Tarquinio Merula (1595 – 1665) was an Italian
composer, organist, and violinist of the early Baroque
era. Although mainly active in Cremona, stylistically
he was a member of the Venetian school. He was one of
the most progressive Italian composers of the early
17th century, especially in applying newly developed
techniques to sacred music.
Contents. He was born in Busseto. He probably received
early musical training in Cremona, where he was first
employed as an organist. In 1616 he took a ...(+)
Tarquinio Merula (1595 – 1665) was an Italian
composer, organist, and violinist of the early Baroque
era. Although mainly active in Cremona, stylistically
he was a member of the Venetian school. He was one of
the most progressive Italian composers of the early
17th century, especially in applying newly developed
techniques to sacred music.
Contents. He was born in Busseto. He probably received
early musical training in Cremona, where he was first
employed as an organist. In 1616 he took a position as
organist at the church of S Maria Incoronata in Lodi,
where he remained until 1621, at which time he went to
Warsaw, Poland to work as an organist at the court of
Sigismund III Vasa.
In 1626 he returned to Cremona, and in 1627 became
maestro di cappella at the cathedral there, but he only
remained for four years, moving to Bergamo to accept a
similar position in 1631. Alessandro Grandi, his
predecessor, had died in the Italian plague of
1629–31 (which affected many cities in northern
Italy, including Venice), and he faced the formidable
task of rebuilding the musical institution there after
many of its members had died.
Unfortunately Merula got into trouble with some of his
students, and was charged with indecency; he chose to
return to Cremona, where he remained until 1635. During
this period in his life he seems to have had numerous
troubles with his employers, possibly of his own
making; after fighting with the administrators at
Cremona over a variety of issues, he returned to
Bergamo, serving this time at a different church, but
was disallowed from using any musicians from his former
place of employment. In 1646 he went back to Cremona
for the final time, serving as maestro di cappella at
the Laudi della Madonna until his death in 1665. Merula
was a key figure in the early development of several
forms which were to mature later in the Baroque era,
such as the cantata, the aria, the sonatas da chiesa
and da camera, variations on a ground bass, and the
sinfonia.
In sacred music Merula followed the lead of Monteverdi,
and often used the techniques of the elder composer;
however he also did some new things, such as writing
motets for solo voice accompanied by strings. His
publications of 1639, 1640, and 1652 include masses
which are written using ostinato basses, including the
Ruggiero and the Romanesca. Some of his music is
reminiscent of the concertato style of Giovanni
Gabrieli, and a modern sense of tonality prevails
throughout.
Merula's secular music includes solo madrigals with
instrumental accompaniment, sometimes using the
Monteverdian stile concitato tremolo effect, and in
formal design prefiguring the later Baroque cantata
with its division into aria and recitative. He wrote
one opera, La finta savia, produced in 1643, and based
on a libretto by Giulio Strozzi. Among his instrumental
music are numerous ensemble canzonas, whose sectional
structure looks ahead to the sonata da chiesa, and his
writing for strings—especially the violin—is
exceptionally idiomatic, also looking ahead to the
highly developed writing of the late Baroque. He also
wrote canzonettas, dialogues, keyboard toccatas and
capriccios, a Sonata cromatica, and numerous other
pieces which display an interest in just about every
contemporary musical trend in north Italy.
Source: Wikipedia
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarquinio_Merula).
Although this piece was originally written for Violins,
Violone & Continuo, I created this Arrangement of 3
Sonatas from "Il Quarto Libro delle Canzoni" for
Woodwind Trio (Flute, Oboe & Bassoon).
