Short bio Claudio Merulo
Birthday:
1533 in Correggio, Italy
Died:
1604 in Parma, Italy
Genre:
Classical
Period:
Renaissance
Full biography Claudio Merulo
Claudio Merulo was an Italian composer , publisher, and organist born on April 8, 1533, in Correggio, Italy. He is mostly known for his innovative keyboard music and his contributions to the organ repertoire. During his lifetime, he wrote a considerable amount of music, including madrigals, motets, church music, and keyboard works.
Merulo began his musical career as a student of his father, who taught him to play the keyboard and the organ. He then continued his studies in Venice with such greats as Adrian Willaert and Andrea Gabrieli. After mastering the art of keyboard playing, he was appointed as the organist of the local cathedral in Brescia.
Merulo was known for his virtuosic compositional style, which emphasized technical proficiency and harmonic complexity. His music featured intricate counterpoint and unusual chord progressions, making it a favorite among organists and keyboard players. Merulo's keyboard music includes canzonas, toccatas, and ricercars, all composed for organ or harpsichord.
In addition to his keyboard works, Merulo composed vocal music, including motets and madrigals. His vocal music was also highly regarded for its innovative harmonies and subtle expression. His music was influential and inspired many composers, including Claudio Monteverdi, who was one of his students.
Merulo died on May 4, 1604, in Parma, Italy. His influence on Renaissance music cannot be overstated, and he is remembered as a true master of the keyboard and a composer of exceptional talent and skill.
Compositions featuring Claudio Merulo
| # | Name | Duration | Genre | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | La Pazza, for organ (Canzoni d'intavolatura d'organo, Book 2) | 2:42 min | Keyboard | 1606 |
| 2 | Toccata for organ No. 2 in tone undecimo detto quinto (Toccate d'intavolatura d'organo, Book 2) | 7:07 min | Keyboard | 1604 |
| 3 | Toccata for organ No. 3 in tone duodecimo detto sesto (Toccate d'intavolatura d'organo, Book 2) | 5:10 min | Keyboard | 1604 |
| 4 | Toccata for organ No. 4 in tone duodecimo detto sesto (Toccate d'intavolatura d'organo, Book 2) | 6:02 min | Keyboard | 1604 |
| 5 | Toccata for organ No. 6 in tone 7 (Toccate d'intavolatura d'organo, Book 2) | 6:32 min | Keyboard | 1604 |
| 6 | Toccata for organ No. 7 in tone 8 (Toccate d'intavolatura d'organo, Book 2) | 7:47 min | Keyboard | 1604 |
| 7 | Toccata for organ No. 8 in tone 8 (Toccate d'intavolatura d'organo, Book 2) | 6:01 min | Keyboard | 1604 |
| 8 | Toccata for organ No. 9 in tone 9 (Toccate d'intavolatura d'organo, Book 2) | 7:44 min | Keyboard | 1604 |
| 9 | Toccata for organ No. 10 in tone 10 (Toccate d'intavolatura d'organo, Book 2) | 9:42 min | Keyboard | 1604 |
| 10 | Missa Virginis Mariae | 62:46 min | Choral | 1586 |
| 11 | Dum Illuscescente Beati, motet for 4 voices | 2:00 min | Choral | 1584 |
| 12 | Iste Est Joannes, motet for 4 voices | 1:59 min | Choral | 1584 |
| 13 | O Gloriosa Domina, motet for 4 voices | 1:56 min | Choral | 1584 |
| 14 | Ricercar decimo, for 4 parts (Il primo libro de ricercari da cantare a 4) | 14:09 min | Vocal Music | 1574 |
| 15 | Ricercar nono, for 4 parts (Il primo libro de ricercari da cantare a 4) | 13:01 min | Vocal Music | 1574 |
| 16 | Ricercar nonodecimo, for 4 parts (Il primo libro de ricercari da cantare a 4) | 10:33 min | Vocal Music | 1574 |
| 17 | Ricercar octavo, for 4 parts (Il primo libro de ricercari da cantare a 4) | 7:49 min | Vocal Music | 1574 |
| 18 | Ricercar octavodecimo, for 4 parts (Il primo libro de ricercari da cantare a 4) | 14:48 min | Vocal Music | 1574 |
