Stabat Mater and Amen - Pergolesi. Grade 3.5 (EQ 8-9)

Performance: Stabat Mater Dolorosa 3’46’’ Amen 1’

Stabat Mater is one of Pergolesi's most celebrated sacred works. Often performed on Good Friday, the text dates from the medieval times and describes Mary's grief and suffering at the foot of the Cross. This arrangement includes the first and last movements of the work.

Stabat Mater Dolorosa is written in baroque style and the dissonance and chromatic nature of the melodic lines over a moving bass take the listener through darkness and grief to a final prayer of hope, as Amen summons a place in paradise. Intonation awareness is expanded in all sections through careful tuning of the intricate harmonies, and players can develop position work.