Giovanni Battista Pergolesi (1710-1736)
An Italian composer whose short life fell entirely within the 18th century,
was, however, still a representative of the Baroque style of composition.
He wrote both instrumental and vocal music,
but his "opera buffa"
compositions brought him fame. Pergolesi wrote three of these works,
which were performed between the acts of his serious operas. The
most famous of these, "La Serva padrona,"
which was the rival opera to Rameau's works that
were the focus of the War of the Buffoons (1752),
is still found in the modern opera repertoire. Although a large number
of trio sonatas, solo
sonatas, and concertos
in the Baroque style were once ascribed to Pergolesi, it is now certain
that many of them are not his works. A number of his religious
works were published during his lifetime; the best known today is "Stabat
Mater."