| 19 | Ricercar primo, for 4 parts (Il primo libro de ricercari da cantare a 4) | 15:13 min | Vocal Music | 1574 |
| 20 | Ricercar quartodecimo, for 4 parts (Il primo libro de ricercari da cantare a 4) | 8:26 min | Vocal Music | 1574 |
| 21 | Ricercar quinto, for 4 parts (Il primo libro de ricercari da cantare a 4) | 16:23 min | Vocal Music | 1574 |
| 22 | Ricercar septimo, for 4 parts (Il primo libro de ricercari da cantare a 4) | 11:47 min | Vocal Music | 1574 |
| 23 | Ricercar septimodecimo, for 4 parts (Il primo libro de ricercari da cantare a 4) | 8:46 min | Vocal Music | 1574 |
| 24 | Ricercar sesto, for 4 parts (Il primo libro de ricercari da cantare a 4) | 10:59 min | Vocal Music | 1574 |
| 25 | Ricercar sestodecimo, for 4 parts (Il primo libro de ricercari da cantare a 4) | 7:19 min | Vocal Music | 1574 |
| 26 | Ricercar terzo, for 4 parts (Il primo libro de ricercari da cantare a 4) | 12:18 min | Vocal Music | 1574 |
| 27 | Ricercar terzodecimo, for 4 parts (Il primo libro de ricercari da cantare a 4) | 9:39 min | Vocal Music | 1574 |
| 28 | Ricercar undecimo, for 4 parts (Il primo libro de ricercari da cantare a 4) | 6:57 min | Vocal Music | 1574 |
| 29 | Ricercar vigesimo, for 4 parts (Il primo libro de ricercari da cantare a 4) | 16:58 min | Vocal Music | 1574 |
| 30 | Ricercare decimoquinto (Il primo libro de ricercari da cantare a 4) | 8:38 min | Chamber Music | 1574 |
| 31 | Ricercare duodecimo (Il primo libro de ricercari da cantare a 4) | 10:06 min | Chamber Music | 1574 |
| 32 | Ricercare secondo (Il primo libro de ricercari da cantare a 4) | 5:52 min | Chamber Music | 1574 |
| 33 | Missa Apostolorum | 48:20 min | Choral | 1568 |
| 34 | Missa in Dominicis Diebus | 31:10 min | Choral | 1568 |
| 35 | Donna, se l'occhio mio, madrigal for 4 voices | 1:56 min | Vocal Music | 1564 |
| 36 | Adoramus Te | 2:12 min | Keyboard | - |
| 37 | Agnus Dei | 2:09 min | Choral | - |
| 38 | Ascendens Christus in altum, motet for 5 voices | 1:51 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 39 | Ave Maria | 3:32 min | Choral | - |
| 40 | Beata Elisabeth, motet for 5 voices | 2:46 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 41 | Bonum certamen certavi, motet for 5 voices | 2:21 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 42 | Canzon 23 | 1:40 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 43 | Canzon 36 | 2:14 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 44 | Canzon decimaottava à 5 | 2:08 min | Choral | - |
| 45 | Canzon detta la Zambechara a 4 | 1:32 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 46 | Canzon No. 5 | 3:39 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 47 | Canzon prima a 4 | 1:25 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 48 | Canzon seconda a 4 | 1:29 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 49 | Canzon terza a 4 | 1:24 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 50 | Canzon Trigesimaesta | 2:31 min | Miscellaneous (Classical) | - |
| 51 | Canzon vigesimaterza: Antiphon | 1:43 min | Choral | - |
| 52 | Canzona for 2 lutes | 3:22 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 53 | Canzona in F major, a 5 | 1:55 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 54 | Canzoni d'intavolatura d'organo, Book 1 (1592) "Fatta alla francese" | Keyboard | - | |
| 55 | Canzoni d'intavolatura d'organo, Book 2 (1606) "Fatta alla francese" | Keyboard | - | |
| 56 | Content, chanson setting for keyboard | 6:07 min | Keyboard | - |
