Fine orchestra playing
National Orchestra, Manoel Theatre
The National Orchestra's first appearance at the Manoel this season consisted of a "birthday concert" conducted by Mro John Galea - one of the several events being organised this year to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the orchestra's establishment as an independent body and its official recognition as the "National Orchestra of Malta".
Mro Galea is well-known as a composer and the programme featured one of his own works - Three Mediterranean Portraits. The work may be described as a whistle-stop tour of Mediterranean musical styles, from the fiery Spanish flamenco of the opening allegro Moderato to the Sicilian tarantella of the presto finale, via a haunting evocation of a languid Maltese summer evening in the central Lento. The most striking aspect of these "portraits" is the colourful orchestration - the brass flourishes, splashes of percussion, warm string writing and solo instrumental parts, confidently delivered in this performance, all helped to make this a pleasant musical trip.
Apart from this work, the programme followed a traditional overture-concerto-symphony format. It started with a convincing rendition of the Sinfonia from Giuseppe Verdi's I Vespri Siciliani which brought out the contrast between the warm and lyrical passages and the climaxes which were taut and powerful.
There was also some fine orchestral playing in the Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra by Alexander Arutiunian. Armenian-born Arutiunian may not be among the most renowned of 20th century composers, but his 1950 trumpet concerto is firmly established in the repertoire of the instrument. The reasons are not far to seek. It is a bravura work in the Romantic concerto mould, but the overt influence of traditional Eastern European music gives the work harmonic and melodic spice and a very distinctive melancholic tinge. The demands on the soloist are impressive, particularly in the rapid-fire cadenza and finale, but trumpeter Joseph Chircop rose to the occasion and his performance hit the right balance between exuberance and lyricism.
The second half of the evening was dedicated to Beethoven's Seventh Symphony, a work which Wagner described as "the apotheosis of the dance" with reference to the dance rhythms which permeate the work. In the opening allegro Moderato this sense of constant movement was convincingly brought out by Mro Galea and the orchestra. The best-known part of the symphony, however, is probably the second movement. This is sometimes taken at a considerably slow pace, so it was refreshing to hear a performance which was on the brisker side and more respectful of Beethoven's allegretto marking. An energetic scherzo and trio led to the final allegro con brio. As the movement built up momentum, it seemed at times that the orchestra was at risk of losing its cohesion, but ultimately this sense of danger only heightened the excitement of the triumphant final bars - a stirring close to an enjoyable concert.
Mro Galea is well-known as a composer and the programme featured one of his own works - Three Mediterranean Portraits. The work may be described as a whistle-stop tour of Mediterranean musical styles, from the fiery Spanish flamenco of the opening allegro Moderato to the Sicilian tarantella of the presto finale, via a haunting evocation of a languid Maltese summer evening in the central Lento. The most striking aspect of these "portraits" is the colourful orchestration - the brass flourishes, splashes of percussion, warm string writing and solo instrumental parts, confidently delivered in this performance, all helped to make this a pleasant musical trip.
Apart from this work, the programme followed a traditional overture-concerto-symphony format. It started with a convincing rendition of the Sinfonia from Giuseppe Verdi's I Vespri Siciliani which brought out the contrast between the warm and lyrical passages and the climaxes which were taut and powerful.
There was also some fine orchestral playing in the Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra by Alexander Arutiunian. Armenian-born Arutiunian may not be among the most renowned of 20th century composers, but his 1950 trumpet concerto is firmly established in the repertoire of the instrument. The reasons are not far to seek. It is a bravura work in the Romantic concerto mould, but the overt influence of traditional Eastern European music gives the work harmonic and melodic spice and a very distinctive melancholic tinge. The demands on the soloist are impressive, particularly in the rapid-fire cadenza and finale, but trumpeter Joseph Chircop rose to the occasion and his performance hit the right balance between exuberance and lyricism.
The second half of the evening was dedicated to Beethoven's Seventh Symphony, a work which Wagner described as "the apotheosis of the dance" with reference to the dance rhythms which permeate the work. In the opening allegro Moderato this sense of constant movement was convincingly brought out by Mro Galea and the orchestra. The best-known part of the symphony, however, is probably the second movement. This is sometimes taken at a considerably slow pace, so it was refreshing to hear a performance which was on the brisker side and more respectful of Beethoven's allegretto marking. An energetic scherzo and trio led to the final allegro con brio. As the movement built up momentum, it seemed at times that the orchestra was at risk of losing its cohesion, but ultimately this sense of danger only heightened the excitement of the triumphant final bars - a stirring close to an enjoyable concert.