In a letter to the British publisher William Forster, Haydn himself wrote with pride that ‘any sonata, or any text is exclusively expressed in instrumental music in such a way that even the soul of the least experienced listener will be moved most profoundly.’
It is not the words but the expression of the drama that matters, and Haydn’s success in achieving just that caused the fame of his “Seven Last Words” to spread immediately.
Joseph Haydn
Die Sieben letzten Worte unseres Erlösers am Kreuze 64’47
01 Intrada (L´Introduzione) 6’29
02 Sonata I. Pater, dimitte illis quia nesciunt quid faciunt (Luke 23, v.34) 6’33
03 Sonata II. Hodie mecum eris in Paradiso (Luke 23, v.43) 8’47
04 Sonata III. Ecce Mulier Filius tuus (John 19, v.26) 9’00
05 Sonata IV. Deus meus, Deus meus et quid dereliquisti me? (Matthew 27, v.46; Mark 15, v.34) 8’19
06 Sonata V. Sitio (John 19, v.28) 8’23
07 Sonata VI. Consummatum est (John 19, v.30) 7’48
08 Sonata VII. In manus tuas Domini, commedo Spirito meum (Luke 23, v.46) 7’41
09 Il Terremoto (Matthew 27, v.51) 1’47
Album total 66’22