Albert Storace is enchanted by a performance by members of the Rotterdam Ensemble during Din l-Art Ħelwa’s annual celebration concert and during various other engagements.

Din l-Art Ħelwa’s (DLĦ) annual cele­bration concert was the 51st and comprised a concert and dinner at St John’s Cavalier, Valletta. This was courtesy of Umberto di Capua, Ambassador to Malta of the S.M.O.M.

Roberto Beltrán-Zavala, the Rotterdam Ensemble.

Before the excellent dinner was served, the spacious barrel vault of the cavalier’s main chamber rang to the sound of string music. This came from five members of the string section Rotterdam Ensemble, directed by the very dynamic and communicative Roberto Beltrán-Zavala. The performers were Marina Meerson and Nikolai Bernstein (violins), Maria Sofia Espiga Figueiredo Fonçeca (viola), Wijnand Hulst (cello) and Len Bielaars (double-bass).

The choice of works went down well, beginning, as it did, with the ever-popular Vivaldi in the Concerto in A Major for strings, in its beautifully contrasting fast-slow-fast movements.

Although Heinrich Bieber’s Battaglia does perforce have some disturbing connotations it is also a sometimes satirical look into 17th century pre- and post-battle goings-on. There is a kind of moralising tone at the end because after the pre-battle drun­kenness and excitement of engaging the enemy one is left to the sound of lamenting, whining, moaning and groaning.

This was a sobering thought that was brought very much to life with the performers using simple but highly effective techniques, including a sheet of paper on the double-bass strings to simulate the sound of drums.

Far re­moved from this, in time and idiom, was the ensemble’s last piece: Waltz N. 2 from Suite for Variety Orchestra by Shosta­kovich. This was very well re­ceiv­ed and very warmly applauded.

When, after dinner, a raffle was held and DLĦ president Maria Grazia Cassar addressed the gathering, various rounds of merited applause filled the air.

Perhaps none was stronger than that for John Vassallo and his wife Marianne Noll. It was thanks to their generous sponsorship that the members of the Rotterdam Ensemble were in Malta to perform for DLĦ and its members. One must add that this is a rather rare form of local private sponsorship and, therefore, most laudable. It is true that banks and large companies are active in sponsoring cultural events but very few, if any, do it.

Very well received and very warmly applauded

Here, one must add that the ensemble from Rotterdam was not quite finished with its activities in Malta. Vassallo and Noll have also been active in sponsoring and helping with certain cultural events in St Julian’s, where they live. They have established a strong link with St Julian’s Band Club, and the other activity they organised involved the participation of the band.

This was at the end of a concert at the old parish church of St Julian’s, where most of the music performed had never been heard before. The ensemble, less one violin, performed the joyful first movement of Schubert’s Trout Quintet with pianist Charlene Farrugia.

The pianist then accompanied cellist Wijland Hulst in Louange à l’Éternité Jésus from Messiaën’s  Quatuor pour la fin du temps.  It was followed by the second movement from Karl Fiorini’s Imagination at Work for string quartet, a work commissioned by Vassallo.

The ensemble accompanied so­prano Gillian Zammit in Morgen, by Richard Strauss and Piangerò la Mia Sorte, from Handel’s Giulio Cesare, while Farrugia accompanied her in the Gounod/Bach Ave Maria.

The ensemble also performed the Vivaldi Concerto for Strings in A.

Members  of St Julian’s Band, with solo clarinet Jessica Ellul and directed by Étienne Spiteri, performed the director’s own work, Mystico, followed by the finale of another work of his, the Oratorio San Ġiljan.

The Rotterdam Ensemble’s busy schedule also included a lunchtime concert at The Exchange, Valletta, to mark the 20th anniversary of the Maltese business community’s representative office in Brussels. This was co-sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce and Westin Hotels.

Director Roberto Beltràn-Zavala conducted a master class for 16 band leaders from all over Malta at St Julian’s Band Club.

He also presided over an encounter in music appreciation with 20 fledgling musicians, beginners who are between seven and 12 years old. No doubt, all this has been very fruitful and one hopes that the Vassallo-Noll example will be emulated by more public-spirited music lovers.