A catalogue of printed works by Maltese composers at the Music Library of the Cathedral Museum, Malta

Abstract

In 1968 the works of art located in the Cathedral Sacristies were transferred to the Old Seminary, which was being restored to house the Cathedral Museum art treasures. It was decided by the ad hoe Committee of the Metropolitan Chapter, headed by Prof. Mgr E. Coleiro, to transfer the Cathedral Archives, for eventual research, in the same building and wisely to include as well the Music Archives, which up to then had been placed in a cupboard as no further use was envisaged for them. At the Museum the music collection was patiently catalogued and a few specimen scores were put on exhibition in the documentary section. Musicologists soon began to realize the importance of the collection and to promote research and revival performances. The oldest extant Maltese music was discovered in the collection. The pieces were Beatus Vir (1652) by Don Giuseppe Balzano and Venite Omnes (1680) by his brother Don Domenico, both choir masters of the Cathedral. The complete musical oeuvre of their successors in the eighteenth century, Don Benigno Zerafa and Francesco Azopardi, were also identified and listed. It was discovered that the section of seventeenth century Italian prints contained 20 per cent of unique works, hitherto unknown by all published music repertories. But no printed work by any Maltese composer was included in the collection.