How glad I was that owing to a premature return from my trip abroad I was able to go to Pjazza Teatru Rjal for a Malta Philharmonic’s concert. We have come very far and with our MPO in its usual high fettle and with Brian Schembri wielding his baton, the audience was in for a treat.
The orchestra was the protagonist in the evening’s only work which has been performed a number of times in these islands. In keeping with the occasion Joseph Vella’s Rebbieha, Op. 45 is a symphonic poem (1986) giving an overview of Malta’s march to freedom, epic-sounding and heroic with a nod to the Innu Malti towards the end
Musical talent never lacked in this country and this concert was yet another proof as it featured three brilliant young performers on different brass instruments. These were Chris Spiteri (tuba), Philip Attard (saxophone) and George Camilleri (euphonium). The choice of programme was as unusual as it was interesting and eventually, very exciting.
I do not recall any of these works ever having been performed before locally. These three performers enthralled a most appreciative and very full house. They have different styles and personalities but all are highly musical, technically very accomplished, perform with a disciplined passion and proved to be virtuosi of the first order.
Musical talent never lacked in this country and this concert was yet another proof as it featured three brilliant young performers on different brass instruments
Chris Spiteri performed Alexander Arutiunian’s Concerto for Tuba and Orchestra (1992). It got off the ground right away with its opening allegro moderato. It was a merry romp with crisp almost cheeky exchanges between tuba and orchestra. By contrast the Andante sostenuto was rather mournful, like an extended dirge, and showed off a beautiful smoothness of tone. The concluding Allegro ma non troppo had a festive air about it and the concerto was brought home after a longish and finely crafted cadenza.
Philip Attard was the only solo performer whom I had heard several times along the years and I could note how really very far he has come. He performed Paule Maurice’s Tableaux de Provence for Alto Sax and Orchestra, a work composed in 1948-1955. As one could expect this was a programme piece, each of its five movements evoking various aspects of Provençal culture and landscape.
The opening Farandole des jeunes filles was effervescent, lively and colourful. By contrast Chanson pour ma mie sounded as it should be – a tender serenade to a loved one performed with great feeling. The ability to switch moods was further displayed by soloist and orchestra with the fast, colourful scherzo-like La bohémienne. With Desalyscamps l’âme soupier there came a certain wistful longing soon offset by the concluding Le cabridan, evoking a swift flying bumble bee happily frolicking about. This final movement was marked by great virtuosity yet never losing articulation.
The third soloist, George Camilleri, performed the four-movement Concerto for Euphonium and Orchestra by Karl Jenkins, a pretty new work just seven years old. This was another lovely work, quirky and in-your-face first movement, The Juggler. It was great fun with frequent change of tempi and well controlled exchanges between soloist and orchestra.
Change of mood came with the Romanza, very lyrical with a silvery cantabile. It takes two to tango one guesses from the title of the sultry third movement which was a mix of tango and habanera.
One could expect the concluding movement titled A troika? Tidy!… to gallop and prance along, ostinato at first but with a sudden change to a brief reflective and romantic interlude leading to a great brilliant cadenza performed with bravura and on to an exciting conclusion.
Welcome bio notes on conductor, soloists and info about the MPO were available in the printed programme. However, in the absence of notes about three relatively unknown works, tempo indications could have been (at least) indicated.