Concert
Lords and Masters
Soprano Gillian Zammit/Camerata Galatea
St Paul’s Anglican pro-Cathedral

The Lords and Masters referred to in the title of this concert are the patrons for whom the composers of the works performed served. It was difficult for most com-posers and musicians to make ends meet unless they were under some rich powerful master’s patronage.

One of the composers featured at the concert was Tommaso Prota (c.1727-c.1768), who served as Grandmaster Pinto’s maestro di cappella. Two of his works were performed: both Sonatas for trebles and continuo, Op.1, published in Paris in 1751. They were discovered and edited by Fra Richard Divall.

Their performance was a latter-day premiere because they have never been performed since they were composed. They are both charming and relaxing works; the first being in B flat Major and was performed by John McDonough (oboe), Maria Conrad (violin) and continuo with Philip Walsh at the harpsichord and Tim Smedley, cello.

They provided the continuo throughout the whole concert. For the second Prota Sonata in C Major for trebles and continuo, the trebles were Rebecca Hall (flute) and Nemanja Ljubinkovic (violin).

Handel, who for a while depended on royal patronage, was represented in this concert by two of his Nine German Arias

Hearing both sonatas performed so elegantly makes one appreciate the work of researchers such as Divall and the musicians who bring them alive to the public.

Another such work is Sonata for two violins Op. 2 and continuo (1731) by the Englishman Michael Festing (1705-52), who at one time was a member of The King’s Musicke. He has a remote connection with Malta via the Rome-based Order of Malta of whose current Grand Master Fra Matthew Festing he was an ancestor. The sonata was performed by Maria Conrad and Ljubinkovic, who with this music which is charming and uncomplicated, they could not but perform with great feeling and charm.

Handel, who for a while depended on royal patronage, was represented in this concert by two of his Nine German Arias (late 1720s) which were the last music he composed to lyrics in his native language. They were sung by soprano Gillian Zammit whose diction this time was not as clear as usual and while she seemed to deal with the emotive element of the text pretty well, I had the sensation that all was not perfectly well.

There is a bug in the air and lots of flu around, and if that was the case, one admires her soldiering on with Flammende Rose, Zierde der Erden (No. 9) and Süsse Stille, sanfte Quelle (No. 4). It was the same in the sacred cantata by Telemann Hemmet den Eifer, verbannet die Rache.

The concert’s last remaining work was also Telemann’s: the Quartet in G Major for Flute, Oboe, Violin and Continuo. Hall, McDonough and Conrad’s performance was elegant, stylish and balanced, and served as a reminder of the prolific composer’s often forgotten genius. Indeed he was so prolific and varied that entire festivals could just revolve on his works.