| 57 | Corpo solo (intermedio) | 2:49 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 58 | Cumque beatissimus Marcus Evangelista, motet for 5 voices | 2:52 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 59 | Ego sum panis vivus, for 5 voices | 2:10 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 60 | Haec est dies, motet for 5 voices | 2:06 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 61 | Hodie Beata Virgo Maria | 1:51 min | Choral | - |
| 62 | Hodie Christus natus est, motet | 2:43 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 63 | Hodie Spiritus Sanctus | 2:14 min | Choral | - |
| 64 | Innocentes pro Christo, motet for 5 voices | 2:14 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 65 | L' Olica, canzon for 4 instruments | 2:37 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 66 | L'Albergata, chanson setting for keyboard | 3:56 min | Keyboard | - |
| 67 | L'Arconadia, chanson setting for keyboard | 2:53 min | Keyboard | - |
| 68 | La Benvenuta, chanson setting for keyboard | 3:16 min | Keyboard | - |
| 69 | La Bovia, chanson setting for keyboard | 3:36 min | Keyboard | - |
| 70 | La Cortese, chanson setting for keyboard | 4:10 min | Keyboard | - |
| 71 | La Gratiosa, canzona | 3:22 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 72 | La Ironica, chanson setting for keyboard | 3:08 min | Keyboard | - |
| 73 | La Jolette, chanson setting for keyboard | 4:06 min | Keyboard | - |
| 74 | La Leonora, canzona | 2:43 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 75 | La Palma, chanson setting for keyboard | 2:33 min | Keyboard | - |
| 76 | La Pargoletta, chanson setting for keyboard | 3:18 min | Keyboard | - |
| 77 | La Radivila, chanson setting for keyboard | 4:14 min | Keyboard | - |
| 78 | La Rolanda, chanson setting for keyboard | 2:36 min | Keyboard | - |
| 79 | La Rosa, chanson setting for keyboard | 2:55 min | Keyboard | - |
| 80 | La Scarampa, chanson setting for keyboard | 3:26 min | Keyboard | - |
| 81 | La Seula, chanson setting for keyboard | 4:45 min | Keyboard | - |
| 82 | La Zambeccara | 4:04 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 83 | Languissans, je déplore mes jours, for harpsichord (after Thomas Créquillon) | 7:54 min | Keyboard | - |
| 84 | Magnificat del secondo tono | 14:31 min | Choral | - |
| 85 | Magnificat dell'ottavo tono | 8:43 min | Choral | - |
| 86 | Magnificat primi toni | 11:01 min | Choral | - |
| 87 | Maria unxit pedes Jesu, motet for 5 voices | 2:16 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 88 | Maria Virgo Caelos Ascendit | 2:16 min | Choral | - |
| 89 | Maximum hoc omnium, motet for 5 voices | 2:55 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 90 | Messe Benedicam Dominum | Choral | - | |
| 91 | Nativitatem hodiernam, motet | 2:07 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 92 | O admirabile commercium, motet for 5 voices | 2:44 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 93 | O Adoranda Trinitas, motet for 5 voices | 2:23 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 94 | O Virgo Justa, motet | 2:04 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 95 | Oh Se Quanto | 1:58 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 96 | Onques amour, chanson setting for keyboard | 4:28 min | Keyboard | - |
| 97 | Petit Camusette, chanson setting for keyboard | 4:28 min | Keyboard | - |
| 98 | Puer qui natus est, motet for 5 voices | 2:27 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 99 | Qui Manducat Meam Carnem, motet for 4 voices (from "Il primo libro de motetti a voce pari") | 3:06 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 100 | Ricercar del duodecimo tuono, for organ | 8:38 min | Keyboard | - |
| 101 | Ricercar del primo tuono, for organ | 10:04 min | Keyboard | - |
| 102 | Ricercar del quarto tuono, for organ | 5:37 min | Keyboard | - |
| 103 | Ricercar del secondo tuono, for organ | 8:28 min | Keyboard | - |
