HAYDN, Joseph 1732-1809

[Hob. XX/1]. Composizione per Cimbalo o Piano-Forte ... Sopra le sette ultime parole del nostro Redentore in Croce Con una Introduzione ed al fine un Terremoto Opera 49. [Copyist manuscript of an excerpt from a piano transcription of The Seven Last Words]

Italy: Early 19th century.

Oblong folio (222 x 288 mm). Unbound. [i] (title), 26, [vi] (blank) pp. Notated in black ink on 10-stave rastrum-ruled paper.

Occasional small stains and light showthrough.

An incomplete manuscript copy of the piano arrangement of the work published by Artaria in 1787, terminating near the end of Sonata VI.

The Seven Last Words were commissioned for a Lenten service in a church in Cadiz, Spain; the original work was scored for orchestra and the parts issued in 1787; the arrangements for string quartet and for piano, both overseen by Haydn, were published shortly thereafter. The choral version was first performed in 1796, and published in 1801.

The unusual form of the work was dictated by the structure of the religious service: an introduction, then adagios lasting approximately ten minutes each, following the recitation of each of the seven "last words," and the whole ending with a depiction of the earthquake at the death of Christ. It produced a great impression; Robbins Landon quotes the following contemporary review: "The idea of expressing these thoughts by purely instrumental music is curious and daring and only a genius like Haydn would take such a risk ... but every movement, even without the Latin superscriptions, is most interesting and entirely worthy of a Haydn." Haydn: Chronicle and Works II, p. 618.

Item #40271

Price: $200.00  other currencies