The death centenary of one of Malta’s greatest musical geniuses was marked on Monday.

Composer Paolino Vassallo was born in Cospicua on July 24, 1856, to parents Salvatore Vassallo and Victoria Vassallo (née Xicluna). The couple were Maltese migrants who were among the first to settle in French Algiers. They married in 1850 and promptly moved back to Malta. 

Vassallo grew up to be one of the most prominent Maltese composers of all time. His life straddles both the 19th and 20th centuries, and he composed liturgical music for both eras. Consciously, Vassallo aimed to exhibit in his music a shift away from the dominance of Italian influence on the Maltese musical sphere. 

Move to France

Under the tutorship of professor Domenico Amore, Vassallo learnt to play the violin at a young age. Canon Luigi Fenech trained him in harmony.

However, in terms of musical education, Malta offered little opportunity to advance at the time. This led Vassallo to seek opportunities elsewhere. 

Correspondence in the form of letters exchanged between French composer Jules Massenet and Paolino Vassallo. Photo: Fortunato and Enrico Mizzi Foundation Archives

At just 19 years of age, he moved to Paris, where he focused on harnessing his musical talents. Once in the French capital, he was taught by Ernest Guiraud and Jules Massenet, two of the very best composers of his time. This serendipity allowed for Vassallo to gain access to some of Paris’s most important musical circles. He eventually earned the role of first violinist at the Opéra Comique. Later on, he also took on the role of conductor (opera) at the same theatre. For a period, he also directed the Orchestre Lamoureux. 

During this time, Vassallo became increasingly popular. He was nominated for several awards, including the Grand Prix de Rome, an honour he refused. When offered a French passport in order to be able to qualify for the eligibility criteria of this very prestigious French award, he refused, stating that he preferred to keep his Maltese (British) passport. 

In 1888, Vassallo returned to Malta with the intention to visit his parents briefly. However, his plans to leave Malta changed after he met his wife Marianna Grech. He also rekindled the close bond he shared with his parents whom he loved very much. 

Istituto di Musica

During his return in 1891, Vassallo opened the Istituto di Musica, where he trained the next generation of composers. Located in Old Mint Street in the heart of the capital, the school quickly gained popularity and lured some of what would become Malta’s most influential composers of the 20th century, including Domenico Anastasi, Carlo Diacono and Lorenzo Gonzi.

The first opera to be ever presented at the Teatru Rjal by a Maltese composer was Vassallo’s widely acclaimed Amor Fatal. The latter included two acts translated to Italian from a French libretto written by Giorgio Chazel. It premiered on May 3, 1898, and was shown for a total of eight nights, during which the theatre was practically full to the brim. In 1895, the two-act opera earned him the winning prize at the Moody-Manners International Competition. 

A certificate awarded to Vassallo for the completion of 'Malta'. Photo: Fortunato and Enrico Mizzi Foundation Archives

In the same year, Vassallo composed the Marcia Trionfale for St George’s Band, Cospicua. At the time, many composers found the patronage of band clubs to be  very important and went on to write excellent pieces for them. Among the most impressive of Vassallo’s instrumental works are two concert overtures − Malta and Ad Gloriam. One of his biggest works, his Messa da Requiem, premiered in 1893. 

The Motu Proprio

Serving as the Metropolitan Cathedral’s maestro di cappella between the years 1902 and 1923, Vassallo became actively involved in the controversy that involved Maltese church music, following Pope Pius X’s proclamation of the Motu Proprio in the year 1903. 

Pius X. Photo: Vatican Archives

This proclamation dealt with a revision of the type of music that was deemed to be appropriate to be played in church. Pius X was in favour of Gregorian chants and Palestrina type polyphony. The Motu Proprio hoped to curb the operatic music being included in the liturgy. Vassallo’s guidance was instrumental, as he was a strong supporter of the rules imposed by the Motu Proprio. He used this situation to his advantage, with regard to providing opportunities to his students. 

"Although he suffered terribly, in the end he won"

It is interesting to note that most of Vassallo’s works are not dated; however, due to his strict obedience to the guidelines imposed in the Motu Proprio, his compositions could be given a semblance of chronology. 

His liturgy works scored for solo voices and orchestration were produced pre-1903. One example of such works includes the de rigueur setting of Incipit oratio Jeremiae Prophetae for solo tenor and orchestra. 

