Bach : the Seven Last Word of Christ on the Cross

The project proposes a hypothetical reconstruction of what Johann Sebastian Bach's musical setting of the Seven Last Words might have been like, taking his musical universe as a starting point to create an imaginary cantata around this theme. To this end, passages from Bach's works containing these texts were identified and then assembled according to strict structural, harmonic, and narrative criteria. Far from being a simple anthology of pieces, the objective was to construct a coherent expressive and narrative arc, both theologically and musically, culminating in a succession of recitatives, arias, choruses, and chorales that respect the internal dramaturgy that might have guided such a composition.

Led since its founding in 2013 by harpsichordist Darío Tamayo, Íliber is considered one of the most important Spanish early music ensembles on the current scene. Its artistic and research activities focus on rediscovering forgotten repertoires, with a particular emphasis on the Spanish Baroque. They have performed throughout Spain, Europe, and China, and were recently awarded the FestClásica 2026 Prize by the Spanish Association of Classical Music Festivals, considered the highest distinction a classical music ensemble can receive in Spain. Since 2024, the ensemble has been in residence at the MUSAG Festival (Granada).