Originally composed in 1786 as a work for orchestra, Haydns piece inspired by the Seven Last Words of Christ was recast as a string quartet the next year and published as his Op. 51. On his way to London in 1794, Haydn heard an adaptation of his orchestral work for chorus with orchestra made by the Passau kapellmeister Joseph Friebert with German text based upon the original Latin seven words. Impressed, Haydn decided to make his own choral version, with a revised German text by Gottfried van Swieten. The new cantata version was premiered before an invited audience in Vienna on March 17, 1796...