Tarquinio Merula - Concerti spirituali (InAlto)

Information

Composer: Tarquinio Merula

1. Composizioni per Organo e Cembalo: Intonazione cromatica del terzo tono
2. Canzoni a quattro voci, Op. 1: No. 2, La Lusignuola
3. Canzonetta Spirituale sopra alla nanna: Hor ch’è tempo di dormire
4. Intonazione cromatica del quarto tono
5. Canzoni da suonare, Op. 17: No. 18, La Cavagliera
6. Composizioni per Organo e Cembalo: Canzon II in C Major
7. Canzonetta Spirituale: Chi vuol ch'io m’innamori
8. Composizioni per Organo e Cembalo: Capriccio cromatico
9. Canzoni overo sonate concertate, Op. 12: No. 24, Ballo detto Pollicio
10. Motetti e sonate concertati, Op. 6: Sonata prima à 2
11. Composizioni per Organo e Cembalo: Toccata del secondo tono
12. Motetti e sonate concertati, Op. 6: Sonata seconda à 2
13. Composizioni per Organo e Cembalo: Canzon "La Marca"
14. Pegaso, Op. 11: Gaudeamus omnes in Domino
15. Canzoni a quattro voci, Op. 1: No. 4, La Merula
16. Composizioni per Organo e Cembalo: Intonazione cromatica del nono tono
17. Composizioni per Organo e Cembalo: Canzon V in G Major
18. Canzoni overo sonate concertate, Op. 12: No. 4, La Treccha
19. Composizioni per Organo e Cembalo: Capriccio
20. Motetti e sonate concertati, Op. 6: Favus distillans

InAlto

    Alice Foccroulle, soprano

    Marie Rouquié, violin

    Lambert Colson, cornetts

    Guy Hanssen, trombone

    Bart Vroomen, trombone

    Christoph Sommer, theorbo

    Bernard Foccroulle, organ

Date: 2025

Label: Ricercar

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Tarquinio Merula (1595–1665) was an influential Italian composer, organist, and violin virtuoso of the early Baroque era. Part of the generation that grew up with the concertante style, he embraced it as a natural and dominant musical language, helping it spread across Europe. Merula published a broad range of instrumental music for both church and chamber, while also composing expressive sacred works such as the renowned lullaby Hor che è tempo di dormire. Though often seemingly simple, his music is notable for its emotional depth and innovation, blending sacred devotion with a strong sense of human feeling.

The ensemble InAlto, founded in 2012, explores the dialogue between vocal and instrumental music of the 16th and 17th centuries, often emphasizing the cornetto, prized in its time for its voice-like quality and soaring expressiveness. Inspired by composers such as Monteverdi, Schütz, and Praetorius, InAlto embraces the baroque spirit of risk-taking and high-register brilliance while grounding performances in rigorous historical research. Treating period instruments as modern expressive tools, they aim to make early music feel alive and relevant today. Acclaimed for their artistry, InAlto’s recordings have won numerous awards, and they regularly perform at major European festivals and venues.