The National Song Festival is back. The reason: “to promote elements of national identity”.
The National Song Festival, which the Glorious Labour Government started in 1981 after breaking off Malta’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest over some pique or other, is back.
A music news website reports:
A team of experts within the art of entertainment brought forward several proposals in order for this competition to be resurrected with the Ministry for Tourism seeing it fit to promote elements of national identity through the medium of song.
Josette Hamilton, Norman Hamilton, Robert Cefai, Deo Grech and Ray Falzon alongside a representative from the Ministry for Tourism, Charlon Gouder, presided over a press conference held at Isouard Hall within the Manoel Theatre last night to unveil the return of the competition.
The other members of the committee are Simone Bugeja, Ignatius Farrugia and Pierre Cachia, all of which bring vital experience within several areas of the entertainment industry from songwriting to production.
Artistic Coordinator, Norman Hamilton revealed that the return of the International Festival of Maltese Song is a positive sign for the future of the national language.
He also made it a point to emphasise that the fourteen (14) local and fourteen (14) foreign finals will have the opportunity to perform with a band of ten (10) musicians, all under the stewardship of Maestro Sigmund Mifsud, Chairman of the National Orchestra.
This sort of thing makes me despair. Why are we still talking about national identity, promoting the composition of atavistic ballads written in archaic language with vocabulary nobody uses anymore (“Minn fommok”) and locking ourselves deeper within our bubble?
London puts a sculpture by a German artist on the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square. Malta resurrects the National Song Festival to “promote elements of national identity”, and puts Norman and Josette Hamilton and private-parts-waxer Natius Farrugia in charge. And that nasty joke from Super One TV, Charlon Gouder, presides over the press conference.
This is Malta in 2013.
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F**k Malta.
Honestly.
^ What he said.
Weren’t the Hamiltons meant to take over the High Commission in London? They could organise a national song contest on that Trafalgar square plinth when the cock comes down.
Has the position been renegotiated?
If this is the alternative, there must be more to this deal than meets the eye in terms of inner circle security net for Joseph…. or simply, survival of the fittest in the power push and pull has knocked them off the stand.
Ambiguities. Oh dear.
Typical, for the game at this level.
I wonder how long it will take to resurrect the diżerta “to promote elements of national identity”.
Ignatius Farrugia an expert in the art of singing and songwriting? What a joke.
The Maltese are being openly treated like idiots and most of us just accept this.
I am starting to think we actually deserve what we are getting.
I do not think that we deserve what we are getting, I am sure.
The news item quoted by Daphne says that the festival will have foreign participants.
With the involvement of Natius, we are likely to see Brazilians on live television.
Simone Bugeja works at Hamilton Travel too
Josette Hamilton. The news ‘in brief’ at six.
Pics of Muammar and Mintoff and typewritten tables of the price of groceries.
Josette and Norman Hamilton, Robert Cefai, Deo Grech, Ray Falzon and Charlon Gouder.
Oh, I can’t wait.
Why wasn’t Willy Mangion invited to participate too? They must need a place to rehearse.
This is a festival of Maltese song, not garage music.
Actually the launch was a flop by their own admission. Here is a report that appeared in L-Orizzont of yesterday
“Riduh bis-saħħa, iżda attendew 25 persuna biss”
miktub minn Victor Vella
Sala Isouard fit-Teatru Manoel kienet mimlija siġġijiet – madwar mitt siġġu. L-istennija kienet kbira f’dik li hi attendenza ta’ kompożituri u awturi.
Ir-riżultat iżda kien li għal-laqgħa li saret għalihom u li fiha ingħataw dettalji għar-ritorn mill-ġdid tal-Festival Internazzjonali tal-Kanzunetta Maltija, attendew biss madwar 25 persuna.
Ma setax jonqos li Norman Hamilton, wieħed mill-organizzaturi ta’ din l-inizjattiva jesprimi d-diżappunt tiegħu għal din l-attendenza fqira.
Norman Hamilton sostna li “ninsab diżappuntat li l-kompożituri u awturi li tant xtaqu li dan il-festival jerġa’ jibda jsir, m’attendewx”. Hu ddeskriva din l-attendenza bħala “fqira”.
Iċ-Ċerpersin tal-Kumitat li se jorganizza dan il-festival hi Josette Grech Hamilton. Il-festival se jsir nhar is-Sibt 9 ta’ Novembru.
Għalkemm ma kienx hemm fondi disponibbli għal dan il-festival, is-Segretarjat Parlamentari sab il-fondi biex dan il-festival tant mixtieq jerġa’ jibda jiġi organizzat. Dan il-festival kien beda jsir fl-1981 u twaqqaf ħesrem fis-sena 2002.
“cerpersin”
I’d say Kill.Me.Now but we need to kill them really.
Marshall vs Hamilton.
