The Xaghra Basilica, courtesy of Archpriest Mgr Carmelo Refalo, hosted the Armed Forces of Malta Band in a very interesting concert entitled “A Military Band in a Basilica” on Friday 18th .
Cpt. Jonathan Borg directed the band in a very varied repertoire. Buxtehude’s “Praeludium” opened the concert, followed by Gounod’s “Dio Possente featuring LBdr Clifford Balzan on the Euphonium and Beethoven’s slow movement from the Symphony No 1.
Maltese compositions were also included. Freddie Mizzi “Adagio for Clarinet” was interpreted by band leader Ssgt Domenic Scerri. Bdr Peter Cini’s “Ave Maria” and Carmel Callus’s “Panis Angelicus” were then sung by tenor Bdr Georg Zammit.
Arguably, the AFM Band looked at its very best in rather contemporary works originally composed for band, where it could fully exploit the whole tonal and expressive gamut. This was the case with John Stevens’s “Benediction”, Frank Tichelis’s “Shenandoah”, Jacob de Haan’s “Ammerland” and Howard Hanson’s “Chorale and Alleluia”.
The very appreciative audience, led Xaghra Mayor, Dr Christian Zammit – whose Local Council was supporting the event -, Gaulitanus Choir president Joseph Calleja, and Gaulitana artistic director Colin Attard, was rewarded with a very fitting encore, Javier Perez Gardido’s “Song Peace”.
The concert was held with the full cooperation of the Armed Forces of Malta and saw the AFM Band participating in the festival for a second consecutive year.
Photo Credits: Lorne Cremona
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