Haydn: The Seven Last Words from the Cross

In honour of the 200th anniversary of Haydn’s death, Chamber Music New Zealand proudly presents this very special multi-media performance of his Seven Last Words from the Cross.
Written in 1786 as music to accompany a Good Friday service for the Cathedral of Cadiz, this intensely spiritual music continues to inspire and challenge.

Featuring the New Zealand String Quartet, together with specially commissioned artworks by Nigel Brown, poetry by Dinah Hawken and produced by Sara Brodie (The Kreutzer), CMNZ’s performance Haydn: The Seven Last Words of the Cross aims to bring this serious and contemplative work to life through music, poetry, art and film.

The work was originally written for orchestra, but has become more popular in its arrangement for string quartet. The introduction prefaces seven slow movements (sonatas) which are followed by the epilogue symbolising an earthquake.

The lithographs created by Nigel Brown depict the seven sonatas and an eighth image envisions the composer himself. Nigel drew each image directly onto lithography stone and they were then handprinted in four colours in a limited edition of 15. They are available for purchase.

remember that bearing
can carry the gifts
of wisdom and witness
- Dinah Hawken

Haydn: Seven Last Words of the Cross is part of Chamber Music New Zealand’s 2009 Season: Kaleidoscopes

Event listed by SWPR Ltd

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