Short bio Giovanni Battista Pergolesi
Full biography Giovanni Battista Pergolesi
Giovanni Battista Pergolesi was an Italian composer born in 1710 in Jesi, Italy. He is widely recognized as one of the most important composers of the early 18th century. Pergolesi was a musical genius whose work combined complexity and beauty in equal measure, and he was known for his innovative style that experimented with different genres.
He studied at the Conservatory of Naples where he received training in composition and music theory. Pergolesi's early works were primarily sacred music compositions such as his "Stabat Mater" which is considered to be one of his greatest masterpieces. He also composed many other sacred choral works for the church.
Pergolesi's work extends beyond sacred music. He is also noted for his comic opera style, which was very popular in Italy during his time. His most famous work in this genre is the opera "La Serva Padrona", which premiered in 1733. Opera buffa, or comic opera, had a lighter and more humorous tone than the more serious opera seria, and Pergolesi's work was widely acclaimed for its impact on the genre.
Sadly, Pergolesi died at a young age of tuberculosis at the age of just 26 in 1736, and he left behind a legacy of daring compositions and a high level of creativity that inspired many composers who came after him. Even today, his musical works continue to be performed and studied, particularly his sacred choral works and opera buffa compositions which demonstrate his excellence as a composer and innovator of his time.
Compositions featuring Giovanni Battista Pergolesi
| # | Name | Duration | Genre | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Se tu m'ami, for voice & piano (spurious; by A. Parisotti) | 3:08 min | Vocal Music | 1875 |
| 2 | Orfeo ("Nel chiuso centro"), chamber cantata for soprano, strings & continuo, Op. 2/4 | 16:27 min | Vocal Music | 1736 |
| 3 | Chamber cantatas (4), Op. 2 | 59:10 min | Vocal Music | 1736 |
| 4 | Segreto tormento (Che non ode e chi non vede), chamber cantata for soprano, strings & continuo, Op. 2/1 | 15:19 min | Vocal Music | 1736 |
| 5 | Dalsigre, ahi mia Dalsigre ("Lontananza" or "Nigella, ah mia Nigella"), chamber cantata for soprano & continuo, Op. 2/2 | 11:58 min | Vocal Music | 1736 |
| 6 | Stabat mater, for soprano, alto, strings & organ in F minor | 31:08 min | Vocal Music | 1736 |
| 7 | Luce degli occhi mei, chamber cantata for soprano, strings & continuo, Op. 2/3 | 12:43 min | Vocal Music | 1736 |
| 8 | Salve regina, for (mezzo-)soprano, strings & organ in C minor | 12:30 min | Vocal Music | 1736 |
| 9 | Venerabilis barba cappucinorum, Scherzo fatto ai Cappucini de Posuoli, for tenor & bass | 4:34 min | Vocal Music | 1735 |
| 10 | Livietta e Tracollo, intermezzo in 2 acts | 37:59 min | Opera | 1734 |
| 11 | Mass (Kyrie & Gloria), for soloists, chorus & orchestra in D major (3rd version) | 30:01 min | Choral | 1731 |
| 12 | Questo è il piano, cantata for alto, strings & continuo | 13:02 min | Vocal Music | 1731 |
| 13 | Sinfonia for 2 violins, viola & cello in B flat major (doubtful) | 8:14 min | Chamber Music | 173? |
| 14 | Sinfonia for cello & continuo in F major | 6:57 min | Chamber Music | 173? |
| 15 | Flute Concerto No. 1 in G major (very doubtful) | 12:56 min | Concerto | 1725 |
| 16 | Salve regina, for soprano, strings & organ in A minor | 11:22 min | Vocal Music | 1725 |
| 17 | Tre giorni son che nina, song for voice & piano (spurious; may be by V.L. Ciampi) | 2:38 min | Vocal Music | 1725 |
| 18 | Salustia, opera in 3 acts | Opera | - | |
| 19 | Salve regina, for countertenor & strings in F minor (doubtful) | 13:37 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 20 | O sacrum convivium, for chorus (spurious) | 4:17 min | Choral | - |
| 21 | Pro Jesu dum vivo, motet (spurious) | 25:01 min | Choral | - |
| 22 | Salve Regina, for soprano, strings & continuo in G minor (attributed) | 11:22 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 23 | Piccola sinfonia, for 2 violins, viola & bass in E flat major (doubtful) | 4:31 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 24 | Mass (Kyrie & Gloria), for soloists, chorus & orchestra in F major ('Missa S. Emidio,' 4 versions) | 32:00 min | Choral | - |
