Charles Camilleri

Sonatina Folklorista for Clarinet Solo

The Sonatina Folkloristica for Clarinet Solo explores both native music forms Tarantella and Cantilena and the 'atomisation of the beat' in the untimed beginning of the Cantilena. This short three-movement work is demandingwith playful moments. Charles Camilleri was one of the very few Maltese composers to gain international recognition. He was largely self-taught and was fascinated with the traditional music of his own country. Years spend inAustralia and London led him to a successful career in light music and he later created a celebrated music programme for the Canadian Broadcasting System. Later in life he studied music of Africa and Asia and developed a systemhetermed 'atomisation of the beat' to accommodate the shifting rhythms and accents of more folkloric music.