NEWS
Hyde Hall Presents Celestial Melodies
On Sunday, July 30, at 7:00 pm Hyde Hall will present Celestial Melodies, a classical
music concert composed by late 18th - and early 19th-century astronomers William and
Catherine Herschel. The concert will explore astronomical developments of both the
past and present and will include the Delta Aquarids meteor shower at the end. Not
only will the concert feature music by the Herschels and their contemporaries, but it will
incorporate visual components that show their significant astronomical legacy.
In addition to the music they composed, the Herschels are remembered today for their
astronomical discoveries, which include infrared radiation, astronomical
spectrophotometry, and the planet Uranus. They also developed sophisticated, far-
seeing telescopes. While William Herschel was an accomplished violinist, harpsichordist,
and organist, his younger sister, Catherine, often sang at his concerts in Bath, England
and later became a celebrated astronomer in her own right. She was the first female
astronomer to receive a salary, and in 1828 she was awarded the Gold Medal of the
Royal Astronomical Society.
The July 30th program will also feature new work by composer Max Caplan entitled
Invocation, which draws upon the musical tones from the NASA data sonification
project. The concert is timed to coincide with the Delta Aquarids meteor shower.
Celestial Melodies will take place on Sunday, July 30th at 7:00 pm at Hyde Hall, 267
Glimmerglass State Park Road, Cooperstown, NY 13326. Ticket prices are $25 for general
admission. To purchase tickets, please visit www.hydehall.org/events-2/.
Glimmerglass State Park Road, Cooperstown, NY 13326. Ticket prices are $25 for general
admission. To purchase tickets, please visit www.hydehall.org/events-2/.
About the Musicians of Ma’alwyck: Founded in 1999 by violinist and director Ann-
Marie Barker Schwartz, the Musicians of Ma’alwyck is a flexible-sized classical chamber
music ensemble centered in the Capital Region of New York. The Musicians of
Ma’alwyck shares history through music by performing at historical sites and other
venues to cultivate and promote an appreciation for the diverse, rich culture of New
York State.
Marie Barker Schwartz, the Musicians of Ma’alwyck is a flexible-sized classical chamber
music ensemble centered in the Capital Region of New York. The Musicians of
Ma’alwyck shares history through music by performing at historical sites and other
venues to cultivate and promote an appreciation for the diverse, rich culture of New
York State.