Virtually a Cappella-4 - CONCERTANTE

Saxophonist Philip Attard appeared in an online recital from Taż-Żejt Church, Għarb (in collaboration with the Għarb Local Council)

Programme:

Paul Bonneau: Caprice en Forme de Valse
Charles Camilleri: Fantasia Concertante No. 6 (for Alto Saxophone) – Moderato e Lirico | Lento – Recitativo | Agitato (come improvizatione)

Top Gozitan saxophonist Philip Attard’s programme featured two works originally written for the saxophone in the 21st century. Charles Camilleri’s Fantasia Concertante No. 6 is a rarity for the composer and, in fact, is the only work written for the instrument. Very demanding, it is completely detached from the folk and modal-inspired music with which he is often associated, with a compositional style leaning towards atonality. This should have been its Malta premiere. On the other hand, Paul Bonneau’s Caprice en Forme de Valse has become a staple of the saxophone repertoire in recent years, stretching the saxophonist to the limit and showcasing the technical abilities of the soloist.

The full recital can be followed on:

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

CONCERTANTE: A recital by PHILIP ATTARD, saxophone

This 18-minute presentation was the fourth and last in the brief series in which Gaulitana presented four leading soloists, two each from Gozo and Malta. Very good use was made of four very beautiful sacred spaces from the many superb examples dotting Gozo.

Rounding up this most welcome series which has been recorded for posterity on Gaulitana’s Facebook page was the recital by Philip Attard. I well remember how very impressed I was with this young man, when several years ago I heard him perform some works on saxophone during some of the annual Christmas concerts presented in Gozo. Philip Attard was very promising indeed and higher studies locally and abroad enabled him to live up to that promise.

That was more than evident in this brief but nonetheless very enjoyable performance for Gaulitana Festival. He had a lovely smooth and clear tone and his performance was one of well-rounded technique as well as deep feeling. Paul Bonneau (1918-95) wrote his polular “Caprice en forme de valse” in one movement which is just a little over 6 minutes long. It is a lively, perky,little piece, almost downright cheeky: which makes it more attractive. Tempi change very briefly and the frequent transitions from Presto to Moderato, then to Allegretto back to Presto were very slickly handled and remained Iucidly articulate. Very often the music sounded like a dialogue between disparate voices and certain embellishments and trills were on a virtuoso scale.

Bonneau wrote more than one work for saxophone but our Charles Camilleri (1931-2009), as far as is known composed only one: the “Fantasia Concertante n.6 for alto saxophone”. This was one of a series of such works for various solo instruments. Besides, Philip Attard gave the first known local performance of this work by Camilleri – a work in three distinct movements and double the duration of Bonneau’s Caprice.

The opening Moderato and Lirico had some dark undertones and projected the impression of an introverted monologue. Largely atonal and rather attractive, it became an even deeper, self-indulgent journey in the central Lento Recitativo which got darker in mood and suddenly gave way to rather stark outburst. The concluding Agitato come Improvisazione rather spoke for itself and lived up to its depiction, crisply and warmly delivered and firmly controlled .

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

Virtually a Cappella-4 – CONCERTANTE

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