Pergolese 's Stabat Mater is surely the most famous sacred page of the Neapolitan school of the first half of the 18th century. Its distribution throughout Europe after the early death of the composer is extraordinary : the work is very early printed in London and Paris. This masterpiece is set in a context of rapid musical production aimed at satisfying the constant demand for new music from the churches and chapels of Naples as demanding as the opera theatres. The imposing sacred productions of Leonardo Leo and Nicola Porpora testify to this. The devotion to the Virgin Mary inspires particularly moving pages such as the painful Salve Reginaof Leo, or that of Porpora. The effervescence of the Neapolitan musical milieu (particularly that of the "conservatori"), attracted many foreigners, who in turn spread this new musical style in Europe. The Neapolitan style will open the doors to European classicism, concentrating its expression on extremely natural singing lines, alternating introverted and typically “cantabili” movements, with virtuoso allegros. The School of Naples is the last which, until the middle of the 19th century, will preserve the great tradition of counterpoint and “scholarly” music, by cultivating the composition of complex pieces with tortuous harmonies and strict counterpoint. All of these influences are found, with an extraordinary balance, in theStabat Mater by Pergolese.
At the time, composers had a lot to do to satisfy the constant demand from the city's many churches and chapels, which were just as demanding as the opera theatres.
The devotion to Mary inspires particularly moving pages such as the painful Salve Regina by Léo, or that of Porpora, recently rediscovered.
Motivated by the local musical vitality, foreign composers like the German Hasse flocked and developed the Neapolitan style.
This opens up to European classicism, with its natural singing lines, its introverted and “cantabili” movements which alternate with virtuoso allegros.
Despite everything, Naples retained until 1850 (it would be the last) the tradition of counterpoint and learned music born at the end of the 17th century. The Concerti of Fiorenza testify to this, whose complex composition combines tortuous harmonies and strict counterpoint.
