The musical angels of St Catherine's

As frequent visitors to Malta, and great admirers of its numerous cultural treasures, my wife and I were happy to read about the restoration of the cupola of St Catherine's church in Valletta (March 5 and March 9) thanks to financing from the Bank of Valletta.

Both these accounts, however, suffered from a glaring omission. When in Malta we try never to miss the excellent noontime musical recitals given at St Catherine's almost every Thursday and Sunday under the auspices of St James Cavalier.

At these events, we in the audience are invariably and warmly welcomed and thanked by Sarah Spiteri for our modest contribution in purchasing tickets, and because our presence there encourages corporations like the Bank of Valletta to contribute to the cost of the restoration.

Ms Spiteri is an outstandingly talented musician, and an indefatigable champion of the restoration. At St Catherine's we have seen this remarkable lady perform on violin and viola, introduce works and fellow artists, sell tickets, greet the audience, and on one occasion even lift and arrange heavy chairs right before picking up her instrument for a very demanding performance.

In Milton's baroque epic Paradise Lost, the completion of God's creation is celebrated by the angels "with acclamation and the sound/Symphonious of ten thousand harps that tuned Angelic harmonies... the harp had work and rested not, the solemn pipe,/And dulcimer, all organs of sweet stop/All sounds of fret by string or golden wire/Tempered soft tunings: intermixed with voice/Choral or unison..." (Book VII, 557-599).

Surely the "recreation" of the baroque St Catherine's owes a great deal to Ms Spiteri and her fellow musical angels, who likewise "rested not" in their support of this project, and merit our gratitude and recognition.