Although Giovanni Pergolesi is best known today as the composer of the comic intermezzo La serva padrona, he was also capable of composing works of a serious nature, as the Messa di S. Emidio amply demonstrates. This Mass, one of only two legitimate Masses among the 10 attributed to him, was written in 1732. In the previous year, there had been a terrible earthquake in Naples. In response, Naples chose to make St. Emygdius one of its patron saints so that his intercession with God might protect the city. Pergolesi was chosen to compose this Mass as part of the religious rites solemnizing the event. The Mass is of the Missa brevis type, in which only the Kyrie and Gloria are set. It is, nonetheless, a substantial work lasting more than 30 minutes, written for 10 voices and orchestra. It is a dramatic work requiring vocal agility from the performers.Alessandro Scarlatti composed 10 masses. The Messa per il santisimo natale was written in 1707 while Scarlatti was serving as maestro di cappella of S. Maria Maggiore in Rome. Although Scarlatti's liturgical works have not received in our time the attention given to his work in other fields of composition, the quality of this masterpiece should lead to a greater exploration of his liturgical compositions. In Fanfare 29:1, Brian Robins gives a detailed description of the background of this Mass, as well as a detailed description of its many excellences; his review can be found in the Fanfare Archive.The performances on this CD are generally good, though I have some reservations. Rinaldo Alessandrini sets very lively tempos for these performances, especially in the Pergolesi. The Amen section of the Pergolesi Gloria is unintentionally comic in its effect at Alessandrini's much-too-fast tempo. It is a credit to his singers and instrumentalists that they are able to keep up with him; a little relaxation would have been to the advantage of the works themselves as well as the performers. Concerto Italiano, on this recording, consists of 10 vocalists and 19 instrumentalists. The orchestral forces are highly disciplined and perform at a level we have come to expect of the best period-instrument groups. When performing as a group, the vocalists are equally expert. In the Pergolesi, the unidentified soprano soloist is a bit challenged by the lower notes of the "Laudamus te" and is slightly shrill at the top of her range, but the other solo assignments in the "Gloria" find her in better voice.Both of these works have been recorded before. The Pergolesi is available on an Orfeo disc using modern instruments. J. F. Weber (in 18:5) recommended it, but many will undoubtedly prefer a performance with period instruments. The Scarlatti is available on Stradivarius. Brian Robins, in the review cited above, called it "one of the most rewarding discs" he had heard that year.Both of these works are attractive specimens of Baroque liturgical music. Despite Alessandrini's occasional excesses of speed, this disc is well worth acquiring. --Fanfare Archive, Ron Salemi, May/June 2009Neglected Italian Masses articulately shaped by performers on fine form:   One knows one will get something that's been carefully thought about with Rinaldo Alessandrini. Here he presents a pair of Masses that were premiered in Rome, by two composers connected with Naples. That in itself is interesting, but the performances are terrific. The Pergolesi especially is shattering at times, while the Scarlatti is gorgeous. --Gramophone Magazine, Editor's Choice, January 2009