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As soon as basic computers were imported in Malta, I acquired a Spectrum and I immediately started on programming, using Basic Spectrum language. To start studying my tenor parts I managed to create a music-playing program inserting note, duration and octave, then choosing the tempo. The result during rehearals became obvious as I knew my part perfectly and well before the others, thus becoming practically the section leader. The Spectrum also helped me in my teaching of Telecommunications but that’s another story.
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OPERATIC EXPERIENCE
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My nephew Noel and myself (the taller one) made our operatic debut in the opera Rigoletto directed by Mro J.Vella who was also making his debut as operatic director. I can frankly say that I felt practically lost when it came to “attacks” in various repartees, so I began paying more attention in learning the tricks of attacks. Hard concentration was required as performances were only once or twice a year singing different operas every time. Due to my conscientious study and growing reputation, I was always chosen to form part of the tenor section and earning some extra money for it. When noone wanted to sing the 2nd tenor part, I always volunteered and easily held my own against the numerically superior first tenors due to the fact that I had my computer program to help me practise the difficult passages
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Here are a couple of pictures in operatic costume taken at various occasions. These can also be seen enlarged with a single click of course
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As “warrior” in Norma
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I feel both proud and guilty for my part as priest and warrior in Norma at quite an advanced age. Proud because Norma was being staged in Gozo and they needed just tenors from Malta. Mro Vella wanted one of us for a 2nd tenor voice to help the budging Gozo group, and the others as 1st tenor voices. I had no hesitation to volunteer. As after the first rehearsal, I studied my part with my computer program I was always secretly enjoying the discomfiture of the others hearing the director’s chidings always going in their direction.
I also feel guilty however, because no matter how much I tried, I couldn’t remember all the words of the War chorus at the very fast speed required so I stayed at the back of the singing crowd doing just vowels when words went blank! OK so I was getting on in years, and I admit it!
The operas that I remember having participated in are, Boheme, Rigoletto, Traviata, Barbiere di Siviglia (with baritones), Andrea Chenier, Adriana Lecouvrier, Amico Fritz,
Lucia di Lamermoor, Trovatore, Macbeth, Forza del destino, Cavalleria Rusticana, Madame Butterfly, Tosca and Otello plus a few I forget right now. Although the remuneration was nothing to write home about, those selected enjoyed their singing and earning something extra.
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COLLEGIUM MUSICUUM
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At some stage I joined the newly-forming Collegium Musicuum choir under a young Mro D.Buhagiar and we started doing famous works such as Haydn’s War Requiem, Brahms’ Deutsches Requiem, Rossini’s Stabat Mater, Verdi’s Requiem and a couple of others. He also engaged a group of us to sing in church functions at various villages in which he was engaged. Unlike others, I refused to have so many commitments but then we reached an amicable “arrangement”. In later years he had a selected SATB engaged at a reasonable fee, to sing at many Weddings and Funerals to which he was booked - not for the Funerals of course!!!
Most men singers also banded together for a few years to hold free concerts at the Civil Service Club in Valletta with the participation of a couple of local soloists with just a piano for accompaniment. These were very well received since all the men in this choir were practically the pick of the island.
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The Staff and the students at the Technical Institute where I taught Telecommunications often organised lunches or parties on special occasions. As the headmaster often heard me sing an aria or two at some Staff lunch, when plied with wine - he insisted to have me directing a School Band even though I said frankly I’d no idea how to go about it but there was no escape. One student-player even informed me that his clarinet score was wrong as he plays in Bb or something !!
Experience and practice teaches us all of course and I went on from there to direct a church girls choir in later years and also an adult one but just an organ and a couple of violins as instruments. Just before retirement I was promoted to Asst.Head at a Primary school and they really enjoyed my organisation of their singing on various occasions. The first church song they learned from me (translated in Maltese) and which brought the house down, was the Negro Spiritual “It’s me O Lord”. I knew the rhythm would catch their fancy when they learn it!
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In the Blog of My Bachelor Days, I mentioned a Youth Choir which I would join later on in life. This was completely free and we sang in the main church activities especially Easter and Christmas when we always had a large and varied repertoire for SATB. Dun Guzepp, the director also inherited Mro Camilleri’s music so that we sang his famous Mass also at other churches when invited. As with all other things, all these choirs and concerts dwindled down to nothing over the years. My last activity was directing the adult and girls’ choirs at St Francis Church but after a Heart Attack and old-age handicaps, with my voice still reasonably good, I had to retire from all activities. My PC now takes precedence in transcribing music of all kinds with an emphasis on opera.
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END
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