| 104 | Ricercar del settimo tuono, for organ | 7:59 min | Keyboard | - |
| 105 | Ricercar del terzo tuono, for organ | 8:47 min | Keyboard | - |
| 106 | Ricercar dell'ottavo tuono, for organ | 6:53 min | Keyboard | - |
| 107 | Ricercar dell'undecimo tuono, for organ | 7:39 min | Keyboard | - |
| 108 | Ricercari d'intabolatura d'organo, Book 1 (1567) | Keyboard | - | |
| 109 | S'è ver donna gentil | 2:25 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 110 | Salvator Noster, Dilectissimi, motet for 5 voices | 3:46 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 111 | Sancti et justi, motet fo 5 voices | 1:52 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 112 | Spiritus Sanctus in te | 3:06 min | Choral | - |
| 113 | Stephanus autem plenus gratia, motet for 5 voices | 2:33 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 114 | Susanne Un Jour, for harpsichord | 6:25 min | Keyboard | - |
| 115 | Toccata con minute, for organ (manuscript: Biblioteca Nazionale di Torino) | 1:12 min | Keyboard | - |
| 116 | Toccata del Terzo Tuono, for keyboard (from Il Transilvano) | 3:58 min | Keyboard | - |
| 117 | Toccata for organ No. 1 in mode 11 | 5:41 min | Keyboard | - |
| 118 | Toccata for organ No. 1 in tone 1 (Toccate d'intavolatura d'organo, Book 1) | 5:08 min | Keyboard | - |
| 119 | Toccata for organ No. 1 in tone 5 | 5:57 min | Keyboard | - |
| 120 | Toccata for organ No. 2 in tone 1 (Toccate d'intavolatura d'organo, Book 1) | 9:13 min | Keyboard | - |
| 121 | Toccata for organ No. 2 on the second tone | 6:59 min | Keyboard | - |
| 122 | Toccata for organ No. 3 in tone 2 (Toccate d'intavolatura d'organo, Book 1) | 5:08 min | Keyboard | - |
| 123 | Toccata for organ No. 4 in tone 2 (Toccate d'intavolatura d'organo, Book 1) | 4:13 min | Keyboard | - |
| 124 | Toccata for organ No. 5 in tone 2 (Toccate d'intavolatura d'organo, Book 1) | 3:58 min | Keyboard | - |
| 125 | Toccata for organ No. 5 in tone 7 (Toccate d'intavolatura d'organo, Book 2) | 6:25 min | Keyboard | - |
| 126 | Toccata for organ No. 6 in tone 3 (Toccate d'intavolatura d'organo, Book 1) | 5:29 min | Keyboard | - |
| 127 | Toccata for organ No. 7 in tone 3 (Toccate d'intavolatura d'organo, Book 1) | 6:38 min | Keyboard | - |
| 128 | Toccata for organ No. 8 in tone 4 (Toccate d'intavolatura d'organo, Book 1) | 6:52 min | Keyboard | - |
| 129 | Toccata for organ No. 9 in tone 4 (Toccate d'intavolatura d'organo, Book 1) | 5:28 min | Keyboard | - |
| 130 | Toccata for organ No. 11 in tone 5 (Toccate d'intavolatura d'organo, Book 2) | 6:01 min | Keyboard | - |
| 131 | Toccate d'intavolatura d'organo, Book 1 (1598) | 70:36 min | Keyboard | - |
| 132 | Toccate d'intavolatvra d'organo, Book 2 (1604) | 95:56 min | Keyboard | - |
| 133 | Toccate dal Fondo Giordano (attributed, ms. dal Fondo Giordano) | 46:57 min | Keyboard | - |
| 134 | Tribus miraculis ornatum diem, motet for 5 voices | 2:03 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 135 | Tribus miraculis, motet for 5 voices | 2:29 min | Choral | - |
| 136 | Tu es Petrus, motet | 2:13 min | Vocal Music | - |
Albums featuring Claudio Merulo
| # | Сover | Name album | Year | Music label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Merulo - Francesco Tasini – Il Primo Libro de Ricercari Da Cantare A Quattro Voci(3×CD, Album, Stereo) | 2021 | Brilliant Classics |
| 2 |  |
Claudio Merulo - Fabio Bonizzoni – Toccate, Ricercari, Canzoni D'Intavolatura D'Organo(CD, Album, Reissue) | 2020 | Arcana (4) |
| 3 |  |
Claudio Merulo / Modus Ensemble, Mauro Marchetti – Motets(CD, ) | 2016 | Brilliant Classics |
| 4 |  |
Merulo - Federico Del Sordo, Nova Schola Gregoriana, In Dulci Jubilo, Alberto Turco – Organ-Alternatim Masses(2×CD, ) | 2016 | Brilliant Classics |
