“The Organ – grandest instrument the hand of man has placed in Music’s galaxy; In which all Nature’s wondrous sounds are linked in golden chains of countless harmonies”

So wrote George Ashdown Audsley, the celebrated organ designer, in praise of the organ.

The organs in our magnificent churches contribute much to Malta’s rich heritage. The visible treasures seen by the visitor include the paintings and the fabric of the building, but one aspect is usually only given a cursory glance which, like an iceberg, is 90 per cent hidden – the organ.

This is usual perceived in the form of ornate casework high above the observer. The beauty of this instrument only comes alive when it is played and, unfortunately, we do not always have the opportunity to appreciate this aspect of its beauty.

However, audiences were treated to a veritable feast of music during The Malta International Organ Festival, which saw churches throughout Malta and Gozo resounded to the sonorous sounds of the king of instruments.

The festival, now in its second season, offered 16 concerts within 19 days, featuring some of Malta’s rich heritage to be found in our parish churches. The highlights were many.

The opening concert was given in St Paul’s Anglican Cathedral and featured not only the organ, but also the trumpet and vocal works. The audience was privileged to hear the organist of the Vatican, Gianluca Libertucci, not only as soloist but accompanying the trumpet, played by Gianpiero Cristaldi. The highlight of the concert was the appearance of the Met Opera’s diva, Olga Makarina, singing both solo and in duet with Joseph Lia. The Ave Maria by Domenico Bartolucci was unforgettable.

This year, the festival took its music to many parts of Malta and Gozo, thus giving an opportunity of local audiences to hear organs in their own parish churches. The second concert featured the organ of the Cathedral in Mdina, with a solo recital by Adriano Morea.

The character of this music cannot be fully conveyed unless it is performed on a pipe-organ that is consistent in style of the music

Maltese churches contain some important examples of historic pipe organs, many dating back to the 18th century. Unfortunately, a significant part of this heritage is, at present, unplayable and has been left to decay due to lack of use, incorrect maintenance and lack of interest which has rendered them virtually unplayable. Several of these organs have unique features and are of historic value and irreplaceable.

Is it important that restoration of these magnificent organs takes place and to revive their use? Several are rare items and historically significant, as they form part of a few surviving examples.

Over the past few years, there has also been an increase in the knowledge and awareness of early Maltese music, which dates from a time when Maltese music was equal to any in Europe. The character of this music cannot be fully conveyed unless it is performed on a pipe-organ that is consistent in style of the music.

A baroque positive organ in the parish church of St Helen in Birkirkara is one example; recently restored to its former glory by Robert Buhagiar, the festival gave the opportunity to inaugurate this instrument with a concert of organ and instrumental music. The organ was played by the Estonian organist Andres Uibo in works by Bach and Buxtehude.

In comparison, a selection of works of 19th- and 20th-century music was performed on the main tamburini organ by Denis Kasparovitch. The audience was also treated to a beautiful performance of a sonata by Bach for violin and basso continuo, performed by Ubio’s daughter, Mari-Liss, and the violoncellist Aare Tammesalu.

This year, the festival included concerts in Gozo, one of these being at the parish church dedicated to the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Xagħra... a concert featuring the organ and violin, again performed by Andres and Mari-Liss Uibo. Other venues in Gozo included St Augustine church in Victoria, which was the venue for a solo recital by Kasparovitch.

The Gozo series ended with a gala concert with a vocal and choral recital featuring Vladimir Suzdalevich from Norway on the organ, as well as Anastasia Bogacheva on the alto and the Chorus Urbanus conducted by John Galea. The performance took place in St Margaret parish church, Sannat.

The festival gave us the opportunity to hear performances from many world-renowned musicians from continental Europe. However, it did not neglect local organists: Joe Caruana performed in St Gregory parish church, Sliema, while John Aquilina gave a recital on the restored organ of Our Lady of Mount Carmel parish church, Balluta. These works included Aquilina’s improvisations Ut Queant Laxis.

Other venues included St Paul’s Anglican Pro-cathedral, Valletta, which resounded to a concert, featuring organ, voice and clarinet, by Daniel Zaratskiy on the organ, soprano Maria Lyudko and Georges Devdariani. A recital of baroque works was given in the parish church of Santa Maria Assunta in Għaxaq, presented by the Russian organist Evgenia Krivitskaya. The penultimate concert of the festival was a solo organ recital by Simone Vebber at the Robert Samut Hall in Floriana.

The closing concert of the festival was held at St Paul’s Anglican Pro-Cathedral, Valletta and featured the Sicilian organist Diego Cannizzaro, Joseph Lia and the Valletta Chamber Orchestra, conducted by the English conductor James Ham.

The works included Pietro Yon’s Gregorian Concert, which utilised the whole range of the organ, although the finale seemed to want some more and to be straining for more power. Yon’s works were mainly written for large American organs and the one in St Paul’s was not large enough to be able to produce the power required for the final movement. Lia was again in fine voice in arias by Bach and Handel.

The concert was brought to a magnificent conclusion with the Organ Concerto in G Major by C.P.E. Bach with the chamber orchestra in the most capable hands of Ham.

Although only in its second year, the festival has already made its mark on the festival scene in Malta. It has enabled the public to sample some of the magnificent organs in our churches and the opportunity to hear talented musicians both from Malta and abroad.

The success of this year’s festival augurs well for the future. The last lines of Audsley’s poem perfectly sums up the festival: “The shrine supreme of sound’s mysterious powers and richest gifts; God-given thought alone could have inspired the human mind to frame so grand a work; Great organ –monarch of all instruments!”