THE SEVEN LAST WORDS

Joseph Haydn Ensemble Opus Posth.- Tatiana Grindenko

"The Seven Last Words Of Our Saviour On The Cross"
-extended string quartet version-

Joseph Haydn described his opus as a "totally new composition of purely instrumental music, subdivided into 7 sonatas" when he offered it for sale to his English publisher in 1787. He was convinced that it expressed the feelings of someone hanging on the cross "in such a way that even the most inexperienced could feel the suffering deep in themselves". He did not want it to be a sentimental sermon or a piety affecting "Ecce Homo" as has often been heard in the performance of Haydn's "Seven Words" in the past: soft and solemn at certain points of emotional expression, restrained and respectfully distanced, either pietistic or meditatively distant behind all the Maestosos, Adagiosos, Largos and Lentos.

Tatiana Grindenko with her Ensemble OPUS POSTH. chose a very different, remarkably bold way of interpretation. In her "extended string quartet version" she doubles the strings of the original version and adds the double-bass of the orchestral version which gives the foundation of sound an eruptive and aggressive power. The musical stream is structured in the classical form of solo and tutti, solo vocals and full choir. Furthermore she uses the insights of the historical-critical way of musical performance. Her ensemble actually performs a "sound-speech" in that it articulates and phrases excellently, precisely and true to the text (and because all this is based on the historical low concert pitch of 420 Hz, it also influences the sound)

In this way the music rather than leading away from the words of Jesus that are to be meditated upon guides the attention - specially through the straightforward bowing - to the extreme physical and psychological suffering of the one that was executed in the most brutal way and to the suffering of all those that are deserted, tortured and murdered in a similar way. Finally this interpretation transcends the inner circle of Christian belief and God-understanding and integrates in an all-ecumenical way the human position of someone who suffers with all victims and yet strives towards a vision of perfection.
Heinz Josef Herbort

The Ensemble OPUS POSTH. was founded by Tatiana Grindenko and Vladimir Martynov. It is known for its bold and powerful interpretations of classical and contemporary music, exploring new realms of sound and crossing borders and rules of traditional concert performances. OPUS POSTH. consists of members of the MOSCOW ACADEMY OF ANCIENT MUSIC which was founded by Tatiana Grindenko in 1982.
Translated by Christian Salvesen

Titles:

1. Introduction
2. Sonata I. "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do"
3. Sonata II. "Amen, I say to you: today you will be with me in Paradise"
4. Sonata III. "Woman, behold your son"
5. Sonata IV. "God, God, why have you forsaken me"
6. Sonata V. "I thirst"
7. Sonata VI. "It is finished"
8. Sonata VII. "Father, into Thy Hands I commit my spirit"
9. Earthquake
TT 60:26

Press:

The playing is bold, forthright, uncompromising; the rhythmic sense precise; the music's onward sweep, unerring. This arrangement of the nine-movement work is no even one of the amny familiar ones. Rather, leader Tatiana Grindenko has revamped the work into a string nonet with double bass. The result is searing, passionate and highly successful. Superb playing and stunning sound from the Mosfilms studios.l" (The Strad, Roderic Dunnett, September 2003)

Ensemble OPUS POSTH. - Tatiana Grindenko
aka Moscow Academy Of Ancient Music

Tatiana Grindenko - violin
Konstantin Komissarov violin
Elena Poluyanchenko - violin
Natalia Kosareva - violin
Natalia Panasyuk - viola
Vladimir Metelyov - viola
Nikita Kotchergin - cello
Alexander Groshenkov - cello
Igor Solokhin - double bass

Produced by Tatiana Grindenko and Maria Soboleva
Executive producer Nick Dmitriev
Recorded at MOSFILM Studios in June 2002