| 5 |  |
Claudio Merulo, Stefano Molardi – Opera Omina Per Organo(2×CD, Reissue, Stereo, 2×SACD, Hybrid, Multichannel, Stereo, Reissue) | 2010 | Divox |
| 6 |  |
Claudio Merulo / Schola Gregoriana Scriptoria, Dom Nicola Bellinazzo, Roberto Loreggian – Missa Apostolorum (Cunctipotens Genitor Deus) : In Festo S. Joannis Apostoli(CD, ) | 2010 | Tactus |
| 7 |  |
Claudio Merulo / Stefano Molardi – Opera Omnia Per Organo = Complete Works For Organ Volume 2(CD, Stereo) | 2006 | Divox |
| 8 |  |
Claudio Merulo, Quoniam, Laura Antonaz – O Virgo Justa(CD, ) | 2004 | Tactus |
| 9 |  |
Claudio Merulo / Stefano Molardi – Opera Omnia Per Organo = Complete Works For Organ Volume 1(2×SACD, Hybrid, Multichannel, Stereo) | 2004 | Divox |
| 10 |  |
Claudio Merulo, Quoniam, De Labyrintho – O Crux Benedicta(CD, ) | 2001 | Sicut Sol |
| 11 |  |
Giovanni Picchi, Bell'Haver, Bertoldo, Gabrieli, Guami, Merulo, Padovano, Pesenti, Fabio Bonizzoni – Giovanni Picchi E La Scuola Veneziana(CD, Album, Compilation, Stereo) | 2000 | Glossa |
| 12 |  |
Francesco Valdambrini, Vincenzo Ruffo, Claudio Merulo, Luca Marenzio – Sonanza Infinita / Cantica Italiana(CD, ) | 1998 | Sipario Dischi |
| 13 |  |
Claudio Merulo, Frederic Munoz – Missa In Dominicis Diebus (1568)(CD, Stereo) | 1995 | Naxos |
| 14 |  |
Claudio Merulo, Frédéric Muñoz, Grupo Vocal Grégor, Dante Andreo – Missa Apostolorum = Messa D'Involatura D'Organo = Organ Mass / Toccata Seconda Del 1° Tono / Magnificat Del Secondo Tono | 1995 | Naxos |
| 15 |  |
Missa Virginis Mariae(2×CD, Album) | 1995 | Naxos |
| 16 |  |
Claudio Merulo, Francesco Tasini – Toccate D'Intavolatura D'Organo. Libro I | 1990 | Aura Music |
| 17 |  |
Castello · Fontana · Merulo, Piccinini · Frescobaldi - Fiori Musicali – Italienische Solomusik Um 1630 (Toccate - Canzone - Sonate) | 1982 | Recreation (2) |
| 18 |  |
Claudio Merulo / Marco Facoli – Mariolina De Robertis – Nove Canzoni À Quattro / Balli D'Arpicordo(LP, Album) | 1980 | Italia (2) |
| 19 |  |
Alfonso Preti, Claudio Merulo, Giovanni Gabrieli, Gioseffo Guami, Gio Battista Grillo, Vincenzo Bell'Haver, Tomaso Albinoni, Quintette De Cuivres De L'Orchestre National De France, Pierre Pollin, Jacques Lecointre, André Fournier (2), Jean Douay, André Go | 1978 | Metropole |
| 20 |  |
Claudio Merulo, Melchior Vulpius, Costanzo Antegnati, Giovanni Gabrieli, Georg Philipp Telemann, Francesco Zagatti, Giovanni Buonaventura Viviani - Münchner Singkreis, Mitglieder Des Münchner Telemann-Collegiums, Harald Geitner – Musik Alter Meister(LP) | 1974 | Calig |
| 21 |  |
Clemente Terni, Giovanni Gabrieli, Merulo, Romanini, Diruta, Galuppi, Pollaroli, Marcello & Pescetti – A Survey Of The World's Greatest Organ Music - Italy, Volume III(3×LP, Album, Stereo, Box Set, ) | 1973 | VoxBox |
| 22 |  |
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina - Claudio Merulo - The London Ambrosian Singers conducted by John McCarthy, Franz Haselböck – Stabat Mater (Palestrina) - Four Toccatas (Merulo)(LP) | 1971 | Tudor |
| 23 |  |
Colin Tilney / Merulo, Froberger, Steenwick, Frescobaldi, Tisdall, Couperin, William Byrd – Harpsichord Works(LP, Stereo) | - | Oryx |
| 24 |  |
Andrea Gabrieli, Claudio Merulo, Adrian Willaert – Chapelles Princières: La Basilique Saint-Marc À Venise(LP) | - | Europäischer Platten-Club |
Videos featuring Claudio Merulo
Mariolina De Robertis (harpsichord) Claudio Merulo and Marco Facoli
Mariolina De Robertis (harpsichord) Claudio Merulo (1533-1604) 'Nove Canzoni A Quattro', Marco Facoli (XVI secolo) 'Balli d'Arpicordo'
Released 1980 by Italia ITL70068
Mariolina De Robertis, clavicembalo, Direttore della registrazione: Edoardo Ogando,
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