Giovanni Battista Pergolesi

Bio

Giovanni Battista Pergolesi (1710–1736) was an Italian composer, violinist and organist whose brief career left a lasting mark on Baroque music. Born in Iesi, he studied in Naples and quickly gained recognition for both sacred works and comic operas. His intermezzo La serva padrona (1733) became one of the most influential stage works of the 18th century, helping spark the querelle des bouffons in France. Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater, composed in his final months, remains a cornerstone of the choral repertoire for its expressive depth and economical scoring. Despite dying of tuberculosis at age 26, Pergolesi’s small but high-quality output secured his place among the leading figures of the late Baroque, and many of his attributions—authentic or otherwise—circulated widely across Europe.