An Evening of Chamber Music for Organ & Strings

The pipe organ at St. Paul’s Anglican Pro-Cathedral in Valletta has recently undergone extensive restoration work by Kenneth Jones & Associates of Ireland.

The organ, which was originally built in 1684 and located in Chester Cathedral, underwent several successive rebuilds following its move to Malta, but as of recent years, was in dire need of restoration.

Following an extensive fund-raising initiative, restoration work was finally begun in 2012 and just recently completed, even though the fund-raising effort is still underway.

While still in Chester, the organ is reputed to have been played by George Frederick Handel, on his way to Dublin for the first performance of the Messiah. It is thus fitting that the very first concert on the newly-restored organ will feature, amongst other works, two of Handel’s concertos for organ.

The Argotti Ensemble, directed by Jose Garcia Gutierrez, will be joining forces with the resident organist of St. Paul’s Pro-Cathedral Hugo Agius Muscat, together with organists Elisabeth Conrad and Philip Walsh, violinists Nemanja Ljubinkovic and Maria Conrad, and cellist Akos Kertesz, to offer a selection of compositions for organ & strings that are not often heard locally. Amongst these will be the Handel organ concerto No. 13 in F major, more popularly known as “The Cuckoo and the Nightingale”, together with the same composer’s Organ Concerto Op. 7 No. 5 in G minor.

Two other lesser-known works for organ and strings on the programme are Joseph Haydn’s concerto for two violins, cello and organ, and Ottorino Respighi’s Suite all’antica for organ and strings. The concerto will also feature J.S. Bach’s iconic Toccata and Fugue in D minor.

The concert, which will be held on Sunday 30th March (the eve of a public holiday), starts at 19.00.

Tickets, at €10, will be available from the door.

Proceeds will be in aid of the organ restoration fund.