Concentrated Passion


Kleine Zeitung“Kleine Zeitung” on 13.07.2015 Page: 42 Section: Culture&Film
Styria

Haydn’s „Seven Last Words“ as Oratorio.

NEUBERG. Joseph Haydn’s „Sieben letzte Worte unseres Erlösers am Kreuz“ (The Seven Last Words of our Saviour on the Cross) composed in 1795 in the oratorio version and premiered a year later, was to be heard at the opening of the Kulturtage in the cathedral. It was almost a chamber music counterpart to the opulent works performed in previous years. The orchestral score, taken almost exactly from the instrumental music composed ten years earlier, was in the best hands with the Vienna Chamber Orchestra under the direction of its principal conductor, Stefan Vladar. The two atmospheric introductions and closing “Terremoto” (Earthquake) were impressive. The solo voices brought the words of Jesus in an unpretentious a capella setting and complemented the following tone poetry of the orchestra with contemplative texts and sometimes dramatic passages. The Wiener Singakademie was in good form and the youthful solo quartet, composed of Seri Baek (soprano), Sonja Bühling (alto), Sascha Zarrabi (tenor) and Daniel Weiler (bass), blended itself harmonically into the overall sound.

HERBERT TOMASCHEK

Translation by John Allan Moffatt