Verietta for violoncello & piano • für Violoncello

Abstract

Verietta, for string orchestra, was written in the summer of 2022 and premiered by the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Philip Walsh at The Jesuits Church, Valletta. The piece takes its inspiration from Bach’s aria from his timeless Goldberg Variations. Recognizable fragments of the original Bach themes are sometimes quoted, often leading to some unexpected twists and turns. Legend has it that Bach composed the music for Count Kaiserling,who had trouble sleeping. The count’s private harpsichordist, Johann Gottlieb Goldberg, was said to have been requested to perform the variations to act as some sort of sleep aid for the count! Intrigued by this premise, Vella began thinking about sleep patterns, particularly about the struggle to fall asleep when your mind is too busy. Sudden shifts in tempo and darker moments attempt to reflect this frustration. However, we all know that sometimes the harder you try to quiet the mind, the louder one’s thoughts and anxieties can become. The music eventually comes to a quiet, soothing end, however. Perhaps restfulness has been achieved after all. This arrangement for violoncello and piano was premiered by the composer and cellist Simon Abdilla Joslin in 2024 in Valletta.