VIAF 2024

AURIC SAXOPHONE QUARTET

They were back again and they were ever so glad with the warm welcome they get when they go to Gozo. They even admit that the VIAF team spoil them silly. That may well be true bit this does not get in the way of their great professional way when it come to s performance.

The cool courtyard of the Curia, formerly Palazzo Bondì and one the most grand on Victoria’s main throughfare was s lively setting for this hour and a little more of saxophone music which began with part of the music from the J.S. Bach’s very popular church Cantata, BWV 140 , Ruft uns die Stimme also known as Sleepers awake. This was a lovely gentle arrangement. Similarly relaxing was another arrangement of the Flower Duet from the exotic opera Lakmé by Delibes.

The Quartet always include a dose of Celtic music which is so good on the ears with it melodic and rhythmic charm. The Celtic Suite in three parts by Gavin Whitlock (b.1977). It begins with a dance like Midnight in Kinsale ,(on the southern Irish coast) close to Cork. It continued with a romantic Love Song ending with Ceilidh (Kay-Lee) which evoked fun and lively good cheer.

Three pieces were announced together. The first was an arrangement of an a cappella meditative motet by Anton Bruckner (1824-96). Of a similar frame of mind was part of the Litanies of Jesus by Maurice Durufflé (1902-86). The third piece Out of the Deep was also a rather pleasant work by a lady composer J.L. Watson, (b. sometime late last century).

Change of mood and idiom it was well- projected in three songs by George Gershwin

(1898-1937). These were Somebody Loves Me, my personal favourite Embraceable You and But Not For Me.

Back to the Celts went he Quartet with music by a certain J. Simmons born in 1995 with a very beautiful catchy Sir from a Suite of Iridh folk songs. Again related to their stay in Gozo a piece especially dedicated to the driver of the Festival van whose driver takes the four musicians all over the place. This witty piece with occasional honking horn sounds was composed by A. Penman (b. 1988). “Mario’s Car” was the evocative piece.

The end was coming to a close but not before more pieces were performed. The cue fir this arrangement was the title of a popular American series the title of which you could guess from what the quartet came up with: “Sax in the City”. The finale was by Will Gregory (b.1959), a piece called Hoe Down notable for its ostinato forward sweep.

An encore was conceded with Gershwin’s pleasantly infectious I Got Rhythm.

Do come back next year!

Albert George Storace.