The Armed Forces of Malta Band returned to Gozo for a public event, this being their first full-scale concert in Gozo since the pandemic. ‘Military Band in Concert’, part of the Gaulitana’s GauLive series, was held at the Ministry for Gozo’s Courtyard on Friday, 24th September, in full collaboration with the AFM, and thanks to the support of the Victoria Local Council and Dr Anton Tabone.
The very versatile repertoire presented was thoroughly enjoyed by one and all. This was also the first opportunity to welcome to a Gaulitanus Choir’s event H.E. the UK High Commissioner Ms. Cathy Ward, who was one of the distinguished guest along with the mayor of Victoria Mr Josef Schembri and Major Matthew J. Camilleri representing the AFM Commander.
(Photo credits: Anthony Grech)
Meanwhile, the online review by Albert G. Storace with all the pertinent details reads:
MARTIAL PRECISION AND CRISPNESS
ARMED FORCES MALTA BAND
Soloists:
JASON FRANK CAMILLERI
NEVILLE PACE
GEORG ZAMMIT
Dir. JONATHAN BORG
GAU[L]IVE SERIES
GAULITANA FESTIVAL
Courtyard of THE MINISTRY FOR GOZO
Colin Attard, indefatigable artistic director of Gaulitana said in his brief introduction, now that concert performances are open to the public (always mindful of official sanitary rules and precautions), he thought that variety should add spice to this series. With this concert last Friday, which came half-way in the series, the difference was of music by a military band consisting of sections of brass, wind and percussion.
It was the turn of the director of the AFM.Band Captain Jonathan Borg to introduce the first two works with brief and concise comments. This he was to do at various points during this concert.
Setting the ball rolling was Freefall! by David Shaffer (b.1953) an energetic piece performed with crisp yet fluid precision. March of the Blues by the late lamented Charles Camilleri (1931-2009) showed what an adept hand this composer had at music for this kind of band. I enjoyed this opportunity to hear it for the very first time. Also a first hearing for was the final movement from Beethoven’s glorious Fifth Symphony with all its drama and sweep and admirably controlled direction, highlighted by the crisp precision and phrasing especially in the coda. The piece was performed as a belated tribute to Beethove ‘s 250th birthday celebrations last year.
The first of three Italian composers featured in this concert was Angelo Sormani (b. 1965), whose Trumpet Episode was performed by Jason Frank Camilleri, incidentalIy the only bandsman from Gozo. This young man is undeniably a virtuoso performer and the piece afforded him several points where he could show his command of the instrument without much fuss but to great effect. The work unfolds in three continuous movements . The warm, reflective and rather elegiac central movement is flanked by two vibrant movements both of which have difficult passages to contend with, but, very deftly handled by the soloist, who brought the work to a highly perky conclusion.
A visit to Japan by James Swearingen (b.1947) inspired his A Vision of Majesty which could perhaps be labelled as a symphonic poem. It unfurls in different sections and passages which at some points are definitely influenced by oriental sounds, harmonic and rhythmic effects. It goes through several changes of mood and tempo, always colourful and with easily evoked atmosphere of bustling cities, the grandeur of ancient pagodas and of course the mighty awesome majesty of Fujiyama. Could be that my imagination ran riot and possibly reflects the effect these elements would have on me should I ever visit Japan.
The outbreak of Covid-19 in Malta last year, put paid for a long while to public concerts. So it was yet another belated tribute to Ennio Morricone (1928-2020) when clarinet soloist Neville Pace performed his own arrangement of Cinema Paradiso in a beautiful elegiac, almost haunting interpretation.
The music shifted to north-west Europe. First the AFM Band performed music which Ralph Vaughan Williams based on traditional English or Scottish songs: Seventeen Come Sunday; My Bonny Boy and Three Folksongs from Somerset. Then the move was down to Italy, when tenor Georg Zammit sang the very cheeky piece with verve and panache: Questa o Quella from Verdi’s Rigoletto, arranged by
Jonathan Borg. It was back to the British Isles with the gorgeous Londonderry Air and the morris dance Shepherd Hey arranged by Percy Grainger (1882-1961)
The finale was Storia, by Jakob de Haan (b.1959), an interesting and very probably projected piece one guesses could have been based on the composer’s own life of varied up and down experiences.
The audience reaction was very warm and resulted in a generously offered and very appreciatively received encore. This was Duke Ellington’s It Don’t Mean A Thing.
Present at this concert was H.E. the UK High Commissioner Ms. Cathy Ward, the mayor of Victoria Mr Josef Schembri and Major Matthew Camilleri representing the AFM.
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