BARBARA Ainscow, the society's press officer took as her theme Baroque and continued the exploration of this style of music with composers from France, Germany, Italy and Latin America

Marc-Antoine Charpentier was a composer predominant in religious music in France in the middle of the Baroque period, his Prelude to the Te Deum in D, was later used as the Eurovision theme.

In France dance was supremely important as was gesture and deportment. Jean-Philippe Rameau and his composition La Guirlande (The Garland) is music of grace.

Jean-Baptiste Lully, was a Florentine by birth who settled in France, wrote music of power and muscularity. From his opera Roland, the aria Je suis trabi! Ciel! contains much lively music.

Franois Couperin was a member of a musical dynasty. His father had been the organist of Saint Gervais and he died when Franois was eleven. Such was his talent the post of organist was held open until he was fifteen. He became prominent at court, ending up as harpsichordist to the King. Angela Hewitt sang three contrasting songs: the title of the first two in translation The Reapers and The Gnat and finally Le Tic-Toc-Choc.

Georg Philipp Telemann produced sacred and secular music. Cervantes's Don Quixote is in its 400th anniversary year. Telemann used the novel as the basis for a burlesque. Barbara explained this could be early programme music. The excerpts began with the Overture and ended with our protagonist falling asleep back at home after his exploits.

Antonio Vivaldi was a master of the concerto for many combinations he also devoted much of his career to opera. Two arias were heard from Orlando Furioso: Nel profondo sung in the opera by Orlando a contralto role and to follow Sol da te, sung by the character Ruggiero, a counter tenor, our singer of this role was mellifluous and the accompaniment warm and florid.

Francesco Geminiani was a pupil of and Arcangelo Corelli. The former took five of his master's violin sonatas and orchestrated them to produce the Concerto Grosso No. 10 in F Major.

The recording was by Ex Cathedra and their conductor Jeffrey Skidmore had written that they had travelled widely in Eastern Bolivia, along pot-holed dirt tracks through humid jungle attending Church Masses, where it is common practice for a service include popular and liturgical repertoire. Villancicos are described as sacred entertainment for the masses and they consist of happy optimistic music and example of this being Ay andar and Dulce Jesus mio.

Castrati were the celebrities of their age, charging high fees, feted and changing their names. Francesco Bernardi took the name Senesino appearing in the 1707/08 Venice season. The counter tenor Andreas Scholl sang Del ciel sui giri from Carlo Re D'Allemagne by Alessandro Scarlatti.

In the year 1685, three composers were born were to become pre-eminent in Baroque music. The first of these was Domenico Scarlatti, son of Alessandro, who escaped his famous father's shadow by moving to Portugal. He composed for church, court and undertook the music education of the royal family. He assimilated the sound of the castanet and guitar into his harpsichord sonatas, which transfer effectively to the piano. Yevgeny Sudbin played two sonatas: the well known Cat Fugue and the dazzling A major K24.

18th century audience would not have considered a duet as being the highlight of a visit to the theatre. The great thrills were the extempore ornamentation of the singers. To represent George Frederick Handel a duet, Patrizia Ciofi and Joyce Di Donato, displayed their vocal agility in Per le porte del tormento from Sosarme.

J S Bach was the last composer and his Suite No. 3 in D Major and of the two movements the second is the famous Air and the third a Gavotte.

In his debut vote of thanks Emile Salem commented he could sense the magic around the room. Barbara had brought three graces, the music chosen, the thrilling performances and her presence.

For information about the Society's activities please contact Mr R W Hall, Secretary by telephone on 01706 823490. RWH