One problem with organ recitals is that the audience rarely sees the performer during the actual performance, the consul of the organ usually being hidden away from the view of the audience.
In the case of the newly-restored organ of the St Paul Anglican Cathedral in Valletta, the consul is moveable and can be positioned in such a way as to be seen by the audience.
This was the case for the opening concert of the first Malta International Organ Festival held earlier this month.
The performer was the world-renowned English organist Wayne Marshall.
I’m happy to write that the audience was able to see the performer and to appreciate his technique, especially in the case of the use of the feet on the pedals.
Marshall immediately created a rapport with the audience in a short introduction to the evening.
He demonstrated his incredible ability in an improvised work of his own: Intrada Imporovisee, which demonstrated his agility on the keyboards and in his foot work on the pedals. The work was performed to illustrate the various colours of the organ.
This was followed by the Prelude and Fugue in B minor by M Dupré. This was the first of three works dedicated to deceased French organists. The prelude is a brilliant toccata, extremely lively and full of cheerfulness.
The second work was in a much gentler mood, the Pastoral in E major by César Franck. This piece again displayed beautifully the colours of the organ. The middle section presented a virtuosic challenge to the performer.
The Symphony no 5 by Widor followed. Most listeners to this work were probably familiar with the famous Toccata from this work.
This is actually the final movement of this work and is usually heard as a recessional at weddings. This performance presented us with the complete work consisting of five movements.
The first two were Allegro vivace, a lively movement followed by Allegro cantabile, much more song like. Two slower movements followed which concluded with the well-known Toccata.
Following a short pause in the programme, and after a short interchange between performer and audience, wherein the audience was challenged to sing a well-known hymn and to try to overpower the organ, Marshall was joined by the baritone, Joseph Lia.
Lia performed It is Enough from Mendelssohn’s oratorio Elijah, based on various events in the life of the prophet Elijah.
In this aria Elijah, alone in the wilderness, prays to God in deep distress that he wishes to die: “It is enough! Now Lord take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!”
The audience was able to see the performer and to appreciate his technique
Lia gave a very poignant and expressive performance. One could almost hear the despair in the voice especially in the final line: “Now let me die, Lord, take my life.”
Lia followed this by singing a setting of Psalm 89: Salm 89 Op 43a, a version for voice and organ by Joseph Vella.
Marshall then continued his organ works with a performance of the Benediction Nuptuale by Saint-Saëns, part of the Messe de Mariage: a piece performed with a delicate beauty.
The final programmed piece performed was the Sonata Eroice, Op94 by Jongen.
Continuing on his excellent rapport with the audience, Marshall concluded with his own improvisation on a well-known hymn tune that brought the whole evening to a climax very much appreciated by the packed audience.
This was the opening concert of the Malta International Organ Festival which featured performances on various organs in churches in Malta and Gozo, bringing together leading international organists.