Role

:

Composer

Country

:

Italy

Birth

:

ca. 1594 in Cremona, Italy

Death

:

December 10, 1665 in Cremona, Italy

Period

:

Renaissance

 

 

Baroque

Genre

:

Chamber

 

 

Vocal

 

Tarquinio Merula was a prominent Italian composer of the Baroque era, known for his contributions to the development of instrumental music. Born in Cremona, Italy in 1595, Merula was the son of a musician and grew up in a musical household. He began his musical education at a young age, studying with his father and later with Giovanni Battista Bassani, a prominent composer and organist. Merula's early career was focused on vocal music, and he served as a singer and organist at various churches in Cremona and Mantua. In 1616, he was appointed as the maestro di cappella at the Cathedral of Cremona, a position he held for several years. During this time, he also began to compose music for the violin, which was becoming an increasingly popular instrument in Italy. Merula's instrumental music was characterized by its virtuosity and expressive qualities, and he was one of the first composers to write music specifically for the violin. His works for the instrument include sonatas, canzonas, and dances, and he was also known for his use of the ground bass, a repeating bass line that forms the foundation of a piece of music. One of Merula's most famous works is his Ciaccona, a piece for solo violin that is considered one of the earliest examples of the form. The piece is built around a repeating bass line and features virtuosic passages and expressive melodies. It has been performed and recorded by numerous violinists over the years and remains a staple of the violin repertoire. Merula's other instrumental works include his Canzoni overo sonate concertate per chiesa e camera, a collection of sonatas for various instruments that was published in 1637. The collection includes works for violin, cello, and bassoon, as well as pieces for mixed ensembles. The sonatas are notable for their use of counterpoint and their expressive qualities, and they were influential in the development of the sonata form. In addition to his instrumental music, Merula also composed vocal music, including sacred music and madrigals. His sacred music includes masses, motets, and psalms, and he was known for his use of chromaticism and expressive harmonies. His madrigals, which were written in the early part of his career, are characterized by their use of word painting and their expressive melodies. Merula's music was highly regarded during his lifetime, and he was considered one of the leading composers of his time. His works were performed throughout Italy and beyond, and he was particularly influential in the development of instrumental music. His use of the ground bass and his expressive melodies were influential on later composers, including Antonio Vivaldi and Johann Sebastian Bach. Despite his success as a composer, Merula's personal life was marked by tragedy. He lost his wife and several children to the plague, and he himself died of the disease in 1665. However, his legacy as a composer has endured, and his music continues to be performed and studied today.

More....