Miriam Cauchi launched Riflessi, her latest CD, by means of a concert at the Manoel Theatre.
This lady is one of our leading singers, possessing a beautiful, clear and very expressive voice which she uses expertly and to the best advantage. Thus she conveys without any shadow of doubt the meaning of the texts in Maltese by 10 local poets ranging from late medieval to contemporary ones, and which no less than seven local composers set them to music. Cauchi’s commitment to art songs in Maltese is now further enriched by this collection of works.
With a total running time of some 75 minutes, it would have been impossible for the singer to sing all the 20 different compositions, some of which have an arduously high tessitura. It is not that she does not deal with the latter hurdle ably enough. Indeed the selection she chose included some of these tough and very challenging pieces. There were also the more folksy types, the highly reflective, the carefree as well as the sad ballad type of song. The styles as regards poetry and composition vary greatly yet the singer conveyed the meaning expertly, her changes of mood underlined similar changes in the texts.
If one really bothers to listen well to an interpretation such as this one, one realises the power, beauty and expressiveness of Maltese which unfortunately is so nonchalantly mauled and savaged by many who know no better.
One of the younger composers featured in the concert was Alex Vella Gregory who found inspiration in rare works by the two (so far) oldest known local poets, Pietru Caxaro (c. 1400-1485) and Giovan Francesco Buonamico (1639-1680). Vella Gregory accompanied Cauchi in Buonamico’s lovely Mejju ġie bil-ward u żahar.
This lady has a beautiful, clear and very expressive voice which she uses expertly and to the best advantage
Another composer who accompanied the singer was Véronique Vella, whose setting of Clare Azzopardi’s bleak Ċassa quddiem mera was projected with deep anguish. Incidentally Vella and Azzopardi are the only ladies amid the other composers and poets.
The opening of the concert was a combination of genres. It was also one of three tracks directly taken from the CD. In the singing of Duende and Ħemel, both by Christopher Muscat to verses by Albert Marshall, there was another dimension, the live visual one.
This was provided by movement choreographed by Mavin Khoo who also took part in these two pieces together with Florinda Camilleri, Gabin Corredor and Keith Micallef to piano accompaniment was by Caroline Calleja.
The text was projected on a screen and the interesting variety offered during this enjoyable evening, included a few readings entrusted to the suave and comforting voice of Alfred Mallia.
In Joseph Vella’s two-song cycle Kant ta’ mara, set to texts by Achille Mizzi, Cauchi was accompanied by cellist Simon Abdilla Joslin and pianist Maria Frendo. It bears reminding that Vella is the pioneer of the art song in Maltese having composed the first song cycle, Seħer, for soprano and pianist Frendo.
Some leading members of the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra accompanied Cauchi in Logħba, the last of Charles Camilleri’s Ħames kanti popolari. Violinists Marcelline Agius and Nadia Debono, Aureliano Balducci (viola), and Gjorgji Cincievski (double bass) joined for the occasion by cellist Abdilla Joslin, who performed the instrumental version of the first four Kanti.
Later the same ensemble plus pianist Frendo, following an aptly preparatory reading by Mallia of Oliver Friggieri’s highly philosophical, sometimes grimly reflective and ironic Fil-bar tal-kantuniera. The music by Philip Ciantar happens to be the longest of the 20 tracks.
The last item on the programme began with Mallia’s reading of Trevor Zahra’s Il-ħolma set to music by the poet’s son, Ruben. Starkly effective, the musical accompaniment to Cauchi’s voice is provided by pianist Tricia Dawn Williams and percussionist Luke Baldacchino. The singer was very warmly applauded when she reappeared on stage.
The result was an encore, Camilleri’s Il-banda, to words by Joe Friggieri. It is a fun piece: warm, uninhibited, a pure romp which further highlights the diversity of texts and music in Riflessi, one that has a solidly unifying element: our native language.