Musical settings of sayings of Jesus on the cross are compositions which set seven short phrases uttered by Jesus on the cross, as gathered from the four Christian Gospels narrating the Crucifixion of Jesus. Several composers have written musical settings of the traditional collection of seven sayings, sometimes called Seven Last Words and ultima septem verba, for various combinations of voice and/or instruments.[1] Eventually these settings became a separate form of Passion music. Perhaps the most outstanding work in this genre in the Lutheran tradition is the work by Heinrich Schütz. Joseph Haydn composed string quartets titled Die sieben letzten Worte unseres Erlösers am Kreuze (The seven last words of our Redeemer on the cross).
Early Latin motet settings of the ultima septem verba can be found from 1500.[2][3]
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