Maltapost’s Philatelic Bureau yesterday issued a Christmas set of four stamps commemorating Maltese composers whose respective anniversaries fell in 2006, as well as a miniature sheet on the occasion of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s 250th anniversary. All stamps also feature a Christmas music motif.

Designed by Gozitan artist George Vella, the new stamps have been offset printed by Printex Ltd of Qormi on Maltese Crosses watermarked paper. The stamps come in a size of 44mm x 31mm, with a perforation of 13.9 x 14 (comb), with the Miniature Sheet perforation being 13.5 x 13.5 (comb).

8c stamp: Paolino Vassallo

Paolino Vassallo was born in Cospicua on 24 July 1856, 150 years ago. Vassallo founded a successful Music Institute, offering courses ranging from the basics to advanced techniques. His appointment in 1902 as the metropolitan maestro di cappella consolidated a growing reputation for excellence.

Vassallo’s compositions exhibit a Gallic line of verbalisation, especially his three operas: Amor Fatal, Frazir, and Edith Cavell. His numerous sacred works include several pieces for the Christmas liturgy, such as the Inno per Natale – Jesu Redemptor, depicted on the stamp and decorated with the crib motif.

16c stamp – Carmelo Pace

The year 2006 marks the centenary of Carmelo Pace’s birth, on 17 August 1906 in Valletta.

Between 1921 and 1938, he was a member of the Royal Opera House orchestra, and in 1931 he started a life-long career in music teaching.

The growing national regard for Pace’s achievements led to the award of many honours, including the National Order of Merit (1992). His oeuvre contains at least 12 Christmas works, including six carols of which They Heard the Angels (The Magi journey very far) is very aptly illustrated on the stamp by the Magi motif.

22c stamp – Paul Nani

This year marks the centenary of Paul Nani’s birth in Valletta on 23 December 1906. In 1928, Nani went to Rome to continue his musical studies under Vincenzo di Donato and Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari. On his return in 1936, he tried to revive his family’s musical heritage, of which he was justifiably proud. But the fast-changing social conditions meant that liturgical music was no longer in national focus.

Between 1936 and 1952, Nani organised and conducted a remarkable series of orchestral and vocal concerts. His compositions include the orchestral Maltese Christmas (1943). The “angel” motif is a favourite Maltese Christmas decoration.

With Nani’s death, the dynasty of the Nani composers regrettably came to an end.

27c stamp – Carlo Diacono

Diacono was born in Zejtun 130 years ago, on 1 April 1876. The promulgation of Pius X’s 1903 Motu Proprio on church music offered him the possibility to compose harmonically inventive works within its parameters, and he started performing them in a growing number of commissioning churches.

Diacono’s musical ability found confirmation when his opera L’Alpino played to full houses at the Royal Opera House in 1918, and in his appointment in 1923 as the metropolitan maestro di cappella. His liturgical compositions include the work portrayed on this stamp, Notte di Natale, a pastorale per voci puerili.

Miniature sheet – Mozart

Maltapost is joining the world in commemorating Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s 250th anniversary.

Mozart was born on 27 January 1756 in Salzburg. At four years of age, he could reproduce on the piano any melody he heard; at five, he could play the violin with perfect intonation; and at six he composed his first minuet.

Mozart wrote his first symphony at eight and his first opera, Bastien und Bastienne, was staged four years later.

These few well-known facts are enough to illustrate Mozart’s unique musical talent. By the time he died on 5 December 1791, aged only 35, he had written over 600 works containing so much breath-taking merit, that many consider him to be the greatest composer of all time.

This Christmas set will be available from all Maltapost postal retail outlets in Malta and Gozo as a First Day Cover, in mint and cancelled format, and as a Souvenir Folder and Presentation Pack.

Additional details are available from the Philatelic Bureau (tel.: 2123-9153, email: philately@maltapost

.com) or from the Maltapost website: www.maltapost.com