Virtually a Cappella-3 - ARABESQUE

Cellist Simon Abdilla Joslin gives an online recital from the Museum of Sculpture (Old Church), Xewkija

Programme :

Joseph Vella: Miniatura for Cello Solo, Op. 12

Charles Camilleri: Arabesque No. 1 for Cello Solo

(Allegro moderato; Tempo giusto | Libero – Meditativo | Moderato cantabile | Vivo – da ballo)

Leading Maltese cellist Simon Abdilla Joslin presented an all-Maltese recital featuring works for solo cello by two pioneers and major composers of their generation: Charles Camilleri and Joseph Vella. The compositions, rarely if ever performed locally, exploit the different styles and techniques usually associated with both composers. Vella’s Miniatura Op. 127, as with most of his music, stems mainly from the 20th century neo-classical movement. Camilleri’s Arabesque No. 1 (from the set of Six Arabesques for Cello Solo) displays one particular facet of his compositional style, exhibiting his improvisational style as influenced by the sounds of North Africa and the Middle East. Similar to Bach’s Six Suites for Cello Solo, these arabesques consist of a number of distinct movements following the suite principle.

The full recital can be followed on:

Meanwhile, Albert G. Storce’s online review reads:

CELLIST SIMON ABDILLA JOSLIN in solo recital

This was the third in the series of four presented by Gaulitana Festival. The venues are all very beautiful. They come along as silent participants, delighting the eye as they delight the ear. It was the case here too. The old Baroque parish church of ix-Xewkija was demolished to build the huge new parish church. As some good sense prevailed, a certain amount of stones, scrolls and paintings were carefully preseved and what was virtually a Baroque oratory was the result. It has sometimes been used as a recital venue and has been serving as a museum of sculpture.

One of this country’s leading cellists, Simon Abdilla Joslin always comes across as a dedicated and very well-prepared performer. A very passionately warm one too, who carries one with him, yet his is not unbridled abandon but performing with the right dose of sobriety and restraint.

As with all this series, this recital was all too brief. The performance lasted some 18 minutes and featured two composers from our islands. The shorter introductory one was Miniatura, Op.127 by the much-lamented Joseph Vella (1942-2018). The cellist has been long familiar with Vella’s cello music and and has even premiered some of them. I liked the straight-forward nature of this mature work of Vella’s. I had never heard it before and glad to have the opportunity to do so. Vella shows that he could handle larger forms such as symphonies, concertos, etc as well as he could be an accomplished miniaturist as in this case.

The second work was the comparatively longer Arabesque N. 1 by Charles Camilleri (1931-2009), another lamented versatile and prolific composer like Vella. This Arabesque is another work I was hearing for the first time. Its 5-movement structure harkens back to the Baroque suite. Its opening Allegro moderato was pretty laid back, offset by the contrasting Tempo giusto in which some daring harmonies surfaced as if to command attention. Further contrasts and keeping to tempo indications unfolded smoothly. Ever supremely clear in tone and articulation the Moderato cantabile sounded just like that, an utter delight. The only official hint of a dance was the sprightly concluding Vivo – da ballo.

As with the previous two recitals I wish this one could have been longer.ce’s online review reads:

Email:	gaulitanus@gmail.com / gaulitanafestival@gmail.com
Phone:	(+356) 77038971 / 21560200 / 21557593

Virtually a Cappella-3 – ARABESQUE

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