The musicians put us in the mood for the evening at the Robert Samut Hall in Floriana, at the end of last week,  with Mozart's Adagio and Fugue in C Minor. Maestro Laus led with authority, some of the musicians of the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra which played with finesse.

This is a piece composed for strings, a smiling piece full of energy and sparkle.  The Maestro had already announced that the husband of Claire Massa was indisposed and she was unable to sing that evening. Did he also say that some of the musicians too were indisposed? I honestly cannot remember.

Next came Extase by Christopher Muscat. It was very well received and later on I asked Christopher to comment on it. He is also the composer of Stabat Mater which was lately performed in St John's Cathedral.

Extase is scored for flute, oboe, bassoon, percussion and strings, with the composer placing particular emphasis on instrumental colour. Muscat's intentions are made very clear from the outset where he exploits the rich timbre of the flute's lower register and the fragile sound produced by the oboe in its upper-most octave: "a relatively unorthodox combination in orchestral writing," he tells me.

 The opening section of the work conveys an intimate feeling where one wallows in a beautiful warm, caressing sound with the three wind instruments answering each other "in contrapuntal manner." This dialogue contrasts well against the misty background of string harmonics. The central section is based on a repeated motif that is first played by the bass string instruments and gradually builds up - in pitch, momentum and intensity - as each section of the family has its say in stating the main melody - towards an ecstatic climax with clashing harmonies. The wind instruments reappear pronouncing fragments from previous statements, this time in a less assertive manner as the composition gently subsides assisted by light touches of colour from the percussion section.  I found it to be a gentle piece. Maybe someone will use it in a film? I hope Christopher will put it on You tube as I would like to hear it again and again.

Maestro Muscat has composed plenty of other works. He was in the audience with his son Luke and I made my way to congratulate him.

To my delight Maestro Laus announced that the musicians were going to play the Prelude to Act III of Verdi's La Traviata. As far as I am concerned I can listen to Verdi for breakfast, lunch, supper and in between, too; even stay awake most of the night if necessary.

Violetta is about to die. Dumas and Verdi made her immortal. This is such a tear jerker, no matter how many times I listen to it I always feel like bursting into tears. Our musicians rose to the occasion.

 Verdi was first and foremost a composer but he also looked after his lands and homestead in Sant'Agata and is said to have been 'as passionate as a gentleman farmer'.

Coco Chanel chose the white camelia as her logo.

Verdi had been buying land in the Po Valley lowlands, near Busseto. He continued to do so until 1891. In 1848 he bought a homestead at Sant'Agata where he moved in 1851. He lived for at least two people. Talented and active he made the best of his life.

There was sadness in his life too. He outlived both of his wives and two of his children.

Last on the programme that evening was Mozart's Symphony No 40 in G minor. Maestro Laus who gives the audience brief and interesting snippits of information before each piece to be played, which is so laudable, told us that only two of Mozart's symphonies are composed in a minor key and that evening they were playing the 'Great G Minor symphony'  to distinguish it from 'the Little G minor symphony.'  There are no trumpets and timpani in this symphony. This is one of Mozart's most greatly admired works and is frequently performed. As soon as the opening bars are played you immediately recognise it. It was used in Milos Foreman's film Amadeus which we loved so much. It is surely one of the catchiest opening movements of any symphony. It is thought that Beethoven was inspired by the last movement when he wrote his own Symphony No 5.

The musicians were responsive to Maestro Laus's conducting throughout.

This was indeed a fitting finale which started with some disappointment as I am sure several in the audience were hoping to hear Claire Massa sing but the music selected to replace the missing pieces on the programme made up for that disappointment. I loved it and judging from the audience so did everyone else.

There is so much going on in Malta and all within easy reach, we are spoilt rotten.

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