The Valletta International Baroque Ensemble (Vibe) 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, Tuesday, 22 November at 8pm at St Augustine's Church, Valletta.
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, 22 November, with specially commissioned works by the foremost composers of the time.
Vibe, led by Catherine Martin presents a programme of works by two of the greatest Baroque Masters and work by a contemporary Maltese composer Alex Vella Gregory. This includes Concerto Grosso Op. 6 No. 5, Op. 3 No. 5 and Soprano Arias from Ode for St Cecilia's Day by George Freidrich Handel, Concerto Grosso Nuovo in Stile Antico by Alexander Vella Gregory and Dances and Songs from The Fairy Queen by Henry Purcell
Handel's Concerto Grosso op. 6 no. 5 and op. 3 no. 6 are fine examples of this form, so popular in the early 18th century, which is marked by the contrast between a small group of soloists (the concertino) and the entire orchestra (the tutti). Composed in late 1739, these concertos quickly became some of the most popular orchestral works of their time.
Purcell's Fairy Queen, losely based on Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, is scored for a varied mix of solos, choruses, dances and other instrumental pieces. For this concert, Vibe has chosen a selection of dances interspersed with songs for soprano.
The composition by contemporary Maltese composer Alex Vella Gregory is inspired by the baroque form of the Concerto Grosso. The work is scored for two treble instruments and harpsichord as concertino, backed by a tutti string section.
Vibe, which is managed by Teatru Manoel and is the resident ensemble of the Valletta International Baroque Festival is drawn from prominent Maltese instrumentalists who collaborate with and are coached by international Baroque specialists. It seeks to perform music from the Renaissance and Baroque periods in a historically informed way on original instruments.
For concert tickets visit www.teatrumanoel.com.mt, email: [email protected] or phone on 2124 6389.