Quartet Sabaku

 

Lenten Offering:

Seven Last Words of

Jesus Christ

 

program notes from the score

 

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Seven Last Words of Our Savior

Franz Joseph Haydn

 

In 1785 Joseph Haydn received a commission from Cadiz in Andalusia to write for Holy Week a form of sacred orchestral music relating to the "Seven Last Words of the Savior." The composer agreed and wrote "Seven sonatas with an introduction and a concluding earthquake" for a large orchestra, which was probably first performed on Good Friday in 1786 in the subterranean church of Santa Cueva.

 

A year later Haydn published a version of the sonatas for string quartet, a completely new work, consisting entirely of instrumental music, divided into seven Sonatas, preceded by an Introduction, and followed by a Terremoto or Earthquake. The Sonatas are designed to be appropriate for the words which Christ our Savior uttered on the Cross, and are composed of music intended to make the deepest impression on the soul of even the most naïve person.

 

The "Maestoso ed Adagio" Introduction, an emotional overture in the "Requiem key" of D minor, immediately introduces the atmosphere of the events. No. 1 is dominated by cries of "Father" and deep sighs, with chromatic progression adding further expressions of pain; the content of No. 2 develops mainly from the opening cry, variations on which take many forms. Breathless cries, punctuated by rests, fierce syncopation, dissonant chromaticism and melodic symbols for the Cross give No. 3 its unmistakably tragic character, bathed in pale E major. No. 4 then follows in the even more tragic F minor, appropriate to the despairing question, "Why hast Thou forsaken me?"

 

In No. 5 the elaborate polyphony and chromaticism of the introduction provide a deliberate contrast to the dramatic main part, in which Jesus' cry, "I thirst" leads to furious outbursts commenting on the events with intense harmonies. No. 6, "It is finished,' with its agonizing, rising melodic passages begins in the old "Death key" of G minor, before the consoling certainty that Jesus' death will bring us salvation triumphs and bathes the scene in a bright G major, entirely abandoning the symbolism of pain. A consoling E flat major, the old "Key of Love" is assigned to No. 7 with its pious confidence; then a dramatically portrayed "Earthquake" depicts the hour of the Lord's death, once again unfolding it before our eyes by means of expressive and painful chromaticism.

 

The Seven Last Words of Christ, published in 1786, consists of an Introduction, seven Sonatas (each marked "Adagio" and corresponding to a word uttered by our Savior on the Cross) and a Terremoto or Earthquake. This is some of the most dramatic and profoundly moving music that Haydn wrote.

The First Word From the Cross                                                                                Luke 23:13-34       

                “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”

The Second Word From the Cross                                                                           Luke 23:39-43

                “Today you shall be with me in Paradise.”

The Third Word From the Cross                                                                               John 19:25-27

                “Woman, behold your Son!  Son, behold your Mother!

The Fourth Word From the Cross                                                                             Mark 15:29-34

                “My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?

The Fifth Word From the Cross                                                                                John 19:28-29

                “I thirst.

The Sixth Word From the Cross                                                                               John 19:30

                “It is finished.

The Seventh Word From The Cross                                                                          Luke 23:44-49

                “Father, into thy hands I commend my Spirit.”

 

Over the past 9 years Quartet Sabaku has performed this one hour work in a variety of ways.

--The Scripture passages can be read aloud before each Sonata or printed in the program for silent meditation

--Short sermons, poems, or reflections can be delivered between Sonatas.

--The piece can be presented as the entire service, or can be followed by a communion service.

--Hymns can be sung between Sonatas.

--Slides depicting the story can be shown during the program.

 

 

 

 

Katherine Shields         (480) 980-6516

Cindy Baker                  (602) 993-9869

 

 

E-mail us at quartetsabaku@yahoo.com

By Franz Joseph Haydn