Joy to the World!
By Ceridwyn Parr | 16 December 2021
When you drive into the bijou town of Cambridge, the most visible landmark is the neo-Gothic church of St Andrew.
For his final monthly recital, Eon Malan brought music into that well-loved sacred space. His carefully curated program, ‘Joy to the World’, began with In Dulci Jubilo, ringing out from the beautiful organ and up into the well-oiled rafters.
Eon introduced each item with engaging humour and fascinating detail. Who knew that the word ‘macaronic’ could be applied to In Dulci Jubilo?*
Wachet Auf, by Bach, saw Roz Robinson joining Eon on the piano stool, for a magnificent 3-hand, 2-feet rendering of this timeless Advent chorale, then a gentle Pastorale, Gesu Bambino, by Pietro Yon, a 19th century Italian/American, new to most people.
The audience relished the invitation to sing Hark the Herald Angels Sing, and O Come all ye Faithful, almost outshining the rich organ accompaniment, in spite of the Covid masks.
Jesus Joy of Man’s Desiring featured Roz playing the rippling melody on the piano, and Eon adding the evocative chorale on the organ, succeeded by the rich texture for O Little Town of Bethlehem.
Silent Night saw the organ and piano joined by Ceridwyn Parr on alto recorder, for a plaintive dreamy version of this iconic tune.
Increasing the joyousness, Roz and Eon played two piano duets- Morris Dance by A. Rowley, calling up images of traditional dancers with bells on their legs. Polly by J.S. Zamecnik, from the silent movie era, got the listeners swaying to the syncopation and cheeky rhythms.
Eon and Roz are a great team musically and everyone marvelled at their rapid finger work and seemingly effortless synchronisation.
Finally, the eponymous Joy to the World brought this excellent Christmas Concert to a grand conclusion.
Music in Sacred Spaces has been a great addition to the musical life of the Waikato this year. Although Covid forced the cancellation of two concerts, every one of the in-person concerts has been a success. One enthusiast flies up from Dunedin each month, while others come from Tauranga, and parts of the Waikato.
One Cambridge lady was heard to confess that she had hardly been inside St Andrews, and did not like the organ that much, until she attended her first ‘Music in Sacred Spaces’. Now she arrives early every month to find a seat with a view for herself, her quiz team and some of her dance group.
Cambridge has welcomed Eon with open arms. He has brought the exciting and inspiring repertoire of the organ, and of sacred music generally, into the wider community, and has indeed brought ‘joy to our world’.
*In Dulci Jubilo is sung in a mixture of Latin and English. Macaronic text is characterised by a mixture of vernacular words with Latin words or with non-Latin words having Latin endings.
