For several years now, it has been a tradition at the Kloosterkerk in The Hague to enhance the vespers service on Good Friday before Easter with unexpected artistic expressions such as dance. This year, there will be no dance due to the renovation of the Kloosterkerk, but the versatile Matangi Quartet will perform during the vespers service on Good Friday, April 3rd, starting at 8:00 PM in the Kloosterkerk. Over the past twenty-five years, Matangi has become one of the most prominent ensembles in the Dutch music scene and on international stages. Fulco Timmers, leader of the Kloosterkerk, will provide accompaniment for the musical interpretation of Haydn’s “7 letzte Worte,” the seven last words of Jesus on the cross, accompanied by the reading and reflection of the accompanying texts.
Current message here and now
“The celebration of Easter is one of the highlights of the church year, in which we focus on the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We hold services in which we explore the meaning of Easter for the here and now, for ourselves and for the world, and express it musically and artistically,” says Fulco Timmers. He continues: “The Passion story on Good Friday, in particular, resonates deeply with timeless human experiences such as fear, betrayal, denial, and injustice. The very last words spoken by Jesus on the cross, according to the Gospels, touch upon these experiences and place them in the Light of Easter: forgiveness and the restoration of connections are possible. In this way, the message of Easter remains ever-relevant, especially in our current time—namely, the message that death and destruction never have the last word, but life and light do.”
Applicable setting
“Haydn wrote the seven last words of Jesus on the cross especially for Good Friday and originally intended them for a vespers service in the Santo Rosario church in Cadiz, Spain,” explains Harmen Alkema, one of the organizers of this service. He continues enthusiastically: “The vespers service in the Kloosterkerk places the music in the same context for which Haydn originally wrote it. The Hague-based Matangi Quartet has previously recorded this work on CD and performed it in the Netherlands and abroad. For this occasion, they are pleased to perform it again in the Kloosterkerk. You can hardly imagine a more fitting setting for this performance. Incidentally, the Matangi’s have shared the stage with top classical musicians such as Tania Kross. But they have also ventured into crossover projects with comedians Herman van Veen and Youp van ‘t Hek, with bandoneon player Carel Kraayenhof and DJ Kypski. That promises something!”
The vespers service begins on April 3rd at 8:00 PM and is free to attend. A financial contribution of any size is appreciated. Despite the renovation of the Kloosterkerk, there are ample seats available.
