The Standard Cantatas: Their Stories, Their Music, and Their Composers: A HandbookUpton, George P. (George Putnam)
History
The Standard Cantatas: Their Stories, Their Music, and Their Composers: A Handbook
Upton, George P. (George Putnam)
Cantatas -- History and criticism
After a year of continuous fêtes he returned to Germany,
where he remained two years, during a portion of which time Beethoven was
his pupil. In 1794 he made his second journey to England, where his
former successes were repeated, and fresh honors were showered upon him.
In 1804 he was notified by Prince Esterhazy that he was about to
reorganize his chapel, and wished him for its conductor again. Haydn
accordingly returned to his old position, where he remained during the
rest of his life. He was already an old man, but it was during this
period that his most remarkable works were produced, among them the
Austrian National Hymn ("Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser"), the "Seven
Words," the "Creation," the "Seasons," and many of his best trios and
quartets. He died May 31, 1809, a few days after the occupation of Vienna
by the French, and among the mourners at his funeral were many French
officers. Funeral services were held in all the principal European
cities. Honored and respected all over Europe, he was most deeply loved
by his own countrymen, who still affectionately speak of him as "Papa"
Haydn.
The Seven Words.
"The Seven Words of Jesus on the Cross," sometimes called "The Passion,"
was written by Haydn in 1785, for the cathedral of Cadiz, upon a
commission from the chapter for appropriate music for Good Friday. It was
at first composed as an instrumental work, consisting of seven adagio
movements, and in this form was produced in London by the composer
himself as a "Passione instrumentale." He afterwards introduced solos and
choruses, and divided it into two parts, separating them by a largo
movement for wind instruments. It was then given at Eisenstadt in 1797,
and four years later was published in the new form, with the following
preface by the composer himself:--
About fifteen years ago I was applied to by a clergyman in Cadiz, and
requested to write instrumental music to the seven words of Jesus on
the cross. It was then customary every year, during Lent, to perform an
Oratorio in the Cathedral at Cadiz, the effect of which the following
arrangements contributed to heighten. The walls, windows, and columns
of the church were hung with black cloth, and only one large lamp,
hanging in the centre, lighted the solemn and religious gloom. At noon
all the doors were closed, and the music began. After a prelude, suited
to the occasion, the bishop ascended the pulpit, pronounced one of the
seven words, which was succeeded by reflections upon it. As soon as
these were ended he descended from the pulpit and knelt before the
altar. The pause was filled by music. The bishop ascended and descended
again a second, a third time, and so on; and each time the orchestra
filled up the intervals in the discourse.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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