In 1732 Giovanni Battista Pergolesi composed a setting of the Vespers in honor of St. Emidius Naples’s patron saint and protector against earthquakes. All that has survived are the introit Domine ad adjuvandum and three psalm settings: Dixit Dominus Laudate and Confitebor.Malcolm Bruno’s reconstruction consists of Pergolesi’s Hymnus Magnificat several short instrumental interpolations and the contrafactum of a secular cantata for the Salve Regina thereby presenting a full cross-section of Pergolesi’s artistic evolution. The reconstructed Vespers ranges from the early Confitebor with its allusions to Vivaldi to the late Salve Regina with its reminiscences of thefamous Stabat Mater; from contrapuntal choral writing to operatic arias; and from the magnificently scored Dixit to the almost intimate Laudate.The present edition follows the original sources as closely as possible and contains an appendix with detailed notes on performance practice.Performance material available for hireEffective reconstruction of a full-length workCross-section of Pergolesi’s sacred musicClear and easy-to-play piano reduction

This satisfying piece containing the English translation by the editor is easy for adult choirs and is of medium difficulty for youth choirs.