Polyphony was introduced to Malta in the mid-16th century, when two cappelle were created. That of Mdina Cathedral was established in October 1573. The original Maestri di cappella were Sicilian. The first recorded Maltese maestro was Giuseppe Balzano (1616–1700), whose motet Beatus vir (1652) is the oldest extant work by an identified Maltese composer.
After 1711 the cathedral employed only Maltese maestri, encouraging them to advance their musical studies in Neapolitan conservatories. The other cappella was that formed by the Knights of St John for their conventual church of St John in Valletta. Authorized in 1574, it employed the best foreign and local talent.
Outstanding Maltese composers of this period were:
Michel'Angelo Vella (1710-1792)
In 1730 he left Malta for Naples to study at the Conservatorio Pietà dei Turchini returning to Malta in early 1738, where he undertook the duties of a priest and established himself as a maestro di musica. He reformed music education bringing it into line with developments in Naples. As an organist and maestro di cappella he accepted numerous temporary commissions in the most important Maltese churches before obtaining permanent employment in 1762 at the parish church of Cospicua.
Girolamo Abos (1715-1760)
Abos's went to Naples as a child and receive his musical training at the Conservatorio dei Poveri di Gesù. In 1742 he taught at two Neapolitan conservatories: the Poveri di Gesù Cristi, and the S Onofrio a Capuana, where he remained until his death. In 1754 he also became secondo maestro at the conservatory Pietà dei Turchini, but retired from the post on 11 July 1759.
Benigno Zerafa (1726–1804),
Zerafa was originally a boy soprano in the Mdina Cathedral cappella. In 1738, with financial help from the cathedral chapter, he became a student at the Conservatorio dei Poveri di Gesù Cristo, Naples, returning to Malta in 1744 and on 22 August, when not yet 18 years old, was appointed maestro di cappella at the cathedral.
His irascible temper was the probable cause of an incident which led to his dismissal in 1751. A suitable replacement not being found, he was reinstated on 15 April 1753 helding the post until he died, although only nominally after 1785 because of failing health.
Zerafa, was a gifted composer. 170 of his works are extant all sacred and encompassing virtually all contemporary genres as well as the stile antico.
Francesco Azopardi (1784-1809)
After early studies with Michel'Angelo Vella, Azopardi entered the Conservatorio di S Onofrio a Capuana in 1763 leaving in 1767 but stayed on as maestro di cappella in Naples. In 1774, he returned permanently to Malta as Cathedral organist at Mdina Cathedral with the right to succeed the then maestro di cappella, Benigno Zerafa.
His growing interest musical theory resulted in Il musico prattico on the art of the counterpoint, published in the form of French translations and introduced as a textbook in Paris. Benigno Zerafa's failing health led to Azopardi's appointment in 1785 as substitute maestro; he inherited the full title in March 1804.
This tradition of Maltese Sacred music, with it's roots in the 16th and 17th centuries and which reached it's peak in the 18th century, has continued into the 19th and 20th centuries and appears to be continuing well into the 21st.
References:
Frederick Aquilina, A Short Biography Of Benigno Zerafa (1726-1804): A Mid-Eighteenth-Century Maltese Composer Of Sacred Music in Eighteenth Century Music, 4, (Cambridge, 2007), pp 107-118
Joseph Vella Bondin, Il-Muzika ta' Malta sa l-ahhar tas-seklu tmintax, (Malta,2000 )
John Galea,ed Masters of Maltese Baroque Music, (Malta 2002)
Spiridion Vincent Buhagiar, Francesco Azopardi (1748-1809): A Maltese Classical Composer, Theorist, and Teacher, Ph.D. Mediterranean Institute, University of Malta, ( Malta, 1999)
Anthony Hart - I am a retired Management Consultant, Management Trainer and University lecturer. Born in the UK, I now live in Malta. As a member of ...
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