Vassallo was among the maestri di cappella who were summoned by Bishop Mgr Pietro Pace, who requested an immediate stop of the execution of operatie sinfonie, which were seen as a theatrical distraction that hindered the faithful’s full appreciation of God. Vassallo composed in accordance with the Motu Proprio, producing pieces such as the Missa Sanctae Ceciliae a tre voci, leading him to be engaged as the maestro di cappella in a number of churches in the Cottonera area. The Missa Sanctae Ceciliae was the very first Maltese mass to gain the Vatican’s approval in the wake of the Motu Proprio. 

An article written in the Malta Tagħna, dated August 10, 1907, sheds light on the opposing opinions coming to the forefront during the local Motu Proprio controversy. Prominent composers who formed part of the older generation of composers, such as Antonio Nani and Ricardo Bugeja, were not in favour of the new changes imposed upon them − changes that they believed restricted their creative ability. 

On the other hand, the new up-and-coming generation of young composers (such as Vassallo) were keen to abide by these new rules, eventually leading them to replace the older maestri di cappella. The Vittoriosa collegiate was referred to in this article as paving the way for this new gene­ration of composers. The collegiate took a gamble and replaced Bugeja with Vassallo as the main musical director in charge of the feast of St Laurence. 

Personality

Vassallo was described as an elegant individual who had an imposing personality. He carried an air of supreme self-confidence. He had a high receding forehead and penetrating light brown eyes adorned his stoic face. He was below average in stature and height but he radiated power. 

Seemingly in direct complement to the eloquence and vibrance of his compositions, Vassallo was very loved and respected within the musical community of the time. 

His polite manner, kindness, dedication to his artistic work and steadfast faith earned him the status of a very likeable character among those he met. However, it is worth noting that he also exhibited traits common to all great artists, such as his stern facial expressions and tendency to be absent-minded. 

A certificate awarded to Vassallo by students for his impeccable compositions. Photo: Fortunato and Enrico Mizzi Foundation Archives

Death

Paolino Vassallo’s obituary (taken from Malta Tagħna, dated February 10, 1923, page 7) eloquently sums up his character: “He was a man endowed with all the virtues, religious, good natured, kind hearted and, above all, unpretentious and friendly to all.” 

Referring to the harsh criticism he faced throughout his professional career, the obituary goes on to state that although he suffered terribly, yet in the end he won, as Malta was cleared of certain music whose place was the ballroom and not the Catholic liturgy. 

Vassallo died on January 30, 1923, at the age of 66. His final opera, Edith Cavell, premiered at the Teatru Rjal in 1927. 

He and his wife Marianna had two children, Victor, who was a prominent Maltese psychologist and later became dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, and Bice, who was a music teacher. 

Bice Mizzi (née Vassallo). Photo: Fortunato and Enrico Mizzi Foundation Archives

Studying under the tutelage of her father, Bice focused her training on both the piano and the violin. Later on, she decided to continue developing her command of the piano, leading her to become one of Malta’s most famous female pianists. 

Bice married Enrico Mizzi, who later served as Malta’s sixth prime minister, from September of 1950 till December of the same year. 

Vassallo grew up to be one of the most prominent Maltese composers of all time. Photo: Fortunato and Enrico Mizzi Foundation Archives

Commemorations

To commemorate Vassallo’s death centenary, the Fortunato and Enrico Mizzi Foundation (FFEM) is hosting an exhibition later this year of various awards, certificates and other unique personal memo­rabilia that belonged to the composer. More details will be made public in future on the foundation’s social media accounts. 

The Fortunato and Enrico Mizzi Foundation was launched in November 2010 and is an autonomous non-profit voluntary organisation for the public and social benefit. It is headed by Richard Muscat, who serves as the foundation’s president. 

The FFEM keeps alive the memory of Fortunato Mizzi (1844-1905) and Enrico Mizzi (1885-1950) as national leaders who through their efforts and legacy have safeguarded and worked in favour of the national identity and that of the rights, the liberty and the well-being of the people of Malta. 

The FFEM promotes knowledge regarding the unique contribution of Fortunato and Enrico Mizzi in their public life and cares for and preserves their archives.

Juanita Galea is a diplomacy graduate with an interest in intercultural politics and religion.