Stabat mater dolorósa
juxta Crucem lacrimósa,
dum pendébat Fílius.

At the Cross her station keeping,
stood the mournful Mother weeping,
close to her Son to the last.

 

Giovanni Battista Pergolesi’s “Stabat Mater dolorosa” is the opening movement of his Stabat Mater (1736), a sacred composition setting the 13th-century Latin hymn depicting Mary’s sorrow at the Crucifixion. This duet for soprano and alto voices, accompanied by strings (two violins, viola) and basso continuo, is in F minor and common time, with a Grave tempo marking that establishes a slow, solemn pace.

Stylistically, it blends operatic expressiveness—drawing from Pergolesi’s background in opera buffa—with sacred restraint, featuring intimate vocal interplay through imitation and intertwining lines that convey deep pathos.

Notable features include its simple yet poignant melodies, chromatic harmonies for emotional tension, and a lamenting quality that sets the tone for the entire 12-movement work.