Concert
Nikki Vella, soprano; Massimiliano Silvestri, tenor; Settimo Scamardi, baritone Amadeus Chamber Choir i/c/w/ Coro Stesicoro (Palermo)
St John’s Co-Cathedral

Setting up a choir and singing on 25 years later is no mean feat, and the Amadeus Chamber Choir celebrated this event with a grand concert in grand surroundings. Under the distinguished patronage of the President of the Republic, this celebration was held in aid of the Malta Community Chest Fund.

The choice of works was a contrasting one, in that the styles are pretty different. These were the frequently quasi-ethereal, sound world of a mature Fauré in his sublime Requiem in D minor, Op. 48 and the full-blooded Italian Messa di Gloria of a young Puccini on the threshold of his career.

Some 10 members of the Sicilian Coro Stesicoro from Termini Imerese augmented the male sections of the Amadeus, which all in all provided a happy combination.

The projection of the Requiem was, in general, what it should be. Rather than a work of faith, it is one of serenity and in search of peace and relaxation. The accent is not on fear, even if there are of course some outbursts in the Dies Irae which are more like annoying interruptions hindering the quest for the resignation which leads to peace. If forte or ff it has to be, it still has to be a Fauré ff.

The males in these brief episodes could have been better checked because elsewhere the vocal and instrumental forces were perfectly balanced, and yes, there was also that kind of “filigree” singing all over the place. Phrasing was good, diction clear and the singers were on cue.

Fauré also scored the work with brief solos for soprano and baritone. Young Nikki Vella has a promising voice and was crystal-clear and effortless in Te decet hymnus and Pie Jesu Domine. Baritone Settimo Scamardi is still in his mid-20s and he too has a very promising, mellow and well-sustained voice, authoritative in Hostias et preces and very lyrical in Libera me Domine.

Calling Puccini’s graduation exercise of 1880 a Messa di Gloria is a misnomer, because it is a full setting of the Proper of the Roman Catholic Latin Mass. It is a pity that he opted for a career in opera, which one does not begrudge at all; but who knows what other and similar works he could have composed? This Mass has had a few performances in these islands and never loses its freshness and attraction.

Amadeus Chamber Choir gave a very good rendering of this work, being on top form throughout. Both of the work’s longest sections, the Gloria and the Credo (the latter composed slightly earlier than the rest of the Mass) end in magnificent fugues which were very well handled.

When the Gloria ended it led to a spontaneous burst of applause. That this did not happen after the Credo is not to say it was not as good, but the Mass had to go on into the Sanctus, Benedictus and Agnus Dei.

Tenor Massimiliano Silvestri does have a good, strong voice, as could be heard in the solos Gratias agimus tibi and the lovely Et incarnatus est. However, during some brief moments the notes were not very smoothly sustained and tended to waver. The baritone’s only solo was the Sanctus-Benedictus, while the only duet, the Agnus Dei, ended the work on a serene, peaceful note.