Songs of the Seafarer Featuring Arpeggione Ensemble
Date: August 7 @ 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Cost: Free
Cover art by Susan Quateman, dyes on silk.
The House of the Seven Gables’ history is intimately connected to the sea, like that of many institutions here in Salem. This August, we are celebrating this connection through music. Please join us as we welcome the Arpeggione Ensemble, a collaborative group of musicians and composers making classical music more accessible to all in our community, as they present pieces from their newly released album, Songs of the Seafarer!
Songs of the Seafarer presents music of Schubert, Mendelssohn, and Mahler in newly written chamber orchestrations. Conceived as an inner journey through encounters with water and the sea, this arranged cycle places Schubert’s “Trout” next to Mahler’s maritime menagerie, the desolation of “Am Meer” beside “Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen,” and moves from despair toward transcendence via Mendelssohn’s oceanic overture. Inspired by Arnold Schoenberg’s “Verein für musikalische Privataufführungen” concerts, the Seafarer’s song wanders between earthly and heavenly desire, always returning to the sea as a mirror for the vastness of human existence.
This event is free as part of Salem 400, however space is limited so REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED.
> CLICK HERE TO REGISTER <
About the Performers
Arpeggione brings classical music into our community by playing familiar and lesser-known masterpieces in chamber arrangements. We perform on historical instruments with an awareness of social and musical contexts of the past to highlight what is timeless and universal about the music we play and affirm each listener’s integral place in a shared artistic journey. Our guiding principles of accessibility and inclusivity are woven into the fabric of our ensemble.
Arpeggione is a BIPOC-and woman-led organization at the forefront of historically-informed music. Drawing inspiration from the groundbreaking salons led by women in the past, we aim to expand the horizons of our musical repertoire and create a thriving, inclusive community that resonates with the legacy of those who dared to break boundaries.