THE Holcombe Brook and District Recorded Music Society met at the Christ Church and Neighbourhood Centre, Great Eaves Road, Ramsbottom, on Thursday, October 14, at 7.30pm to hear Richard W. Hall, general secretary of the society give a presentation entitled Talk of the Devil.

The society chairman, Roger Howarth, welcomed Richard to the meeting and commented on the many excellent presentations Richard had given to the members in the past.

Richard introduced his subject by reference to the many composers who seem to have been fascinated by myths and legends, real or imagined, surrounding evil, posers of darkness and those whose intention was to lead us astray and practice magic and the black arts.

The Devil's Galop, known to many members as the theme music to the former radio show Dick Barton -Special Agent rang out and gave a dramatic start to the evening.

This was followed by an extract from Act 2 of Der Freischutz. This showed how opera was used to refer to the devil and all his works. Berlioz's composition Dance of the Sylphs from the Damnation of Faust, The Quest, the ballet in five scenes, and The Seven Deadly Sins, gave a change of emphasis. Schubert's Erlkonig, with Sarah Walker, mezzo soprano, and Graham Johnson, piano, was superb to listen to.

Elvis Presley then sang You're the Devil in Disguise and the Danse Macabre with Saint-Saens/Liszt's piano arrangement played by Arnoldo Cohen brought the first half of the presentation to a first-class conclusion.

For the second part, Richard played the Incantation Scene from Gilbert and Sullivan's The Sorcerer, then introduced Vaughan Williams' Job A Masque for Dancing and the Dance of Job's Comforter, Job's Curse and Vision of Satan.

It concerned the endurance of faith over affliction.

Ella Fitzgerald sang That Old Black Magic, Frank Trumbauer and his orchestra played jazz, and Judy Garland finished with Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea. St John's Night on a Bare Mountain (the original 1867 version by Mussorgsky) was played to illustrate a most exciting work.

Gounod composed Faust and Allerte! Allerte! sung by Joan Sutherland brought to a conclusion Richard's presentation.

The chairman thanked Richard for a magnificent evening, presentation and recordings. For further information about the society please contact Richard Hall on 01204 842125.