A history of the Stabat Mater and an analysis of the Stabat Mater by Giovanni Pergolesi.

iv, 91 p. music. 28 cm. Typewritten. Bibliography: p. 91.The well known Latin hymn, Stabat Mater Dolorosa, which tells of the emotions of our Blessed Virgin Mary at the foot of the Cross, has stimulated the genius of, among others, such outstanding composers as Joaquin des Pres, Palestrina, Pergolesi, Haydn, Rossini, and Dvorak. Written some six centuries ago, this poem has attracted the attention of musicians because of its beauty and dignity. The purpose of this thesis is to trace the history of the Stabat Mater Dolorosa and to analyze in detail the musical setting by Giovanni B. Pergolesi. The author has chosen this Stabat Mater because of its beauty and because, as yet, no work by Pergolesi has been analyzed by a graduate student of the Eastman School of Music. This composition for soprano, alto, strings, and continuo represents the final phase of Pergolesi's short life and exemplifies his most developed style of writing. For the analysis the author referred to the full score London edition (1735?) of this work which is in the Treasure Room of the Sibley Music Library