The Heavens are Telling is the name given to the concert of sacred music that will be presented by the sixty-strong St Paul Choral Society on Friday, 19 June at Mdina Cathedral in aid of the Malta Hospice Movement. The name comes from the words of Psalm 19, which inspired two of the choral pieces in this concert; one is from the oratorio The Creation by Joseph Haydn, the 200th anniversary of whose death is being celebrated this year.

The St Paul Choral Society is also remembering the important anniversaries of George Frideric Handel, who died 250 years ago, and Felix Mendelssohn, who was born 200 years go. The choir will sing Handel’s first coronation anthem (Zadok the Priest), and also Mendelssohn’s How lovely are the messengers, from the oratorio St Paul.

Another piece deserving special attention will be the Ave Maria from Rachmaninov’s All-Night Vigil, which will be sung a capella, as will be pieces by Duruflé and Remondi. Other works by Mozart, Schubert and Stanford will complete the choral programme.

Well-known musician Elisabeth Conrad will accompany the St Paul Choral Society at the organ, and will also play the Finale of Mendelssohn’s First Organ Sonata solo. The concert director, Dr Hugo Agius Muscat, will play the last two movements of the Second Organ Sonata, while together they will complete the tribute to Mendelssohn by playing his Prelude and Fugue in C minor as a duet.

The concert starts at 7.30pm and is expected to last an hour and a quarter. Admission is free of charge. Donations to the Malta Hospice Movement are encouraged.