Gramophone Magazine
Awards Issue 2025
Recording of the Month

Bernard Foccroulle (organ), Alice Foccroulle (soprano), InAlto, Lambert Colson

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

Tarquinio Merula belonged to a generation of Italian composers, all of whom were born around 1600, for whom the concertante style was no longer a new idiom but a preferred musical medium, one that had been acquired in childhood and which had become not only the dominant musical language of the time but which was also to spread across the whole of Europe. Tarquinio Merula was renowned as a violin and organ virtuoso and published a wide variety of instrumental music per la chiesa e la camera. Here InAlto explores Merula's sacred works, including the famous lullaby Hor che e tempo di dormire. His works may seem simple at times, but are impressively innovative; whilst sacred in character, they are rooted in human emotion.

"It is relatively seldom that entire albums are devoted to Merula's talents...InAlto, Colson and the Foccroulles serve up a landmark achievement of sophisticated artistic planning and peerless musicianship." - Gramophone Magazine, Awards Issue 2025