Alexey SHOR (b. 1970) Images from the Great Siege An Orchestral Cycle Verdiana London Symphony Orchestra Sergey Smbatyan Alexey SHOR (b. 1970) a central event in the Great Siege that broke the at the approaching Turks, way before they were London Symphony Orchestra invaders’ will to fight. The fort withstood the never- within the range, to demonstrate that they had ample Images from the Great Siege to defend it and all of Christianity. Among them ending bombardment and daily attacks for 28 days, reserves of powder and could afford to waste it. This Voltaire famously said that ‘nothing is so well known was a 17-year-old future Grand Master Aloph de falling to the Turks on 23 June 1565. None of the bluff scared the Turks away by fooling the already as the Siege of Malta’. Indeed it is hard to think of Wignacourt (who served from 1601 to 1622), who defending knights survived, and only nine of the demoralised army into thinking that the city had another example that rivals it in terms of sheer heroism distinguished himself in the siege and joined the Maltese defenders survived by swimming across to plenty of troops and ammunition to spare. Mustafa in overcoming overwhelming odds, and its long-term Order a year after. Fort St Angelo. called off the attack. impact on the fate of European civilisation. Although the Turks did succeed in capturing St As time passes the great events of history lose V. Grand Master’s Ball: Carnival (Maltese: ‘Il-Karnival Elmo, allowing Ottoman admiral Piyale Pasha to XIII. Victory Celebration: On 11 September the Turks their flesh-and-blood reality and become the stuff of ta’ Malta’) has held an important place in the Maltese anchor his fleet in Marsamxett, the siege of Fort St fled to their ships and left the islands. Malta had legends and romance. We do not often think of Caesar cultural calendar for just under five centuries. Having Elmo had cost the Turks at least 6,000 men (much survived the assault, and throughout Europe people or Alexander the Great as people whose vanity and been introduced to the islands by Grand Master more by many accounts), including half of their celebrated. It was the last epic battle that would ambition cost innumerable lives, but rather as ‘legends’ Piero de Ponte in 1535 it quickly became a very Janissaries. involve Crusader Knights. The Ottomans never imbued with all kinds of romantic imagery. rowdy affair. In 1560 Grand Master La Valette felt attempted to besiege Malta again. This cycle does not attempt to do justice to the he had to reprimand his knights for going overboard XI. Wartime Lullaby: Imagine a sleeping child amid all horrors and heroism of the Great Siege of Malta but with their festivities, but he did allow the Carnival to the stress and nervousness of the war. Verdiana rather to present a few romanticised images related to it. proceed, and even allowed the wearing of masks in Verdiana is a musical tribute to Giuseppe Verdi that takes public (which was forbidden in Malta for the rest of XII. The Big Bluff: At the beginning of September, the some of his most famous melodies and reimagines them I. Premonition: Since the day the Knights of St John the year). weather was turning and Mustafa Pasha ordered a in the styles of samba, bossa nova and tango to produce a set foot in Malta in 1530, they knew that the Turks The carnival is held during the week leading up march on Mdina, intending to winter there. The city virtuosic showpiece. The original musical ideas are drawn – who expelled them from their home on the island to Ash Wednesday. It 1565 it would have been just a was not at all prepared to defend itself. Most of the from a variety of Verdi’s operas. There are references – Photo: of Rhodes eight years earlier – were coming sooner little more than three months before the Great Siege garrison was sent to Birgu at the beginning of the sometimes obvious, and sometimes hard to spot – to Il Ranald Mackechnie or later. began… siege, and the city was crowded with peasants and trovatore, Un ballo in maschera, Ernani, Macbeth, Don their families. The Governor ordered the peasants Carlos, Aida and Rigoletto. II., III. and IV. Call to Arms; Leaving Home; Solitary Rider : VI. Young Knight’s Dream: Imagine a young knight – even women – to dress in soldiers uniforms and From delivering artistic excellence on stage, in recordings and on film, to its world-leading music education and After the Turkish victory in the Battle of Djerba in dreaming of the battle to come, thinking mostly of sent them to patrol the ramparts along with the real Alexey Shor community programme, the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) strives