St Cecilia’s Day Concert – Music from the German baroque masters

The Valletta International Baroque Ensemble will be performing a selection of baroque music in a celebration in honour of St Cecilia – the patron saint of music on her feast day, Wednesday, 22 November at 8pm at St Dominic’s Church, Rabat.

The earliest recorded celebrations for St Cecilia’s day date back to the 17th century. The festivities were entitled Musick Feasts and comprised of some days dedicated to musical performances culminating in a choral service on the day dedicated to St Cecilia, the 22 of November with specially commissioned works by the foremost composers of the time.

The performers at this concert are Malta’s leading baroque musicians and include Nadia Debono and Marcelline Agius (violin), Sarah Spiteri (violin/viola), Jacob Portelli (cello), Joanne Camilleri (harpsichord/organ) and soprano Gillian Zammit.

The programme of music includes Handel’s Sinfonia in Bb major and Sei cara, sei bella from Cecilia, volgi uno sguardo HWV 89, Biber’s Balletti Lamentabili à 4, Bach’s Harpsichord concerto in A BWV 1055 and Telemann’s Concerto 3violins TWV53_F1.

It is because Handel’s tribute to St Cecilia is possibly the best known that the organisers decided to create a concert featuring works by German composers. Every country has a characteristic that is unmistakable. German music is structurally impregnable, virile yet expressive and infinitely lyrical without over-decoration or sac- charine. This is why German music is thought to be music in its purest form.

The venue for this concert is the historic St Dominic’s Church in Rabat adjacent to St Dominic’s Convent which dates back to the 15th century. The concert starts at 8pm. Tickets are €20 with discounts for senior citizens and full-time students and can be purchased from www.teatrumanoel.com.mt, by phone on 2124 6389 or email bookings@teatrumanoel.com.mt