Saints and Fireworks, Volume Two by Gordon Mizzi

This collection of the work of the Maltese composer Gordon Mizzi for solo guitar is being made available to the public for the first time. Saints and Fireworks, The Music of Gordon Mizzi Volume Two is the second of two albums of Gordon Mizzi's music, which are available from Mel Bay Publications. This album takes its title from the newly released CD, Gordon Mizzi, Saints and Fireworks that has been recorded by Carlos Bonell, one of today's most celebrated guitarists. The individual track recordings are also available as downloads from iTunes, Amazon.com and other sites.

This album contains a diverse collection of original works as well as transcriptions of Renaissance and Maltese folk music by Gordon Mizzi. The Branles de Malte by Jean d'Estre were originally composed by the French Knights of St. John in Malta in 1551 for the Dauphin of France. Gordon Mizzi has made guitar transcriptions of these five dances, and this is the first time they are being published. The Branles de Malte by Adrian Le Roy are also included. There are a number of original compositions. "Saints and Fireworks," a piece in two movements, vividly represents Malta's village festas. "Island Scenes" are six musical portraits of towns and villages dotting the landscape of Malta. They include Valletta- Barrakka Gardens, San Giljan-After the Feast, Mdina- City Notabile, the dreamy Comino-The Blue Lagoon, Sliema- The Tower, and the pulsatingly brash Paceville -Sin City. Three Love Poems : Hula, Lahaina and Hana are influences from Hawaii. There are also two cradle songs: "Child Don't Cry" and "Ninna Nanna," as well as folk-inspired melodies such as "Night Crossing" and "il Maltija." The guitarist will find a veritable potpourri of scents and sounds in this album.