Music Spotlight: The Seven Last Words of Christ
The Seven Last Words of Christ
by Théodore Dubois
The “seven last words” are, more precisely, seven distinct statements spoken by Christ during the crucifixion. Beginning with “Father, Forgive Them,” and ending with “It is Finished,” the statements, drawn from different Gospel accounts, are combined into a single narrative.
Composed in 1867 for Saint Clotilde in Paris, Théodore Dubois’s “The Seven Last Words of Christ” unfolds in eight movements, blending scriptural text with reflective liturgical elements. Although other composers before Dubois had set the Seven Last Words to music, he was the first to undertake a major choral setting of the Passion narrative.
Dubois wrote his work for soloists, chorus, and orchestra. The tenor and baritone soloists share the role of Christ, while all three soloists—tenor, baritone, and soprano—alternately serve as the Narrator, guiding listeners through the events. The chorus represents the crowd.
The cantata opens with a soprano solo, “O All Ye Who Travel” (the traditional “O Vos Omnes” sung at Tenebrae services), followed by these movements:
First Word: “Father, Forgive Them”
Second Word: “Verily, Thou Shalt Be in Paradise”
Third Word: “See, O Woman!” Here, Christ’s words to His mother are combined with the 13-century sequence, Stabat Mater Dolorosa.
Fourth Word: “God, My Father, why hast Thou forsaken me?” combines Christ’s anguish of abandonment with the liturgical text Omnes Amici Mei.
Fifth Word: “I Am Athirst” is marked by the baritone soloist echoing this word at both the beginning and end of the movement, while the Chorus portrays the jeering Crowd.
Sixth Word: “Father, Into Thy Hands I Commend My Soul.”
Seventh Word: “It Is Finished”
The cantata concludes with the chorus singing “Christ, We Do All Adore Thee,” (Adoramus Te, Christe), a hymn-like setting of the medieval antiphon, offering a hopeful glimpse of the resurrection.
Other Musical Interpretations
Christ’s final words from the cross have inspired composers for centuries, with settings evolving from medieval Passion traditions. The first complete musical setting of the Seven Last Words is generally credited to Heinrich Schütz, widely regarded as the greatest German composer of the 17th century. Schütz composed “Die Sieben Worte Jesu am Kreuz,” in 1645.
Franz Joseph Haydn’s instrumental “Seven Last Words” was first performed in 1787 at the Good Friday service at Oratorio de la Santa Cueva (Holy Cave Oratory), an underground church in Cádiz, Spain. Commissioned by the Brotherhood of Santa Cueva, Haydn composed a series of slow, meditative “sonatas,” each reflecting on one of Christ’s final statements as recorded in the Gospels of Matthew, Luke, and John. The work, one of Haydn’s proudest achievements (by his own estimation), quickly gained popularity throughout Europe. Haydn adapted his “Seven Last Words” for string quartet, approved a version for solo piano, and in 1796 transformed it into an oratorio with solo and choral vocal forces.
Many composers have since set the Seven Last Words to music including Charles Gounod (1818-1893), César Fran (1822-1890), Sofia Gubaidulina (b. 1931) and James MacMillan (b.1959-) among others. Each adaptation has brought a distinct voice to this enduring sacred theme.
Learn more about our upcoming Seven Last Words of Christ concert on April 13, 2025.