EASTER MUSIC

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 20, 14 April 1927, Page 14

EASTER MUSIC

TRAGEDY OF GETHSEMANE SET TO MUSIC The tragedy of Gethsemane has alvays had an appeal to composers. ‘The Seven Last Words,” as known ;o the world of music through the work of Haydn which was written about 1785 or 1786, had many informal p r e c e dents. I n Spain, Passion Week services commemorating the crucifixion were frequent. In Cadiz the bishop made this service one of the most impressive ecclesiastical events of the year. The interior of the great church was

shrouded with black hangings. A solitary lamp was the only illumination. The doors were shut at noon. From the pulpit the bishop read the last words. After each phrase he dwelt upon the poignant significance of the thought and then descended to kneel before the altar in silent contemplation. During this period it was the custom to have beautiful orchestral music performed. The directors of this sacred spectacle caused an advertisement to be circulated, in which they offered a considerable reward to any composer who should supply seven grand symphonies, expressive of the sentiments which each of the seven words of the Saviour ought to inspire. Haydn alone made the attempt, and thus came this sublime music. In the year 1801 he added words to it, and brought it out as the oratorio of “The Seven Words of the Saviour on the Cross.” Of all his works Haydn is said to have preferred this oratorio. Intuitively realising that this impressive service would be demanded in other churches, Haydn wrote recitatives for the bass voice, for the •Words” spoken by the bishop. This work later became known as a cantata, although it was properly a series of adagios for strings, with

vocal recitatives. The work became greatly in demand in various European cities. At one performance in Vienna a brother of Franz Schubert, who was a priest (father Hermann), delivered the “Words.” "The Seven Last Words”—the Passion of Christ, have had many different settings, from Bach to Dubois, but Haydn’s still remains greatly in demand in church services. Dubois’s gorgeous musical translation of the “Seven Last Words” has in modern times become one of the most demanded books in the literature of ecclesiastical music. The music from Wagner’s “Parsifal” (Good Friday Spell) is also very appropriate. It is in this position of the opera that Parsifal encounters the old knight Gurnemanz, who tells him that it is Good Friday morning and that the field and plain sparkle with the . holy rain which is the “sad, repentant tears of sinners.” It is sad and sombre music and motifs of the Holy Grail and of Faith form some of the principal themes.