Nikola Montebello

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Nikola Montebello Born on December 6, 1873, the son of Salvu and Karmena nee Buhagiar. He was introduced to the musical scene by Giorgio Zarb, under whose direction he played with the Banda Dei Curmini.

In 1891, he joined the newly formed Soċjeta Filarmonika Pinto Banda San Sebastjan (another Qormi band). His musical talent was quickly noticed by the band master of that band, Mro Giuseppe Portelli, who was also a bandmaster in the Royal Navy. In the same year, Montebello engaged with the Royal Navy as bandsman, where he served on the battleships Agememnon (1891-1892) Camperdown (1892-1893), Trafalgar (1896-1897), Royal Sovereign (1897-1898), Hibernia (1899), Theseus (1899-1902), Carnavon (1905-1906), Egmont (1906) and Calypso (1921-1922).

During his onshore duties he played with the newly formed Għaqda Mużikali San Ġorg Martri (Qormi). Encouraged by Mro Giuseppe Portelli and Mro Carmelo Abela Farrugia, he ventured into the field of musical composition. His first known works are the polka Giulietta and the marcia San Paolo.

Other early works include the waltzes La Bella Malta (1896), Flower of May (1897) and La Festa di Ballo (1897); the polkas La Bella Enoe (1896) and Amoretta (1897) and the march Venus (1897). At the turn of the century he formed the orchestra Santa Cecilia (Qormi) and was also appointed as conductor of the orchestra Santa Caterina (Żurrieq). Amongst the known orchestral works we find the march Valentina; the symphony Aurora; the waltz Povera Zventurata; the melody Desiderio Amoroso and the Spacarocca polka.

Montebello’s conducting capabilities did not go unnoticed by the Royal Navy. Around 1900 he was appointed band sergeant and during the fleet’s rendezvous in Alexandria (Egypt), he was tasked with the direction of the all forces massed band. His musical ascend seemed to be the source of discord between Montebello and the then musical band director of the Filarmonica San Giorgio (Qormi). This discord led to the eventual split of the said band, with Nicola Montebello being tasked with the directorship of the Filarmonica San Giorgio.

The early years of his directorship (1907-1915) were charaterised by the numerous compositions written especially for this band. These included the polka Night Bell; the marches Sant Elena, Tutti a Betlemme, San Giorgio, Lavalora, Ivanhoe, Violante, Alba Sentimentale, Cuor d’Artista and Liberta dei Prigonieri; the overtures Orecchi, Penne e Bacchette and the Terribile Atlantic; the symphonies Hercules and Ophelia; the marcie funebre Via Crucis, l’Orto del Getsemani, 13 Marzo 1915 and 21 Aprile 1910; an Inno di Gloria dedicated to St George; a scherzo per trombone, the barcarole In Mezzo al Mar and the melody Silenzio Militare. Around the year 1908, he embarked on the compilation of eight waltzes for band (San Pietro Paolo Pasqua di Risurrezione, San Luciano, L’Ascensione, San Gregorio, San Giovanni, L’Annunziata della Beata Vergine and the San Giuseppe), which waltzes the by Għaqda Mużikali San Ġorg Martri of Qormi, plays to this day whilst accompanying the Easter procession.

In 1924, following his departure from the directorship of the Qormi band, he was appointed as band master of Mellieħa’s Soċjeta Filarmonica La Vittoria A.D. 1907 Band club. In the same year, in Qormi, a new musical formation was formed, the San Francesco Saverio orchestra, for which orchestra he composed his best opus, the operetta La Regina del Deserto. In 1927 he took part in an international competition organized by the record house Titto Belati, where for his works Gli Spiriti Notturni, L’Alba della Vittoria (both symphonic marches) and the symphony Gaudio, he was awarded with a silver medal.In the following year he once again entered the competition with the symphonic marches Sincieri Auguri and San Giovanni Battista, and the military march Tom Dollar. Once again his works earned him the midaglia d’argento.

In that competition, he also contested the category for funeral marches with the works Lacrime and Lapide e Cipressi, works which were also awarded the highest prize. In 1929, encouraged by the success registered in the previous years, he competed in the symphonic category with his symphony La Stella del Mediterraneo and the symphonic march category with his work I Ninfi della Foresta. In both categories he was awarded the Grand diploma and a silver medal. Other works which characterised his last years include the overture Aronne and a Stabat Mater for choir and band.

Nicola Montebello died on May 6th 1930.