to bring great music to as many people May 1560, there could be little doubt that a Turkish romance and glory and little of danger and death, troops. He also ordered the cannons to start shooting as possible. Established in 1904, the LSO was one of the first self-governing orchestras, built on the values of attack on Malta was on the horizon. In August 1560, imagining war as more of a game than the horror partnership and artistic ownership. That entrepreneurial spirit continues today. The LSO is resident orchestra at Grand Master Jean de la Valette sent a directive that it really is. the Barbican in the City of London where it gives 70 concerts each year in addition to the more than 50 it performs to all the Orders’ priories that their knights should worldwide. The Orchestra has developed a close family of artists who continually demonstrate their commitment to prepare to return to Malta as soon as a citazione VII. Mirage: Imagine sentries in a watchtower waiting for the ensemble, with Sir Simon Rattle as music director, Gianandrea Noseda and François-Xavier Roth as principal (‘summons’) was issued. the Turkish fleet to arrive, which finally happened at guest conductors and Michael Tilson Thomas as conductor laureate. The LSO also programmes concerts and By early 1565, La Valette’s network of spies in dawn on 18 May 1565. workshops at LSO St Luke’s through its pioneering community and education programme, LSO Discovery. The Constantinople had informed him that the invasion LSO reaches out further with its record label, LSO Live, which launched in 1999. As one of the world’s most was imminent, and a call for the knights to come to VIII., IX. and X. Cannonade; St Elmo Barcarole; A Loss: recorded orchestras, the LSO is proud to be credited on a wide array of films, video games and theme park rides, Malta was issued. Knights from across Europe, as The defence of Fort St Elmo, by around 150 knights including titles such as the Oscar- and BAFTA-winning score for The Shape of Water and, of course, Star Wars. well as other noble adventurers proceeded to Malta and only few hundred soldiers and locals, was www.lso.co.uk 8.579061 2 3 8.579061 4 8.579061 Alexey SHOR (b. 1970) a central event in the Great Siege that broke the at the approaching Turks, way before they were London Symphony Orchestra invaders’ will to fight. The fort withstood the never- within the range, to demonstrate that they had ample Images from the Great Siege to defend it and all of Christianity. Among them ending bombardment and daily attacks for 28 days, reserves of powder and could afford to waste it. This Voltaire famously said that ‘nothing is so well known was a 17-year-old future Grand Master Aloph de falling to the Turks on 23 June 1565. None of the bluff scared the Turks away by fooling the already as the Siege of Malta’. Indeed it is hard to think of Wignacourt (who served from 1601 to 1622), who defending knights survived, and only nine of the demoralised army into thinking that the city had another example that rivals it in terms of sheer heroism distinguished himself in the siege and joined the Maltese defenders survived by swimming across to plenty of troops and ammunition to spare. Mustafa in overcoming overwhelming odds, and its long-term Order a year after. Fort St Angelo. called off the attack. impact on the fate of European civilisation. Although the Turks did succeed in capturing St As time passes the great events of history lose V. Grand Master’s Ball: Carnival (Maltese: ‘Il-Karnival Elmo, allowing Ottoman admiral Piyale Pasha to XIII. Victory Celebration: On 11 September the Turks their flesh-and-blood reality and become the stuff of ta’ Malta’) has held an important place in the Maltese anchor his fleet in Marsamxett, the siege of Fort St fled to their ships and left the islands. Malta had legends and romance. We do not often think of Caesar cultural calendar for just under five centuries. Having Elmo had cost the Turks at least 6,000 men (much survived the assault, and throughout Europe people or Alexander the Great as people whose vanity and been introduced to the islands by Grand Master more by many accounts), including half of their celebrated. It was the last epic battle that would ambition cost innumerable lives, but rather as ‘legends’ Piero de Ponte in 1535 it quickly became a very Janissaries. involve Crusader Knights. The Ottomans never imbued with all kinds of romantic imagery. rowdy affair. In 1560 Grand Master La Valette felt attempted to besiege Malta again. This cycle does not attempt to do justice to the he had to reprimand his knights for going overboard XI.