| 25 | Septem Verba a Christo, for soloists, chorus & orchestra (spurious) | 80:19 min | Choral | - |
| 26 | Sinfonia, for strings & continuo in F major (doubtful) | 6:57 min | Orchestral | - |
| 27 | Siste superbe fragor, for chorus (spurious) | 6:36 min | Choral | - |
| 28 | Sonata (No.4) for keyboard in G major (very doubtful) | 2:57 min | Keyboard | - |
| 29 | Sonata for harpsichord in A major | 1:30 min | Keyboard | - |
| 30 | Sonata for organ in F major | 5:41 min | Keyboard | - |
| 31 | Sonata for violin & continuo in G major | 9:23 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 32 | Sonata for violin & continuo No.12 in E major (spurious) | 4:34 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 33 | Trio for 2 violins & continuo in B flat major (doubtful) | 5:07 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 34 | Trio Sonata No. 4 in G major (doubtful) | 5:50 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 35 | Vexilla regis, for chorus (spurious) | 2:52 min | Choral | - |
| 36 | Violin Concerto in B flat major | 12:33 min | Concerto | - |
| 37 | Incarnatus, for chorus in G major (spurious) | 2:03 min | Choral | - |
| 38 | Adriano in Siria, opera in 3 acts | 172:04 min | Opera | - |
| 39 | Ave verum, for chorus (spurious) | 4:48 min | Choral | - |
| 40 | Concerto armonici No. 2, for 4 violins, viola & continuo in G major (spurious; by Wassenaer) | 10:50 min | Concerto | - |
| 41 | Concerto armonici No. 6, for 4 violins, viola & continuo in B flat major (spurious; by Wassenaer) | 9:38 min | Concerto | - |
| 42 | Concerto for 2 harpsichords, 2 violins, viola & bass in C major | 11:16 min | Concerto | - |
| 43 | Confitebor, for soloists, chorus & orchestra | 17:27 min | Choral | - |
| 44 | Dignas laudes resonemus, motet for soprano, alto, chorus & orchestra | 40:58 min | Choral | - |
| 45 | Dixit Dominus, for soloists, double chorus & orchestra | 20:34 min | Choral | - |
| 46 | Domine, ad adjuvandum me (Deus in adjutorium), for soprano, chorus & orchestra | 5:50 min | Choral | - |
| 47 | Flute Concerto No. 2 in D major (very doubtful) | 10:00 min | Concerto | - |
| 48 | Il Flaminio, musical comedy in 3 acts | Opera | - | |
| 49 | Il maestro di musica, opera (spurious; based on music by Auletta and 3 pieces by Pergolesi) | 52:08 min | Opera | - |
| 50 | Il prigionier superbo, opera in 3 acts | 2:53 min | Opera | - |
| 51 | In coelestibus regnis, antiphon for alto, strings & organ | 2:44 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 52 | Nina, song for voice & piano (spurious; by V.L. Ciampi) | 3:08 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 53 | L'olimpiade, opera in 3 acts | 204:27 min | Opera | - |
| 54 | La contadina astuta, intermezzo in 2 acts | 8:35 min | Opera | - |
| 55 | La fenice sul rogo (La morte di San Giuseppe), oratorio in 2 acts | 108:40 min | Choral | - |
| 56 | La Maddalena al Sepolcro, cantata for soprano, strings & continuo (spurious) | 17:52 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 57 | La serva padrona, intermezzo in 2 acts | 21:37 min | Opera | - |
| 58 | Laudate pueri, psalm for soprano, chorus & orchestra | 19:29 min | Choral | - |
| 59 | Li prodigi della divina grazia nella conversione di S Gugliemo Duca d'Aquitania, sacred drama in 3 acts | 8:42 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 60 | Lo frate 'nnamorato, musical comedy in 3 acts | 2:50 min | Opera | - |
| 61 | Magnificat in B flat major (spurious; by Durante) | 10:50 min | Choral | - |
| 62 | Magnificat in C major (edited by Stroh & Red) | 11:53 min | Choral | - |
| 63 | Marian Vespers, for soloists, chorus, organ & orchestra (reconstructed by Malcolm Bruno) | 113:35 min | Choral | - |
| 64 | Adoro te devote, for chorus (spurious) | 15:29 min | Choral | - |
| 65 | Messa solenne, for soloists, chorus & orchestra (spurious) | Choral | - | |
| 66 | Miserere, in C minor (2 settings, both spurious) | 49:43 min | Choral | - |
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