Liszt Via Crucis (14 Stations of the Cross) for piano and choir

Mazurka Music and Art Society presents the third concert of the 2024/25 season:
A musical odyssey about the passion of Jesus Christ and the 14 Stations of the Cross.
Mikolaj Warszynski will join forces with Kappella Kyrie for a performance of this work in the arrangement for piano & choir. Please join us for this unique event taking place on Palm Sunday, March 24th at 7pm at the Anglican Parish of Christ Church, located in 12116 102 Ave NW in downtown Edmonton.
The Stations of the Cross or the Way of the Cross, also known as the Way of Sorrows or the Via Crucis, refers to a series of images depicting Jesus Christ on the day of his crucifixion and accompanying prayers. The stations grew out of imitations of the Via Dolorosa in Jerusulem, which is a traditional processional route symbolising the path Jesus walked to Mount Calvary. The objective of the stations is to help the Christian faithful to make a spiritual pilgrimage through contemplation of the Passion of the Christ.

Via Crucis, (Die 14 Stationen des Kreuzwegs) S.53, is a work for mixed choir, soloists and organ (also harmonium or piano) by Franz Liszt. The work is devoted to the Stations of the Cross. It is one of the last works of Liszt. The work is a special case in the oeuvre of Liszt, especially because it is a work of great serenity. The work is also special because it reaches the limits of tonality, breaking the status quo of predominant tonal music of the time. The work combines unison songs (Stations I and XIV) with Lutheran chorales (Stations IV and XII), and chorales inspired by Bach’s chorales (Station VI), whereas other stations consist of solo organ (or piano).
Stations:

From the late 16th century to the present, the standard complement has consisted of 14 pictures or sculptures depicting the following scenes:

1. Jesus is condemned to death
2. Jesus takes up his cross
3. Jesus falls the first time
4. Jesus meets his Mother
5. Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus carry the Cross
6. Veronica wipes the face of Jesus
7. Jesus falls for the second time
8. Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem
9. Jesus falls for the third time
10. Jesus is stripped of his garments (sometimes called the “Division of Robes”)
11. Jesus is nailed to the corss
12. Jesus dies on the Cross
13. Jesus is taken down from the Cross
14. Jesus is laid in the tomb