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The Gaulitanus Choir is once again taking part – as it has done since 1997 – in the Mro Carmelo Pace’s Concert organised every two years by the Mdina Cathedral Museum Committee. Mro Pace (1906 – 1993) was a prolific 20th century Maltese composer, who has written some 500 works or so, covering the whole spectrum of musical genre.
On the occasion of Pace’s birth centenary, in 2006, the last concert was held at the Manoel Theatre.This year’s concert is being held at Mdina Cathedral on Tuesday, 24th June, starting at 19.30 hrs. The general public is invited to attend and entrance is free. Mro Carmelo Pace donated all his music, to the Cathedral Museum and in 1989 he set up a Foundation for the promotion of his music, under the care of the Cathedral Museum.
Since this concert will be held within the Mdina Cthedral, the choice of repertoire is obviously restricted to works with a religious tint. This concert will open up with the music of the one-act, six scenes, biblical ballet, "Ruth" based on the figure from the Old Testament composed in 1979. Mro Pace wrote the score for a chamber orchestra, and uses a rather traditional idiom with abundant touches of Middle Eastern / Mediterranean flavour. After being premiered in 1980 on Xandir Malta by the Manoel Theatre Orchestra directed by Joseph Sammut, it is now being performed in its entirety for the first time since then. One movement was played during a similar concert at Mdina Cathedral in 2003.
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The second work on the programme is completely contrasting. "It-Triq" is a cantata for soprano and chamber orchestra. Set to a poem by George Zammit, this work uses a comtemporary idiom with the chamber orchestra subtly supporting the voice in illustrating a person’s resolution to follow the road leading to the little child of Betlehem notwithstanding the multiple difficulties encountered with in everyday’s life. Composed in 1974, this work was premiered in 1997 at Mdina Cathedral and was interpreted and directed by soprano Rita Dimech and Colin Attard respectively. The coming performance will be It-triq’s second ever performance and will again be interpreted by Gozitan soprano Dimech, who will be appearing for the fifth time in a Pace concert.
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The third work on the programme is a very early work by Pace dating back to 1929, "Meditazione" composed in a rather simple reflective religious mood in purely romantic style, and premiered in 1948 at the Catholic Action’s auditorium under the composer’s direction. Several arrangements of it are extant. The version being performed during the coming concert is that for string orchestra (edited by Colin Attard) which was last performed in 1999 also at Mdina Cathedral.
This concert will end in a grand style with the Choir performing Pace’s easer Cantata "The Eternal Triumph" that the Mro compsed in 1966.
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This cantata is set to a text compiled by the composer himself from the Bible and other liturgical sources, mainly based on some episodes of and reflections on Christ’s resurrection from death. This cantata was premiered in 1966 at the Catholic Institute by the Jesus of Nazareth Choir and Orchestra directed by Fr. Salv Galea. It is arguably the most accessible of Pace’s grand choral works. Scored for soloists, choir and full orchestra it somehow compromises between a romantic and 20th century idiom resulting in a style which is easily communicable to the audience and at the same time fresh and full of poignancy. The soloists taking part are also members of the choir, namely soprano Rita Dimech (Mary Magdalene), tenor Joseph Calleja (Jesus), baritone Joseph Buttigieg (St. Paul), soprano Margaret Plant (1st Angel) and alto Stephanie Buttigieg (2nd Angel) with Rob Ricards as narrator.
The Gaulitanus Choir Orchestra led by Tatjana Chircop will be in attendance. The conductor is Gozitan Colin Attard, who is very closely associated with the Pace concerts having directed all such concerts since 1997.
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