Alla Simpatica
Societa' Filarmonica "Sliema"
con l'augurio di seguire sempre la via
dell' Arte che e' maestra
di amore e di bene
Malta 24 Giugno 1923
Cardenio Botti

To the marvellous
"Sliema" Philharmonic Society
with my best wishes
that it always follows
the path of the Art
that is the source
of love and prosperity.
Malta 24th June 1923
Cardenio Botti

The Hymn of the Sliema Band
“Inno Sliema”
composed by
 Cardenio Botti
Verses by
Luigi Billion

History about the “Inno Sliema” starts in 1924. We find that during the Committee’s Meeting of 15 January 1924, from the four hymns presented to the Society, it was decided to opt for that written by Profs Luigi Billion, with the condition that it will be translated to the Maltese Language. This hymn had to be composed by Profs Luigi Vella.
For the next two no more information could be found about the hymn of the Band, but it was then again mentioned during the Committee’ meeting of 2nd August 1926.
During this meeting, the Committee decided to invite Profs Vella to direct the band while performing his hymn , the “Inno Sliema” while the Band Commission together with the Band Director make their observations, where necessary, to be presented back to Mr Vella.
All this was kept silent again for another three years until during the meeting of the 20th August 1929, the Committee decided to ask Mro Luigi Billion a hymn for the Sliema Band and so Mr. A. Bezzina and Mr. A. Grech were asked to personally ask Mro Billion for this hymn.
Mr. Billion accepted this request because on the 23rd August 1929 he wrote to Mr. Grech the following, “Ti acchiudo qui l’Inno Desiderato. Spero che io abbia indovinato l’idea do cotesta benemerita societa’” (I am here giving you the awaited hymn. I hope that I have guessed the thought of this well merited society).
The following day (24 August) Mr Luigi Billion wrote to Mr Anton Grech telling him : “Prima di consegnare l’Inno al Prof. Cardenio Botti per musicarlo vorrei rivederlo per farvi qualche cambiamento” (i.e. Before handing in the hymn to Professor Cardenio Botti to compose a melody for it I would like to look at it again to make some adjustments.)
It seems that Mr. A. Grech sent back the hymn and on the 18th of September 1929, Luigi Billion wrote to Mr Anton Grech “Ti restituisco l’Inno per la terza volta. Cosi’ come e’ stato da me distribuito credo che piaceva di piu’ al Prof. Botti” (i.e. I am returning back the hymn for the third time. I think that in the way it was done it was more appreciated by Profs. Billion.)
During the Committee’s meeting of the 5th of February 1930, the Society’s Secretary informed the Committee that Mro Botti had started to compose the music for the Society’ Hymn.
For another two years no one knows what happened, then during a Committee Meeting held on 2nd August 1932, a letter by Mr Billion asking the Committee when will the “Inno Sliema” be performed, was discussed. Since the tour by the Band to Sicily was near, the Committee decided to ask the Band Director to make the necessary rehearsals and perform the “Inno Sliema” for that occasion, although we do not really know if this happened.
It is for sure known that the hymn was definitively ready by 1933, lyrics by Luigi Billion and music by Cardenio Botti.

Rehearsals were held at the premises of the "La Valette" Society in Valletta where the "Sliema" Band and a choir of children from the Parish
(amongst whom our Honorary President Fr Raniero Zammit OFM Cap)
went several times to rehearse under the direction of Mro Cardenio Botti.
It was first premiered during a concert near the Parish Church by the Sliema Band
and the children's choir singing its original version in Italy,
with Mro Botti conducting his own landmark composition
and directing the Sliema Band.