The Stabat Mater is a medieval sequence that describes the Virgin Mary's suffering as she watches Jesus being crucified. Giovanni Battista Pergolesi's Stabat Mater (1736) is one of the most beautiful and frequently performed sacred music works, written for soprano, viola, string quartet and basso continuo.
The composer wrote the work at the age of 26. The composition is widely known for its emotional depth, melodic richness and harmonic elegance. Pergolesi composed his version as a replacement for an older piece used by the church during Lent. The piece consists of 12 parts - solo parts alternate with duets. The work combines dramatic expressiveness and ornamentation typical of Baroque music. It is a striking example of the church music of the ‘Neapolitan School’, which emphasises melodic lyricism.