Baroque music at its best at Anglican Cathedral

Concert
Malta Philharmonic Orchestra; various soloists/director Michael Laus
St Paul’s Pro-Cathedral

I think that few of those present at this concert did not leave the cathedral without a feeling of exhilaration. The noble edifice was filled to capacity and the music was performed for a good cause.

The musicians gave their services free in this concert, the aim being to collect funds thanks to a paper collection taken at the end in aid of the much-needed restoration of the cathedral’s historic organ.

If asked why the exhilaration it was because the music chosen was performed with a lot of commitment, preparation, joy and excellent rapport between director and musicians and thence to the highly appreciative public. It was baroque music as it should be performed: elegant and stylish, crisply incisive and it was a fine example of solid team-work.

Director Michael Laus had a well-knit team at his command and also had a very busy time conducting from the harpsichord in each of the four works on the programme and in some of which his own playing reached virtuoso proportions. The first work was Vivaldi’s Concerto in D minor for Two Oboes and Strings, RV535, featuring Jon McDonough and Paolino Tonna. This four-movement work followed the alternating slow/fast pattern and in which the two soloists played in perfect balance with the strings. The interaction between the soloists was just as balanced with an increasing feeling of excitement in their playing and that of the strings. This was very evident as the second largo was even more expressive than the opening one and the concluding allegro molto of an obviously more energetic kind than the earlier allegro.

Well-known MPO first flautist Rebecca Hall was the soloist in the popular Orchestral Suite No. 2 in B minor. Ms Hall’s performance was in part fulfilment of the requirements of the doctoral programme of the University of Malta. Few would not concede that her performance, backed by the full support of her colleagues and director, did not gain her many precious marks on her path to that doctorate. She combined fine musicianship, tenderness of expression, a buoyant delivery and a final display of virtuoso playing when she concluded the suite with that devilishly difficult badinerie.

Just as highly accomplished were violin soloists Nadia Debono and Marcelline Agius (the MPO’s leader) with cellist Anjelica Young in Geminiani’s Concerto Grosso No. 12 in D minor, La Folìa. That much exploited theme, popularly known as La Folia de España but actually of Portugese origin, is worked by Geminiani into a number of colourful and differently paced variations.

The soloists had a tough job, especially Ms Debono who of course rose coolly to the occasion, complemented by Ms Agius and to an unusual extent for the time, by Ms Young at the cello who had her significant say as well. The faster variations buzzed with an incredible energy and clarity.

The concert ended with a suite from Rameau’s opera-ballet Les Indes Galantes. The selection consisted of Overture and a number of dance sequences which came across in a variety of moods and even of texture, such as the Air pour les Fleurs which was very delicate and charming, scored just for flute and four violins.

The bustling overture had been followed by the sedate and dignified Entre des Quatre Nations. The Air grave pour Deux Polonais was a rather witty exercise in genteel bickering between the first and second violins and the rest of the orchestra. The Marche and more so the Tambourin added a lot of colour, and the concluding Danse du Grand Calumet de la Paix had well-controlled and sharply defined zest and vigour. So well did this part symbolise the MPO’s successful presentation that the public had to be regaled with its encore.