Of battles and glory

It is a joy to walk into a concert hall to find it packed with people queuing outside for tickets.

Vivaldi’s Gloria is like Gone with the Wind; no matter how many times you experience it, you cannot help falling in love with it- Alex Vella Gregory

It is not so much of a joy to feel their disapproving eyes as you glide past them to your reserved seat. Still, one is allowed some perks with the job I suppose.

The opening Symphony by C.P.E Bach was a perfect concert opener. It is a one-movement work that bridges the gap between the intricate baroque style and the lighter classical style that eventually displaced it. I am no great fan of C.P.E. Bach’s music (I often find his music unbearably longwinded), but this particular symphony was delivered with enough charm by the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra to make it enjoyable.

The second item on the programme was Biber’s (not Bieber, as listed on the programme) Battalia. This work replaced the advertised Brandenburg concerto, which had to be cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances. As much as I adore the Brandenburg concertos, I cannot say I am sorry.

Biber stands out as one of the most original composers of the late baroque, and Battalia is an excellent example of this. The piece describes the run-up and aftermath of a battle.

It is by no means a celebration of war, or a programmatic edification of some celebrated victory.

The work is particular not only for its unusual musical gestures, but also for its juxtaposition of seriousness and humour.

Michael Laus’ interpretation brought this out very effectively. It was also good to have the conductor introduce this piece beforehand, and illustrate the musical gestures. It not only put the piece in perspective, but also helped break the barrier that is so often created between performers and the audience.

I especially enjoyed Gjorgji’s double bass ‘gunshots and Nadia Debono’s drunken fiddle.

The last, and main, item on the programme was Vivaldi’s Gloria. It is one of those pieces which for me constitute a guilty pleasure. I mean, all those sequences, vocal runs, and blatant repetitions, almost beggar belief. And yet, it is a bit like Gone with the Wind; no matter how many times you experience it, you cannot help falling in love with it.

The piece was sung by the newly-formed Goldberg Ensemble, a small chamber group picked from various choirs across Malta. For a new ensemble the overall effect was very tight. They still need to find the right balance and timbre, but that will come with time.

All three soloists delivered their pieces with great verve. The two sopranos were strong and wellbalanced, although I failed to see the point of having Caruana coming in and out all the time rather remaining with the choir. However, it was Graziella Debattista’s rich mezzo voice that won me over.

For those of you who have been inside Robert Sammut Hall, you know very well that second row is not an ideal spot. You are practically one metre away from the musicians. I am all for intimacy during concerts, but when you are so close that you can turn pages for the first violins, it might get a bit too intrusive.

This arrangement often affects the balance, and there were many times during the concerts when the back rows of the strings were lost to the ear, at least from where I wassitting. I understand that for the orchestra this is a ‘new’ space, but I do hope that the MPO experiments with different set ups to try and achieve the best possible result.

It is also a pity such a concert was held in the bare surroundings of Robert Sammut Hall when we have so many spacious baroque chur-ches around the island.

I do understand the church insists on having only sacred repertoire played in church, but one wonders why it allows gangs of badly tuned guitars screeching some ‘sacred’ rock ballad and not the MPO’s fine playing. Surely a C.P.E. Bach symphony is more sacred than Sinead O’Connor’s Streets Of London dressed up as the Lord’s Prayer?