This January, Malta will host the eighth edition of its annual Valletta Baroque Festival, a celebration of one of Europe’s most distinguished and important musical epochs. Presenting 31 concerts across 17 different venues, this sumptuous feast for the ears will feature a wide variety of ensembles and composers... from solo piano recitals to orchestral performances, from Monteverdi to Hasse. As well as showcasing Malta’s considerable wealth of homegrown talent, the festival will bring musicians from all over Europe and as far afield as Japan.

Though primarily an initiative of Valletta’s Teatru Manoel, as in previous years the festival will open its doors to audiences across Malta, hosting performances in cultural locations such as the St Philip of Agira church in Żebbuġ, the Maritime Museum in Vittoriosa and the Verdala Palace in Buskett.

Firstly, however, what do we in fact mean by the word ‘Baroque’? This term, derived from a French word literally meaning ‘irregularly shaped’ in reference to jewellery, may now be used more generally to describe something of particularly elaborate and intricate detail. It is not simply confined to that of a musical context, its reach historically extending into the visual arts and perhaps most famously, architecture. Let us, therefore, take a moment to cast our minds back into the past and examine the origins of this highly influential era of European culture.

The Baroque period (circa 1600-1750) originated in Rome before spreading to the rest of the continent, ushering in a new age of increased technical complexity and ecclesiastical inspiration within the arts. Evidence of Baroque aesthetics can be traced back to the façade of the Church of Gesù in Rome, consecrated in 1584.

Originating as an expression of the Catholic Counter-Reformation, Baroque artistry was designed to impress upon churchgoers the greatness of God and in particular the Catholic tradition, demonstrating to visitors the Church’s wealth and most importantly, power.

Valletta Baroque Festival.

In architecture, the use of natural light was increasingly utilised to enhance places of worship. Complexity was the order of the day, overwhelming the senses through elaborate and highly detailed decoration. Structures dramatically marked their presence, demonstrating a scale and intricacy of design hitherto rarely seen.

Artwork of the Baroque featured strong movements and confident use of bold colours, light and shadow. Subjects in paintings were depicted differently than in the earlier Mannerism and Renaissance periods, evoking dramatic and visceral engagement with their environment.

The festival has consistently gone from strength to strength, establishing itself in the Baroque scene, while also enhancing our local cultural experience- Minister for Justice, Culture and Local Government, Owen Bonnici

This notion of drama is one common to music of the Baroque as well. While to our modern ears – those which, thanks to advances in technology, have the opportunity to explore everything from Gregorian chanting to contemporary jazz – the idea of Baroque music being especially dramatic or ‘cutting edge’ may seem strange, it was in fact criticised by some commentators of the time as being overly complex and even dissonant. Composers eager to break with tradition gave rise to new musical forms such as opera, the sonata and the concerto.

Compositional technique as in architecture embraced extensive use of ornamentation, and featured increased idiomatic and virtuosic writing. Perhaps most impressively, it could even be argued that the central foundations of Western musical harmony were largely built on the works of the Baroque’s perhaps most famous composer, Johann Sebastion Bach (1685-1750). Bach once said that “Music is an agreeable harmony for the honour of God and the permissible delights of the soul”.

Harking back to the mid-1730s, when in London a ‘battle of the bands’ scenario between composers George Frideric Handel and Nicola Porpora ensued as part of a frenzied competition between two rival opera houses, this year’s Baroque Festival will commence with a concert of the two composers’ works at Teatru Manoel in collaboration with the French embassy, featuring American mezzo-soprano, Vivica Genaux and the world-renowned Les Musiciens du Louvre ensemble directed by Thibault Noally.

On January 11, the Collegiate Church of St Paul in Rabat will open its doors to audiences in a celebration of sacred music written by Antonio Vivaldi. On January 22, in the grand setting of St John’s Co-Cathedral, La Grande Chapelle will perform music composed by Pedro Ruimonte during his term as Master of Chamber Music at the court of Archduke Albert VII in Brussels.

Other highlights of the festival include lunchtime concerts on January 16 and 22, featuring transcriptions of works by J. S. Bach, as well as a rare opportunity to be guided through cantatas from the composer by well-known UK broadcaster, Sandy Burnett; on January 18 in an extended daytime event which includes a lecture, open rehearsal and performance.

Festival art print. Photo: Glenn Ellul

New to the festival this year is collectible merchandise specially commissioned and produced for the occasion, including items by fashion designer Ritienne Zammit, Baroque-inspired prints by artist Glenn Ellul and limited edition Valletta Baroque Festival blankets made by the Teatru Manoel costume department.

A bespoke mobile app has also been developed to support concert-goers, featuring information on performances, venues and tickets, a move signalling a refreshingly modern approach to a festival celebrating music hundreds of years old.

In short, this year’s festival promises a jam-packed programme of exceptional performance in a celebration of music that thrived in Europe for well over a hundred years. As this festival bears testament to, the Baroque was no passing fad but a multi-generational exploration into the development of musical knowledge, giving birth to a rich and fulfilling tradition that inspired composers across Europe and contributed immeasurably to the progression of musical performance.

So, where does this leave us now in 2020? One thing is clear, that the appetite and enthusiasm for Baroque music has not abated among its fans, with period performance thriving in music colleges, concert halls and literary study all over the world.

Vivica Genaux. Photo: Ribalta Luce Studio

Recent decades have also seen considerable reworking of Baroque music through innovative new arrangements and ensembles, with artists such as Jacques Loussier and Will Gregory’s Moog Ensemble being notable examples. That being said, it is unfortunately all too easy for historic practices, even those of historical importance, to fade quietly into obscurity.

Malta should, therefore, be applauded for hosting a festival of this strength and scope, and it is this writer’s hope that this veritable celebration of the Baroque attracts the audience and enthusiasm it deserves. And who knows? By listening to something old, we might just discover something new.         

Valletta Baroque Festival runs from January 10 to 25. Full programme available at www.vallettabaroquefestival.mt and search #VBF20 on Spotify for a playlist of Baroque music curated by the festival’s organisers. The official app for the festival may be downloaded from app.vallettabaroquefestival.mt