Con Tempo and Galway Baroques join forces for Easter celebration

ConTempo, Galway’s internationally renowned quartet-in-residence will give a unique performance of Joseph Haydn’s sublime The Seven Last Words of Christ for string quartet, at 8 pm on Wednesday next, March 27 in the Augustinian Church, on Middle Street, Galway City.

Haydn was commissioned to write this work for a Good Friday service, with the seven meditations being drawn from the four gospels. The various instruments translate the text into musical form, with a dramatic conclusion representing the death of Christ on the cross and the subsequent earthquake, described in various gospels.  

Joining Con Tempo for this special concert are the internationally and nationally acclaimed Galway Baroque Singers, under the direction of conductor, Audrey Corbett.

In some orchestral performances of Haydn’s work, poetic readings are often included between the individual quartet movements and for this performance, specially selected choral works will be interwoven with the sonatas, symbolising the journey from suffering and despair to hope and light that is synonymous with Holy week and Easter.  

The choral pieces will span from the Renaissance through to the modern era, including the magnificent Miserere by the Italian composer, Gregorio Allegri. The choir will sing music by Giovanni Pergolesi, JS Bach, Eric Whitaker and James MacMillan as well choruses from Handel’s Messiah.

This year marks two very special anniversaries for Con Tempo and the Galway Baroque Singers. Con Tempo is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the quartet’s residency in Galway, while the Baroque Singers are celebrating the 30th Anniversary since the foundation of the choir. Both Con Tempo and the Galway Baroque Singers invite people in Galway to join them on the Wednesday, March 27 for what promises to be a very special concert.