I consider myself privileged to receive an invitation to concerts at St Anton and even if more rarely, to Verdala Palace. I try not to miss any but what with family events, and those ‘Save the date’ emails sometimes there is no choice but to reluctantly back out. I wish I were like those saints who can be in two places simultaneously. Yes, it does make a difference where a concert takes place. A concert in some dismal hall where there is no ambience feels  is a very different experience to a concert in one of these palaces, at the Manoel theatre, at St John’s or one of our beautiful churches. So hats off to whoever came up with the idea of holding concerts in these palaces.

 The palace or country villa of Verdala was the summer residence of the grand master. It goes as far back as 1585/86 and was built by the French Grand Master Hughues Oubenx de Verdalle. Situated near Buskett, on high ground it satisfied the favourite occupation of princes in the 16th and 17th centuries: hunting. Verdalle’s tastes were refined and he was keen on personal aggrandizement. The spirit of the Order had started to change from its former monastic and austere concept into an institution of personal fame, prestige and glory. Thank goodness for that for look what he has left us to enjoy: an exquisite palace with the Tuscan master Filippo Paladini’s frescos in the halls and chambers of the building depicting events in his career. Let us not forget that some of Paladini’s paintings had been whitewashed in the early 20th century, by, I believe a governor’s wife. Recently there was a restoration project which brought them back for us to enjoy.

The architect of this elegant palace was Gerolamo Cassar. According to Thomas Freller: “In October 1588 the baron of Gadenstedt was one of the first distinguished guests to be taken by the knights to party at Verdala Palace and Buskett. Gadenstedt noted in his diary that the knights feasted heavily at Buskett and some of them could hardly sit straight on their horses and donkeys on their way back to Valletta.” This lovely palace has the same kind of staircase as that of the Palace in Valletta. I love these staircases as they are easy to climb in high heels. The staircase was designed wide enough so that two persons of equal rank could use it side by side. Let us not forget that Verdalle was made cardinal and received the cardinal ring and hat from Pope Sixtus V. The cardinal’s hat is on his coat of arms which can be seen several times over at Verdala Palace. He was not one for humility it seems. He was very interested in himself and his own state and a Narcissist by the look of things.

It is in these beautiful surroundings that I came along to a piano recital by Li Jian, Dean of the Piano Department of Shanghai Conservatory of Music. On this occasion concert chairs donated by the People’s Republic of China to the Office of the President were inaugurated and I can say that they are very comfortable. Some of these gilded chairs are made for anorexics.  We sat on these gilded, well-upholstered chairs to listen to music which passed all expectations. I had heard Chinese pianists play on radio and television but not in real life. The piano, we were told, had also been donated by the Chinese government a couple of years previously. The pianist Li Jian started with Mozart’s Piano sonata in C major. Along with Johann Sebastian Bach, Mozart and Beethoven are the true giants of classical music composition. I regret that I cannot place my beloved Chopin and Liszt in this category. The Austrian, Mozart was an incredible child prodigy, playing the piano at the age of three and composing by the time he was just four years old. Music was in his DNA. Mozart’s father, realizing that both Wolfgang and his sister Maria Anna were gifted took them on a tour of Europe, an epic journey which lasted four years. By the time the tour ended Wolfgang was a star having played in front of the most influential people wherever he had been. Throughout his life, he was a keen letter-writer and many of his notes to friends and family survive today, giving us a first hand glimpse into his life. But, as we know, he did not just excel at performing. By the time he was twelve years old he had already completed two operas. Joseph Haydn was one of the great musical influences on Moxart’s career, and each man was an unashamed fan of the other’s work. Haydn told Mozart’s father: ‘I must tell you before God and as an honest man, that your son is the greatest composer I ever heard of.’ The young Mozart was a speedy composer and said of himself:  ‘I write as a sow piddles.’

I can say with confidence that this, to me, was the best pianist I have heard play live in the last year or so. He is not a slight man and it is almost a surprise to  hear the mellow playing, the gentle touch but with a sense of colour and always respecting the essential Mozartian sensibility. There was a freshness and spontaneity in Li Jian’s playing. It was a cool and elegant performance completely without affectation or mannerism. He plays simply and directly and appeals to our emotions. Throughout the programme he struck an ideal balance between poise and expressive sensibility while conveying  a sense of spontaneity in everything.  The three pieces from Debussy’s Images, Book 2 to Christopher Muscat’s Larmes Tristes and to the final beautiful The Yellow River Piano Concerto composed by four Chinese composers and arranged by the pianist it was truly, to me at least, an unforgettable performance. The pianist who speaks perfect English came back after the last piece and said that although he had said he would not play an encore the had changed his mind because we were such a good audience. He played one of everyone’s favourites Chopin’s Nocturne in E flat major. Li Jian is unconcerned with display or self-projection. He was gentle and poetic, just what is required of anyone playing most of Chopin’s works.

At the reception afterwards I exchanged a few words with him and the Ambassador of China to Malta Mr Cai Jinbiao. Also with a young lawyer Chen Yihua from the Foreign Affairs division in Shanghai. She spoke English perfectly and interpreted  for Mr Ding Zuohong, Board Chairman and President of Yuexing Group, the company who manufactured the concert chairs who spoke none.  

Mrs Violet de Marco was there and told me that she is now a great-grandmother – she certainly doesn’t look it. I spoke to Christopher Muscat who was there with his parents. The pianist had played three movements of his Larmes Tristes.  At first I was alarmed that it was going to be one of those modern pieces full of silences and odd notes like the ones composed by John Cage but after we got past the first notes it turned out to be a an enjoyable piece of music. Mr Muscat Senior told me how much he enjoyed Gregorian Chant. We both bemoaned the fact that it has been replaced by guitar in catholic churches today, or almost. I have been brought up to it and we sang it almost everyday in my school days.

Xebgha Nies exhibition at St James Cavalier

I popped in to see take a look at this collective exhibition and I was far from being disappointed. Do go and see it. I loved best of all Stephen Bonello’s  Imbeciles Sans Frontiers. But there are so many works I liked. Don’t miss it.