Every Lent, the tradition in the Spanish Cathedral in Cádiz was for the Bishop to deliver from the pulpit, a discourse on each of the Seven Last Words of Our Saviour. After each discourse, music was performed to allow meditation.

In 1786 Fr. José Sáenz de Santa Maria, who had reconditioned the Oratorio de la Santa Cueva, invited Haydn to compose music for the service. The challenge for Haydn was to compose seven suitable, contrasting, slow movements while holding the attention of the listener. He was so successful that the priest sent him a cake as payment. Inside the cake, however, were gold coins.

Some eight years later, on his way to London for the second time, Haydn heard a revised version of his work made by the Music Director in Passau, Joseph Friebert. He included a chorus.

The composer was much impressed but decided to improve on it, preparing his own choral version. Apart from the seven meditations, or sonatas, there are three orchestral movements – an introduction, an Interlude (between Numbers four and five) and a final movement Il Terromoto, representing the earthquake that happened when Christ died