The Leone Philharmonic Society of Victoria, has responded today to the last weekends statement issued by Mgr Paul Cardona, Archpriest and the presbyterium of St George’s Parish Church, which was published in the Sunday Bulletin and read during mass at St George’s Basilica on Saturday, the 5th and Sunday, the 6th of May 2012.

The Leone Philharmonic Society said, “the following day, this statement earned the full support of the La Stella Philharmonic Society of Victoria.”

The Leone Philharmonice Society Committee statement said, “among other things, these Reverend fathers complained that on Sunday, the 29th of April 2012, a band march ‘evoking and poking fun’ at St George the Martyr’s antiphon was played in Independence Square. This is completely untrue as the band march referred to by these clergymen is called Gran Bretagna, composed by Vincenzo Ciappara in the 1940’s.”

The statement continued, “we do not want to believe that Maestro Ciappara wrote this march to ridicule or poke fun at anyone as the Reverend Archpriest and presbyterium are accusing.”

“It would be most fitting and in the public interest should these Reverend fathers tell us what was their role in the performance of the funerary hymn La Croce, property of the Leone Band (Victoria) and Union Band (Hal Luqa) by the Count Roger Band of Rabat, Malta,” the Leone Philharmonic Society said.

It continued, “as the President of the La Stella Philharmonic Society admitted, it was this Presbyterium who invited the Count Roger Band (Rabat, Malta) who, towards the beginning of the Good Friday procession, which issued from St George’s Basilica was asked to play this hymn.”

“We would be grateful should these Reverend fathers let us know who distributed the music sheets and ordered that this funerary hymn La Croce be performed without the permission of its owners,” the Leone Philharmonic Society asked.

It stated that “for the sake of truth, it should be known that the Count Roger Band (Rabat, Malta) refused to play the same march again in Republic Street, after it got to know the whole aim behind the distribution of this hymn. Furthermore, in a letter to the Leone Philharmonic Society from the President of the Count Roger Band (Rabat, Malta), he assured the Leone Band that his band would not perform the La Croce hymn again,.”

“Only then can we get to know who cast the first stone and wants to play the part of the lamb of sacrifice.”

The Society statement went on, “it should be said that over the past years, the Leone Philharmonic Society did not react to similar provocations when music from its archives was performed in public by others. However, someone has to draw the line somewhere.”

The committee of the Leone Philharmonic Society said that it “would like to make it clear that it will do whatever it takes to defend what rightfully belongs to the Society in its musical archives and is ready to take action against any band or musical group who dare meddle with any of its musical heritage.”

“The committee believes that every band with a decent degree of integrity should preserve its musical archives from similar acts to what happened on Good Friday at St George’s Parish. At the same time, all bands should concert their efforts to establish a correct code of ethics towards some sort of control in this aspect.”

In conclusion it said, “the committee feels upset that the Gozitan ecclesiastical authorities not only approved of such a partisan declaration by the Presbyterium of St George’s Parish, but even allowed it to be read during mass for two days on the 5th and 6th of May. This certainly does not help to contain the flame of parochialism, a wish already expressed and confirmed by renowned measures taken by the authorities some years ago.”

signed,

Joseph Debrincat, Administrative Secretary,

Dr Michael Caruana LL.D., President Socjetá Filarmonika Leone.

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