The string quartet musicians of Capella Paulana are also orchestral musicians in ensembles such as the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, the Vienna State Opera Orchestra, and the Vienna Volksoper Orchestra.
Composition History
Joseph Haydn received an unusual commission in 1785 from Cádiz, Spain, to compose an orchestral work for the Oratorio de la Santa Cueva church based on the seven last words of Jesus Christ on the cross.
Recording & Production
The Capella Paulana ensemble was formed in 2022 by Dominik Lepuschitz, organist of the Paulanerkirche, to perform Bach cantatas within the Holy Mass.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Haydn intended "The Seven Last Words" to have a strong emotional impact, writing that "Every sonata, or every word, is expressed merely through instrumental music in such a way that it awakens the deepest impression even in the soul of the most inexperienced."
Compositional Technique
Haydn achieved musical variability in "The Seven Last Words" through the symmetrical arrangement of major and minor keys, even and uneven time signatures, and diverse characters in each of the seven sonatas.
Compositional Technique
Haydn found the task of composing seven ten-minute adagios without tiring the listener challenging, so he framed the work with an introduction and a final movement depicting an earthquake.
Composition History
The original commission for Haydn's "Seven Last Words" included a detailed description of a Good Friday devotion in Cádiz, where a bishop would speak one of the seven words, followed by music.
