Music and poetry with Haydn’s ‘Seven Last Words of Christ’

The event to mark Holy Thursday, will take place in the Bank of Ireland Theatre, NUIG (beside the O’Donoghue Centre) and will feature music from the ConTempo Quartet, with readings by poet, playwright and broadcaster, Vincent Woods.

Haydn’s work was first performed on Good Friday, 1787 – he’d been commissioned by Cadiz Cathedral to create seven sonatas for that year’s Easter Service. The aim was that his music which would punctuate a sermon on Christ’s last words – words such as “I thirst” and “It is finished”.

Haydn’s score considers Christ’s anguish on the cross and has come to be regarded as one of the great pieces of Easter music.  For the 1787 service in Cadiz, the cathedral’s huge doors were shut at midday while the building’s walls, windows and columns were draped in black – according to the composer, the only light came from a single central lamp.

Things shouldn’t be so dramatic next Thursday, but it promises to be special. The Archbishop’s sermon from that year will be replaced by After the Seven Last Words, a poem consisting of seven meditations, written by the Pulitzer-prize winner Mark Strand.

The meditations will be delivered by Vincent Woods and each one will be punctuated Haydn’s beautiful music, performed by the Galway ConTempo Quartet.   The Galway Music Residency also presented The Seven Last Words of Christ last year, when it proved hugely popular.

Next Thursday’s event was initially advertised as being in NUIG’s Emily Anderson Concert Hall but will take place in the Bank of Ireland Theatre, also on the University campus.

■ Tickets at €12/€7 from eventbrite.ie with some availability on the door. More information from thegalwaymusicresidency.ie.