April 4, 2022

Beacon String Trio to perform Bach and Mozart Pieces at House of Seven Gables

by Felicia Cheney

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The House of the Seven Gables has much to be grateful for. The reopening that follows the worst of the pandemic continues to go smoothly. Spring is no longer a dream; it’s everywhere the senses turn, including the period gardens. And April is the birth month of Settlement Association founder Caroline Emmerton. Of course a special celebration is in order!

On Saturday, April 9, The Gables will host two chamber music concerts with a catered reception before each performance — at 2 p.m. and at 5 p.m. The Beacon String Trio — three premier musicians from the Handel and Haydn Society — will present a program of string trios composed by Bach and Mozart on 18th-century period instruments. The catered reception will include an open bar with wine, beer, soda and sparkling water. Passed hors d’oeuvres will include some vegan and gluten-free options.

To preserve the intimacy of each performance, only 50 people will be admitted to each. Proceeds from this event will help The Gables defray some of the losses incurred during the COVID shutdown. Tickets are $100 for members and $120 for nonmembers. Reservations for either the 2 or 5 p.m. reception and concert can be purchased by emailing gcann@7gables.org.

The Beacon String Trio will perform two pieces: Sonata for Viola da Gamba and Continuo in G-minor, BWV 1029 (arr. R. Hemsing); and Divertimento in E-flat major for string trio, K. 563 W.A. Mozart. Renée Hemsing’s arrangement of the Bach sonata adapts the viola da gamba part (a viol played vertically between the legs) for the viola da braccio (the shoulder-held viola we’re familiar with), and the continuo (harpsichord and bass instrument) part into the violin and cello part. 

The trio chose these two pieces after thinking about The Gables’ history. “The House of Seven Gables transports one’s imagination back to its 17th-century origins, so we felt it appropriate to include an important work by J. S. Bach, a composer who was born not so long after this house was built, and whose music, in many ways, built us as musicians,” says Hemsing. “The house was already over 100 years old by the time Mozart wrote his spirited Divertimento for String Trio (1788). While Mozart completed this piece only three years before his death at the young age of 35, in many ways, the story of The House of Seven Gables was just beginning.”

Those interested should register early as there is limited seating available. The Gables follows all public health guidelines put in place by the city of Salem, and masks will be required indoors. Tickets can also be purchased by emailing gcann@7gables.org.


About The House of the Seven Gables Settlement Association 

The mission of The House of the Seven Gables Settlement Association is to be a welcoming, thriving, historic site and community resource that engages people of all backgrounds in our inclusive American story. For more information visit www.7gables.org

Stories are at the core of what we do at The House of the Seven Gables. They are not just a part of our past, but also our present and future. In 2021, we look forward to exploring the lore of our historic site and surrounding community with a special series of lectures, programs and events.


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