Chamber Series: Seven Last Words...

The evening is structured around Joseph Haydn’s The Seven Last Words of Our Saviour on the Cross. Originally commissioned for a Good Friday service, the work consists of an introduction, seven slow sonatas, and a final movement representing an earthquake. You will hear these instrumental movements interspersed with Ruth Padel’s own poetry, titled Seven Words and an Earthquake. This arrangement replaces the traditional sermons that once sat between the musical sections, allowing the spoken word to reflect on the themes of the music in a contemporary voice. You should listen for the shifting moods within the seven central movements; despite their consistent slow tempi, Haydn uses varied textures and harmonies to explore different emotional states. The final movement provides a stark contrast, as the ensemble moves from sustained, reflective phrases into a brief and turbulent depiction of a physical upheaval. The combination of eighteenth-century music and modern verse creates a singular narrative arc that encourages quiet contemplation throughout the two-hour duration.

The performance features musicians from the Hallé, an ensemble with a long and prestigious history in Manchester. While the full orchestra is known for its symphonic breadth at The Bridgewater Hall, these chamber players focus on more intimate repertoire that allows for closer interaction between performers. They are joined by Ruth Padel, a celebrated poet who provides the spoken elements of the programme. Padel is noted for her ability to weave complex themes into accessible verse, and here she acts as both a soloist and a narrator, integrating her literary work directly into the musical sequence.

This event takes place at Hallé St Peter’s, a converted church in the Ancoats area of Manchester that provides an atmospheric setting for chamber music. The total running time is approximately 120 minutes. The performance is well-suited if you are looking for a reflective, stationary experience rather than a traditional high-energy concert. As a chamber series event, the dress code is informal. The programme is performed in English and the music is purely instrumental, so no surtitles are required. Tickets are available from a starting price of seventeen pounds and fifty pence.