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Walk through history as we guide you to things to learn, places to discover, and events that help connect us to our rich heritage.
Bach to Bethlehem’s Roots
February 28th, 2019 |
Planning to attend the Bach at Noon 100th Celebration on March 12th? Don’t miss an amazing opportunity to attend an Open House of the Moravian Museum of Bethlehem offered by Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites from 1-4pm following the concert!
What is the Bach at Noon 100th Celebration?
The Bach Choir of Bethlehem will be performing their 100th Bach at Noon concert at the Central Moravian Church (73 West Church Street) on March 12th. The Bach Choir was founded in 1898 by John Frederick Wolle from a long line of Moravian families in Bethlehem for the purpose of performing Bach’s complete Mass in B Minor. After practicing for 18 months, the choir gave the first complete performance of the Mass in Central Moravian Church in March 1900.
The church doors open at 11:30am and the concerts begin at 12:10pm. Each performance will feature soloists, along with members of The Bach Choir and Bach Festival Orchestra, with introductions to each piece from conductor and artistic director, Greg Funfgeld. The concert is free and open to the public!
Join Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites after the celebration:
Did you know that music was an integral part of the daily life of the Moravians? Wherever they went, Moravians brought music – their instruments, hymnals, musical manuscripts. They composed original music and made musical instruments. Continue the celebration and learn more about Bethlehem’s heritage at the Moravian Museum of Bethlehem from 1-4pm after the Bach at Noon 100th Celebration at our Open House! All guests, visitors, and music lovers are welcome to enjoy activities for everyone in the family including:
Refreshments
Enjoy delicious Moravian Sugar Cake, Coffee, and Tea.
What is Moravian Sugar Cake? It is a coffee cake made with a sweet yeast dough enriched with mashed potatoes that is often made in Moravian Settlements in Pennsylvania and the colonial town of Salem, North Carolina.
Tours
Photo by Paul S. Bartholomew
Take a tour of the Moravian Museum with a costumed guide and hear the amazing stories behind the founding of Bethlehem.
Bethlehem was a closed communal theocracy; the Church planned all settlements and owned all the land, buildings and goods, with the community operating under the General Economy and the Choir System. Learn more about these choir systems and other things that made the Moravians so different than their Pennsylvania neighbors.
Ladies’ Sewing Society Demonstration
Founded in 1861 by Polly Heckewelder to help with the Civil War relief effort, the Ladies’ Sewing Society ultimately transitioned to making their signature “Polly Dolls”. The Polly Doll represents a labor of love and dedication of many Moravian women working together through a period of more than 140 years to tell the story of the real Polly, and her role in Moravian history. These dolls are the oldest continuously made cloth doll in America.
See a live demonstration of how they make some of their intricate pieces.
Hands-On Activities
Photo by Scott Piccotti
Looking for something more hands on? Try your hand at crafting. Learn to make a paper Moravian star or try dressing a Moravian Candle. Don’t worry, there will be instructions!
The traditional beeswax candle is a central part of Moravian Christmas celebrations. While there are local variations including the size of the candle, how its base is trimmed, and how they are presented during Christmas Eve services, the light of the beeswax candle remains a powerful symbol of the light Jesus brought to the world.
Grunewald Exhibit
See masterful drawings from artist Gustav Grunewald in an intimate display.
Who was Gustav Grunewald? He was a German artist, best known for his landscapes, who moved to Bethlehem in 1833 and began teaching art at the Bethlehem Female Seminary, which eventually became Moravian College.
Photo Op-
Commemorate your visit with colonial dress up and a photo op with a cut out of Count Zinzendorf, the founder of Bethlehem.
Kids, and adults will have the chance to try on traditional colonial outfits that would have been worn by the Moravians during Bethlehem’s founding years. Try on dresses, aprons, hats, caps, coats, and more.
We look forward to seeing you at the Bach at Noon 100th Celebration and the Moravian Museum of Bethlehem on Tuesday, March 12th to celebrate Bethlehem’s rich heritage, including their love of music.
The Open House runs from 1-4pm at the Moravian Museum of Bethlehem located at 66 West Church Street, Bethlehem.
For more information, call: 1-800-360-TOUR or visit our website here.