There was Albert, doing the jazz crowd, holding a wine glass larger than his head.
Everyone else had plastic cups. Even Frederick Testa, who however had an ominous empty space following him around.
A glass wine larger than his head? Must have been a real monster.
So they have money for this festival but decided to put the eternal flame on part-time duty to save money?
Tghid se nergghu nibdew naraw il-Ministru jqassam il-premijiet fuq il-palk?
Xi dwejjaq. Ha nergghu naghmluh fuq il-funtana wara li jirrestawrawha u nergghu nkissruha. Min jaf Renato kemm hu ecitat ha jerggha jitla hemm. Tal-biki.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlDF6Nmt-Fc
Ma tantx se jkun ecitat, ghax issa jrid parank biex jitlaghalha! (lill-funtana tafux)
Having a national song festival is the next logical step in Joseph Muscat’s plan of pushing Malta towards becoming the third Special Administrative Regions of the People’s Republic of China (Hong long and Macau being the other two).
May be they can get some ideas from the Zhuang National song festival.
http://www.chinahighlights.com/festivals/zhuang-nationality-song-festival.htm
On another topic – nothing to do with this festival – what about the three chiefs of staff who have resigned since being appointed after the election?
So Karmenu Vella’s been asked to dabble with culture and identity eh? Explains why Ignatius is on that board.
Folk dancers greeting passengers down at Viset next.
Herrera must be a bluish purple.
At least we will have a good laugh at the contestants (particularly what they wear) and at the stupid lyrics.
” Why are we still talking about national identity, promoting the composition of atavistic ballads written in archaic language with vocabulary nobody uses anymore (“Minn fommok”) and locking ourselves deeper within our bubble?”
Because of our deep seated inferiority complex – that’s why.
And, honestly – a socialist party promoting an idea of “national identity” more in line with 1930s Germany than anything 21st century European.
This is truly a “pajjiz tal-miki maws”.
I have written a song using the words and phrases I hear as I mooch about the island.
Mainly referencing the private parts of the virgin mary and extolling the virtues of incest and comparing God with my willy.
Minn fommok inhobbok gawhra tal-Mediterran; bhalek ma nsibux fl-Univers; Il-barrani jitbissem u jixtieq li jnissel gzira bhal din; B’qalbi kollha niddefendik jien…
The old Wardakanta singers must be excited. Time for a make-over and replace those dresses in the wardrobe with the padded shoulders.
Where is the “mitna ghal barrani” bit?
Kill me now.
Scoop: location for the contest………Willie Mangion’s garaxxx
While they’re at it, why not resurrect ‘Warda Kanta’ and ‘Blanzuni’.
Wish I could say, “Let’s have a laugh!”. But it brings such a heavyhearted sadness, it’s like a physical ache. Has Malta entered a time-machine with only back travel possible?
Why are the numbers in words and figures (in brackets)?
Why “Simone Bugeja, Ignatius Farrugia and Pierre Cachia, all of which bring vital experience” – all of which?
SUCH people take care of OUR national identity …
“Artistic Coordinator, Norman Hamilton revealed that the return of the International Festival of Maltese Song is a positive sign for the future of the national language.”
A positive sign for our language would be when our prime minister starts speaking correct Maltese without inserting incorrect English expressions in his ‘speeches’.
The Festival “Ghanja tal-Poplu” is THE place where all this work is being done on a voluntary bases by YTC, where good quality Maltese songs are presented on a CD and the winners are given the opportunity to ‘show their wares’ overseas with the help of EU funds.
http://www.ghanjafest.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLOCT-U-dVQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcv8EeoKWgI&list=FL74GXHWZphtsu4tF-CRQ1DA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrFIpp9kOD0
L-Ghanja tal-Poplu was the cradle where many successful Maltese singers started their career in music.
Now that “L-Ghanja tal-Poplu” will have a government supported competitor we will end up with two unsustainable festivals. One of them will have to go.
This video says it all:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5dNnxqv6zA
No place for Ray Azzopardi? That will complete the nostalgia (not).
Thought that the PS responsible of our Culture has recently declared in a clear and unequivocal manner on one of the TV programmes that he will not allow the organisation of such festivals. But I stand to be corrected.
In any case, this is waste of money and we cannot afford it, apart it is not needed or required any more. We are really going backwords instead of progressing forward.
So they don’t have funds to complete the City Gate project, they strip budgets like V18, and lose out on some great initiatives to promote Malta yet find funds to resurrect this fossil. I despair.
The first seeds of fascism – emphasise differences, create a mob feeling of “National Identity” and watch the mob see anyone different as an outcast if not an outright traitor.
This is not just about crappy songs.
All in the family!
Pathetic.
But I must admit I just love seeing these idiots coming up with these retro initiatives. Because that’s what Labour is – abysmally retro.