Stabat MATER

The Origin of Pergolesi's Stabat Mater

Capturing the sorrow and anguish of the Virgin Mary at the crucifixion of her son, the medieval religious poem Stabat MATER, Latin for “the mother was standing,” was composed by Franciscan monk Jacopone da Todi. Put to music many times, it has become something of a genre unto itself, one where many composers have made their mark (including Scarlatti a few years earlier, at the start of the 18th century). Pergolesi’s version is considered to be one of the most poignant.

It has enjoyed lasting success and become a fixture of Baroque music. Simply written for two voices, basso continuo and strings, Stabat MATER’s 12 movements alternate between solos and duos, each plumbing the depths of human passion. It is a tremendously expressive work that invites reflection and contemplation, a pure metaphysical masterpiece.

Stabat mater dolorosa / Juxta crucem lacrimosa / Dum pendebat Filius

The grieving Mother stood / Weeping beside the cross / Where her Son was hanging

-Excerpt from Stabat Mater, a medieval poem from monk Jacopone da Todi