The Victoria International Music festival this year concluded with a grand concert at the basilica of St George. One must say it was grand in more ways than one.
For one thing, there was ample proof that grandeur could even be achieved when the rich, mature genius of Verdi creates an unaccompanied work for four-part female chorus that reaches dizzy peaks of technical achievement.
This is matched by depth of spirituality which the women’s section of Laudate Pueri, directed by Fr George Frendo, succeeded in conveying to even greater effect, singing as they did from the basilica choir.
From then on, Joseph Vella dominated the rest of the concert, displaying his great versatility of style. The string section of the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra performed his Lament for Strings: To the Victims of 9/11.
The sadness and grieving was there, but it is done in a dignified way, more than enough for the message to get through. Nothing dark and lugubrious about it as the scoring sees to that amply enough and the message got through.
From the grandeur of digni-fied grief, the next step was to the complex, ambitious and, eventually, highly successful world premiere of the Hyland Mass: A Prayer for Unity in Diversity.
This work was commissioned by a gentleman from the US, Christopher Hyland, who was present for the performance and who must be very proud to have his name associated with this work, which is indeed based on a very topical theme.
For this is no ordinary setting of the proper Latin Mass, less the Credo. In conformity with its sub-title, Vella inserted five sections of semi-religious sections, each sung by a member of a standard soprano, alto, tenor and bass quartet of soloists, plus another section scored for treble voice. That was not enough: the uniformity of spirit was expressed by means of the diversity of languages in which the chosen texts are written and were sang in their original language.
The familiarity of the Latin text of the Mass was complemented by the rich diversity of five beautiful languages. Any language, if written well and equally well-set to music, becomes yet another worthy instrument expressing emotions and feelings that renders them beautiful. After a brief entr’acte, the sonorous beauty of Nicholas Warden’s bass projected Donne’s Hymn to God, invoking God’s mercy and serving as a fitting prelude to the Kyrie Eleison.
The second solo was alto Claire Massa’s, on equally good form with Mhux Għalina l-Bnedmin il-Glorja... (Not for us human beings the glory...), which consists of excerpts from the Old Testament.
It ends on a note of glory to God, that naturally leads in seamless progression to the Gloria movement. The Laudate Pueri, in full force singing the Latin sections of the Mass, as such also had a major role to play in this work and acquitted themselves well.
Soprano Gillian Zammit added a mystic touch
There was a tricky fugue (Cum Sancto Spiritu) which just sounded gorgeous as did so much of their contribution to the work. Because one knows what heights this choir is capable of reaching, it is never enough to keep on harping on avoiding individual voices here and there.
The way to the Sanctus was paved in another beautiful solo, Ehre sei Gott in der Hoehe (Glory to God in the highest), set to a text by Niemayer and sung effortlessly by tenor Cliff Zammit Stevens.
It was complemented by treble Nathan Schembri Rodgers who sang L’Idée de Dieu, an excerpt by Lamartine. Given the delicacy of the treble voice, the scoring was aptly light and quite ethereal in sound, contrasting very well with the joyous outburst of the chorus in the final Hosanna in Excelsis.
Soprano Gillian Zammit added a mystic touch in her interpretation of the final solo, excerpts from Dante’s Paradiso ending on a hushed, reverential tone, which after some seconds of silence resumed in the Agnus Dei for the four main soloists and chorus, gradually bringing the work to a most satisfactory end.
It deserves to be heard again and again and one is glad to hear that plans are afoot for more exposure of this work in Malta and abroad.
Not completely unrelated in spirit was the final Vella work of the evening: Fanfare and Anthem for Peace. An assertive brass section of the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra sounded the rousing fanfare, followed by the rest of the orchestra and the chorus in a lovely and very catchy anthem, God’s Diversity, to lyrics by Lisa Zeiger. It was very hard to resist joining in.