Devils, Witches and the Supernatural in Music
Zoom – Wednesday 10:30 am – Noon
Sept. 18, 25, Oct. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, Nov. 6 
Going as far back as Virgil’s Aeneid for source material, we explore how composers and musicians far and wide have been inspired by the subversive forces of devils, witches and the supernatural. Learn how sorcery, Faustian bargains, devilish fiddling, challenges to divine judgment and more have broken many barriers from 1689 to the 21st century. We begin with the time of the Salem witch hysteria and the witchcraft in Henry Purcell’s opera, Dido and Aeneas––a work created for Josias Priest’s girls’ boarding school outside of London. Devilish fiddling and visits with Mozart and Beethoven follow. Faustian bargains and the selling of a bluesman’s soul come next, together with how it impacted Mick Jagger and The Rolling Stones. Then learn how Sportin’ Life’s signature number from Porgy and Bess, It Ain’t Necessarily So, set a new standard in blasphemy. We round out the course with challenges to divine judgment, soundtracks to movies The Shining and The Exorcist, the music of Dukas and Ravel, and selections from the Broadway musical Wicked.
- Week 1: Salem witch hysteria and witchcraft in an opera performed at a girls’ boarding school
- Week 2: Fiddling with the devil
- Week 3: Mozart and Beethoven and the supernatural
- Week 4: Faustian bargains in the worlds of Berlioz, Gounod, and Liszt
- Week 5: Robert Johnson sells his soul and inspires Mick Jagger. Sportin’ Life blasphemes
- Week 6: Divine judgment challenged; creative juices pour forth
- Week 7: Movie soundtracks of The Shining and The Exorcist
- Week 8: Maurice Ravel’s naughty boy, Paul Dukas’ The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Wicked selections
Joshua Berrett earned a BA from the University of Cape Town in South Africa, an MA from Columbia University and a PhD from the University of Michigan. He has also studied at the Manhattan School of Music, Juilliard and the Tanglewood Music Center. He is a Professor Emeritus at Mercy University, a violinist, and the author of many publications on music. He has appeared on NPR, made presentations nationally and abroad, in such countries as Italy, Israel and South Africa. With his wife, Lynne, he is co-founder of the non-profit Ageless Mind Project, Inc.