The committee of the Leone Band (A.D. 1863) of Victoria (Gozo) has said in a statment that it would like to affirm that, “The original manuscript of the funerary hymn La Croce composed by Mro Orlando Crescimanno is the property of, and in kept in the musical archives of the said Leone Band and the L-Unjoni Band of Hal-Luqa (A.D.1880).”

The Committee said in the statement that it “strongly deplores the arrogant and abusive behaviour of a high ranking official who passed on a copy of this music to the Count Roger Band of Rabat (Malta) without seeking permission or informing the owners, against all ethics of music.”

The Committee said, “that the hymn had been performed by the Count Roger Band (Rabat, Malta) towards the beginning of the Good Friday procession which issued from St George’s Parish Church in Victoria, Gozo.”

“If the Count Roger Band feels that it was deceived in being asked to play this hymn which should not have been played, then the band should also deplore the act of the person who passed on this hymn to be played with the intention of irritating the proprietors of the hymn La Croce.”

The Leone Philharmonic Society alleged that the same person “copied this funerary hymn without making the request or seeking the permission from its proprietors, went on to distribute and has been distributing until recent days, this funerary hymn to various bands in Malta and/or Gozo.”

The Leone Philharmonic Society continued that it “is certain that each and every band has musical heritage in its archives that is particularly dear with significant sentimental and historical value. This feeling is, by and large, shared by various other bands.”

“If the philharmonic societies are not going to care for and defend their musical archives against similar acts and behaviors, all bands would be heading to a jungle, where the musical heritage of each Society ends up in the hands of persons and organisations who surely do not hold dear the upright value of strengthening the band culture in our country, especially if correct ethics are not applied between bands,” the statement concluded.

The Leone Band,

Victoria,

Gozo.

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