The Candlelit nights organised by Fever at Phoenicia Malta seemed like a good idea and I went along with one of my sisters to enjoy an evening of Vivaldi in a hotel which we love and which has that elusive quality, character.

 

If one arrives early enough one can enjoy a drink before the concert starts. Some arranged to be there early to partake of the English institution, tea (with a glass of prosecco or champagne, depending on how extravagant you are feeling) in the Palm Court, with piano music in the background. The Palm Court has always been my favourite hotel lounge in Malta. So civilised and old world.

 

You can reach the ballroom, where the concert was taking place,  from the hotel. It is all very well signed. The queue leading to the ballroom was well controlled and while waiting to get to their seats some bought a drink in the bar, just outside the ballroom. We were allowed to take a drink inside and enjoy it while waiting for the concert to start. The audience was ready to listen to Vivaldi's popular Four  Seasons and you can be certain that many in the audience had heard it time and again yet were there to listen to it again,  with no sign of ennui, played by different musicians, in a totally different ambience.

 

It is said that Vivaldi's music was hardly played at all from his death in 1741 through until the middle of the 20^th century. This is all down to a rather strange decision by a nobleman called Count Giacomo Durazzo. He pulled together all of Vivaldi's original works and simply locked them up. In his last will and testament, Durazzo ordered his family to make sure that none of this music by Vivaldi should ever be performed or published. If that isn't a piece of astonishing vandalism then I don't know what is. After many years these ludicrous instructions were overturned and Vivaldi's music was once more heard. The public lapped up his catchy melodies, and a star was reborn, some 200 years after his death. He now sits at the top of the list of most performed Baroque composers. Poetic justice!

 

I would have liked to meet Vivaldi. He was clearly a bit of a character. He learnt how to play the violin while undertaking his religious training, becoming known as 'The Red Priest' because of his bright red hair. He was excused from having to say Mass as he claimed to suffer from asthma, an illness which does not seem to stop him from conducting or from travelling all over Europe. And, indeed, he seems to have enjoyed a close relationship with one soprano and possibly with her sister as well.  Any illicit affairs certainly never got in the way of Vivaldi's composing however. As well as the 500 concertos, a clutch of operas, well over 80 sonatas and a large pile of sacred and secular vocal works are evidence of this. Yet he was a mere winnow when compared to Telemann with around 3,700 works to his name.

Although he was born some 300 miles away on the other side of the Alps, Vivaldi ended up in the next graveyard along from Mozart in Vienna. Both of them in paupers' graves but their names live on.  

 

Fever's event was well organised with ushers showing us to our places.

The ballroom where we had attended weddings, piano recitals, concerts and carnival balls, over our long lives, looked most welcoming lit up by the gentle glow of candlelight. They are LED candles so there is no fear of a fire breaking out.  

There were a few announcements made and the Italian Quartetto made their appearance on the stage: Alexandra Butnaru who played the viola, second violinist Antonio Ambra who appears to be her partner or husband, Marco Mazzamuto on first violin and Mario Licciardello on the 'cello.

The Quartetto Blend was born from the initiative of four young musicians united by friendship and a love of music. The group's objective is to disseminate music of all kinds, almost always arranged for string formation by the same members of the Quartet. The formation in fact has a repertoire which ranges from classical quartet to operetta, from sacred music to contemporary music, from pop music to film music, etc. 

For many years now the quartet has been performing, with flattering acclaim from the public and critics, for numerous associations and occasions.

 

Alexandra was given the task of making the announcements in English which was unfortunate, since she does not have a good grasp of the language and could barely be understood. This could have easily been resolved by engaging the Maltese girl who originally came on stage to make some announcements in both languages and who spoke clearly. Even better, I would have put her into a period costume, hired from the Manoel Theatre, who have an extensive wardrobe and she could have been part of a most enjoyable evening.

They played very well. The performance had sparkle, crispness and a joyful vitality although goodness knows how many times they have played it but they are far from jaded.

The Four Seasons was followed by Vivaldi's and La Follia, another pleasant piece of music.

Once the concert came to an end we had tea and a variety of finger sandwiches at the Palm Court which ended a most pleasant afternoon drifting into evening.

Vivaldi's music continues to resonate across centuries, and his words provide glimpses into his artistic soul.

I shall be going to another of these concerts if they will play piano music. If you  haven't experienced these concerts don't miss the opportunity.

The Malta Spring Festival will soon be with us, in April.
But before that, on the 20^th March, at Palazzo De La Salle, we shall be listening again to Frank and his friends. This time it will be a Jazz concert.

Who dares complain that there is no culture in Malta? We are practically drowning in it.

Let me end with a quote from Antonio himself: "Springtime is upon us. The birds celebrate her return with festive song, and murmuring streams are softly caressed by the breezes."

 

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