Tres Horas
Joseph Haydn – The Seven Last Words of Christ on the CrossVersion for orchestra (1786) with texts by Alonso Messia Bedoya
Orchester Wiener Akademie
Martin Haselböck, conductor
Michael Heltau, speaker
Meinrad Hofer, projections and portraits
Matthias Henke – text adaptation and dramaturgy
The Jesuit priest Alonso Messia Bedoya published 'Tres Horas' in Peru in 1737, in which he described in meticulous detail a novel form of devotion he had developed. Its purpose was to commemorate, on Good Friday (between 12pm and 3pm, according to biblical standards), the crucifixion of Christ and his last words. In the same volume, Bedoya also published his meditations, which reflect upon the 'Seven Last Words of Christ'. His devotional book spread throughout Europe via Spain. And it was from Spain - out of Cadiz - that Haydn was commissioned to set the septenary to music in accordance with the rules set out by Bedoya.
Haydn, at that time the most famous composer in the world, must have known well of Bedoya's publication. This is suggested in any case by the numerous similarities of his music to the Jesuit priest's interpretations (see Matthias Henke, Hans Ulrich Weidemann, Die Sieben letzten Worte unseres Erlösers am Kreuze, Stuttgart 2017). It is likely also that Bedoya's texts preceded Haydn's seven sonatas at the premiere.
Martin Haselböck and Matthias Henke thus wondered: what could be more fitting than to reunite Haydn's music with the meditative texts of Bedoya, for the first time in around 200 years? In line with the Theatrum sacrum designed by Bedoya, the performative character of his devotions is also taken into consideration, e.g. by use of a stage setting in the form of projected, suggestive imagery. In the centre of the photographic work of Meinrad Hofer stands the human countenance. Portraits, masks and photographs of living and stony heads also identify his imagery with Haydn's musical meditation.