Claudio Merulo (1533 – 1604) was an Italian composer,
publisher and organist of the late Renaissance period,
most famous for his innovative keyboard music and his
ensemble music composed in the Venetian polychoral
style. He was born in Correggio and died in Parma. Born
Claudio Merlotti, he Latinised his surname (meaning
little blackbird) when he became famous in Venetian
cultural clubs.
Little is known about his early life except that he
studied in Correggio with Tuttovale Menon, a fa...(+)
Claudio Merulo (1533 – 1604) was an Italian composer,
publisher and organist of the late Renaissance period,
most famous for his innovative keyboard music and his
ensemble music composed in the Venetian polychoral
style. He was born in Correggio and died in Parma. Born
Claudio Merlotti, he Latinised his surname (meaning
little blackbird) when he became famous in Venetian
cultural clubs.
Little is known about his early life except that he
studied in Correggio with Tuttovale Menon, a famous
madrigalist who also worked in the Ferrara court; he
also studied with Girolamo Donato, an organist. It is
likely that he studied with Zarlino at St. Mark's in
Venice. While in Venice he became close friends with
Costanzo Porta, a friendship which was to endure for
his entire life. On 21 October 1556, he was appointed
organist at Old Cathedral of Brescia (Duomo Vecchio),
and his skill as an organist must have been impressive,
because he became organist at St. Mark's, one of the
most prestigious positions for an organist in Italy, in
1557; he was selected over a list of candidates that
included Andrea Gabrieli. This was the first important
event of his career, and he was considered to be the
finest organist in Italy.
It is important to note that in St. Mark's there were
two organs, and two separate organists were appointed
to play them: in 1557 Merulo was appointed to the
second, smaller organ, while Annibale Padovano remained
at the post of first organist.
After Padovano's hurried departure from Venice in 1566,
Merulo was appointed to the first organ, and Andrea
Gabrieli became the second organist. He was appointed
as ambassador of Venetian Republic at the marriage of
Franceso de’ Medici and Bianca Cappello in 1579 and
wrote music of celebration for Henry III of France, who
visited Venice in 1574.
In 1584, he suddenly left this position in Venice. The
reasons for this are unclear, and somewhat surprising;
in Venice he was well-paid, and had a very good
reputation; and St. Mark's was one of the most
important places for an organist. However, in December
1584 his name appears in payment register of Farnesia
Court of Parma.
In 1587 he was appointed as organist in Parma Cathedral
and from 1591 also in Church of Santa Maria della
Steccata. While here, he requested improvements to the
organ, carried out by Costanzo Antegnati, the last heir
of the great Brescian family of organ makers. We can
deduce that Merulo used the Steccata's organ for his
proofs of new composition, based on his Venetian
experience, and continued to compose in this style.
He lived in Parma until his death. During this period,
he made several trips in Venice and Rome, where he
published his famous two volume Toccate per organo.
Merulo died in Parma on 4 May 1604 and was buried in
Parma Cathedral near to the tomb of Cipriano de Rore.
He left a daughter and his wife Amabilia Banzola.
Merulo is famous for his keyboard music. His Toccatas,
in particular, are innovative; he was the first to
contrast sections of contrapuntal writing with
passageworks; often he inserts sections which could be
called ricercars into pieces which otherwise are
labelled toccatas or canzonas. (In the late 16th
century, these terms are only approximately
descriptive; different composers clearly had different
ideas of what they meant). Often his keyboard pieces
begin as though they are to be a transcription of vocal
polyphony, but then gradually add embellishment and
elaboration until they reach a climactic passage of
considerable virtuosity. Sometimes, especially in his
later music, he develops ornaments which acquire the
status of a motif, which is then used developmentally;
this anticipates a principal generative technique in
the Baroque era. Often Merulo casually ignores the
"rules" of voice-leading, giving the music an
expressive intensity more associated with the late
school of madrigalists than with keyboard music of the
time. His keyboard music was hugely influential, and
his ideas can be seen in the music of Sweelinck,
Frescobaldi and others; because of the immense
influence of Sweelinck as a teacher, much of the
virtuoso keyboard technique of the north German organ
school, culminating in Johann Sebastian Bach, can claim
to be descended from the innovations of Merulo.
Even though the fame of his instrumental music has
overshadowed much of his a cappella vocal output,
Merulo was also a madrigalist. Since he was a member of
what is known today as the Venetian School, he also
wrote motets for double choir in the manner of Andrea
and Giovanni Gabrieli. He published two books of
Madrigali a 5 voices (1566 and 1604), one of Madrigali
a 4 (1579) and a 3 (1580).
Source: Wikipedia
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claudio_Merulo).
Although this piece was originally written for Voices
(SATB), I created this Arrangement of the 5 Canzonas
for Double-Reed Quartet (2 Oboes, English Horn &
Bassoon).