There is something deliciously irresistible about Handel. Even when he is at his most dramatic, his music is imbued with a humanity that immediately entices the listener. He makes the ideal opening act for experts and the uninitiated alike.
It was therefore to the sounds of Handel that the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of Joseph Vella, opened the latest concert in the Baroque Concert Series.
Handel’s concerti grossi are considered, along with Bach’s Brandenburg’s, among the finest examples of the genre. A concerto grosso has a small group of soloists (the concertato) pitted against the rest (the ripieno). This might be slightly inaccurate, as the effect is not so much a confrontation as a pleasant conversation between friends.
The MPO performed this concerto with great verve, with Vella constantly keeping the momentum.
Klara Nazaj and Roberta Attard played with elegance, and Yaroslav Miklukho and Charlene Farrugia were a solid continuo. I had misgivings about separating the harpsichord from the concertato group, as this affected the unity of the soloists.
The core of the programme concentrated on Maltese sacred vocal music. It was a bold move to frame Maltese baroque works between the twin giants of Handel and Bach, and the gamble paid off. The works of Giovanni and Domenico Balzano deserve to be better known, and they are just as sophisticated as any sacred music of the period.
Maria Frendo’s voice is well-suited for this repertoire. She has a limpid voice that carries well. She shone best in G. Balzano’s Curre ad Virginem, and executed all passages with great clarity and ease. She was joined by Antoinette Camilleri for Domenico Balzano’s Venite Omnes. Camilleri also has a clear voice, but not as powerful as Frendo’s, resulting in some moments of imbalance.
I was less impressed with Carissimi’s Ecce Deus, more as a piece in itself than the delivery. This piece, whose manuscript exists only in Malta, felt like a run-of-the-mill concertato motet. I would have preferred Balzano’s Curre ad Virginem as a conclusion to this group of sacred pieces.
The concert came to an end with one of J.S. Bach’s better known works for violin, the Concerto in E.
This work is remarkable not only for its sophistication, but also for the way it sums up the baroque style and at the same time points the way forward to the classical concerto.
Nemanja Ljubinkovic gave a polished and vibrant performance with great attention to detail.
Vella introduced each item and put the pieces in context. Although this was very informative I did feel some of the explanations were a tad too long. Of course, this was due to the maestro’s enthusiasm, but it can easily distract an audience.
I would appreciate that if the authorities have to close off major arterial roads like St Anne’s Street in Floriana for the sake of an event, they would inform people beforehand. The concert started late as most of the audience got stuck in the insane traffic that was created by a very badly planned traffic diversion.