Nestling in the shadow of Mdina Cathedral, Palazzo de Piro Cultural Centre was opened to the public last December. It took a lot of extensive refurbishment of this former aristocratic residence, and encompasses the Mdina Cathedral Museum extension, Xpresso Café, a gift shop and a function centre.
The crowning moment was the sarabande, which was most beautifully and sensitively delivered- Albert Storace
Three major exhibitions are planned for each year and the current one features beautiful wax bozzetti by the renowned 17th-century Maltese sculptor Melchiorre Cafà. This is within the declared aim to explore and promote themes related to Maltese culture.
Another aspect of the centre is the presentation of recitals and concerts in a splendid hall on the first floor. The presentation and running of these concerts has been entrusted to Barocco Cultural Events, already well-known for the long-standing series of events held at the Sagrestija Vault on the Valletta Waterfront and the lunchtime recitals at the Franciscan Oratory in Republic Street, Valletta.
Barocco Events have planned three recitals at two-month intervals.
The first recital in this series was presented recently and featured baroque music by Antonio Vivaldi, J.S. Bach and Joseph Bodin de Boismortier. The performers are all well-known local musicians: Silvio Zammit (flute), his wife Ramona Zammit Formosa, a very versatile keyboard performer and accompanist but appearing here as a flautist, and cellist Simon Abdilla Joslin.
The recital was dubbed ‘A baroque carnival’, one supposes because of the proximity of carnival and not that the music had anything to do with that event.
The programme began with one of Vivaldi’s many trio sonatas, one in C arranged by Zammit for two flutes and cello. The usual format marks this work, with movements alternating in a slow/fast pattern. It took some time, at least for my ears, to get used to the sound of the cello with the flutes when in the opening moderato there still was not that ideal blend and balance of tone and texture.
This was achieved successfully in the rest of the work which included a light allegro tempo di gavotte and a truly charming aria marked affettuoso. The last allegro eventually gave way to a high-spirited and brilliant gigue, the latter eventually being encored at the end of the recital.
Abdilla Joslin took centre stage in J.S. Bach’s Suite N.1 in G for solo cello. He tackled this work with a combination of sobriety, flexibility and precision. The exploratory nature of the prelude promised well, and the light allemande moved along rather smoothly.
The courante had some rare moments when some notes sounded just slightly approximate but one could say there was no such thing in the rest of the work, the crowning moment of which was the sarabande which was most beautifully and sensitively delivered. Equally satisfactory were the two minuets and the gigue, which despite its lively tempo and rapidity never lost clarity.
The prolific Boismortier had a soft spot for the flute and this was evident in the Concerto in G for two flutes which followed after the interval. It was performed with a naturally warm rapport between the performers. There was balance in the complementary role of the instruments and a great sense of style in the elegant playing.
It was back to J.S. Bach in another Zammit arrangement in the Trio Sonata in E minor for two flutes and cello. There was ample opportunity for some display for all three instruments, although this was mainly for the first flute dominating the melodic line and the cello which was very prominent in the first allegro and the following andante.
Zammit Formosa performing in an important supporting role sustaining the melodic line came more into her own in the concluding allegro.
The next concerts will be on April 25 and June 27, both at 7.30 p.m. The April concert will feature works by Beethoven performed by the Cordia String Quartet while the June concert ‘Bersnstein and more’ will feature soprano Marita Bezzina, harpist Jacob Portelli and cellist Gilmour Peplow, and this will be a dinner-concert.
For further information, e-mail bookings@baroccomalta.com, events@xarapalace.com.mt or call 7968 0952.