny'.

London Baroque provided opportunity for plenty of variety of instrumental groupings. As well as the full ensemble there was a harpsichord solo, Tomkins' Sad Pavan for These Distracted Times', beautifully played by Terence Charlston and a set of Divisions by Christopher Simpson that gave Charles Medlam full scope to demonstrate his virtuosity on the bass viol.

The two violinists, Richard Gwilt and Ingrid Seifert, were sadly featured less in the programme. I enjoyed their playing and would have liked to have heard more of them. Balance between the bass viol and the harpsichord was often awry, to the latter's disadvantage. I could see the harpsichordist playing busily, and when audible his continuo realizations were inventive, but he was often overwhelmed by the ubiquitous bass viol which was simply too loud.

As for Emma Kirkby, as always her singing showed perfect technique, wonderfully secure intonation and especially in the Handel cantata a miraculous control of florid passages, every note accurately placed and supported.

But that for me is not enough. More than any other kind of performer a singer is an actor as well. There is a need to communicate, to get a song across to the audience and it was this ability that I felt was lacking. She sang from a music copy, which in itself inhibits communication, in one case immediately following a reading from Pepys where he'd proudly claimed to have successfully practised Getting the song without book', a very telling juxtaposition.

Furthermore although using the book, at one point she went so wrong that the performance had to stop and restart. That sort of thing should only happen in rehearsal. A disappointing evening.