Mields is splendid. Her poise, luminous vocalism and animated dialogue with the band show why she’s an Early Music legend. Her command of the recording’s three languages allows her to relish words as well as music, whether goofing around – as in ‘Bacchus’ HWV228 – or lamenting. Her consistently intelligent musicianship is apparent above all when she improvises according to period and location.

Mields makes a charming case for several English songs of uncertain authorship...The singer’s expertise in Bach and Telemann (and much else) pays handsome dividends in three of the German arias Handel composed in London during the mid-1720s...The Plaint from Purcell’s The Fairy Queen is a baffling encore but has transfixing allure.