Pieces › Joseph Haydn

Die Worte des Erlösers am Kreuze, Hob. III:50–56, Op. 51

9 movements

Joseph Haydn · 1787 · D minor · 978 bars · 1446 chords analysed

A quartet arrangement of Haydn's orchestral meditation for Good Friday: seven slow movements on the last words of Christ, framed by an introduction and an earthquake.

Haydn wrote nearly 70 string quartets and more or less invented the form: four equal voices in conversation. From the early divertimento-like Op. 1 and Op. 2 to the Op. 76 set of 1797, you can hear the genre grow up.

Keys visited: D minor, F major, B♭ major, C major, A♭ major, C minor, B♭ minor, E♭ major, F minor, G minor, E major, B major, C♯ minor, E minor, D♭ major, A major, F♯ minor, G major.