Claudio Merulo (1533-1604) was an important composer, organist and publisher in Late-Renaissance Italy. He obtained the prestigious post of organist of the famous San Marco in Venice. His keyboard style is highly innovative, and was the basis of further development by composers like Frescobaldi and Sweelinck.

In 1574 Merulo published in Venice Il primo libro de ricercari da cantare, a quattro voci. These Ricercari have been suitably “partiti”, “intavolati”, “accomodati” and “diminuiti” for Organ (scored, put into tablature, adapted and diminished for organ) by the present organist Francesco Tasini and are recorded on this triple CD. This practice of adapting vocal music for the organ was common in his time, and is corroborated by many contemporary written sources.

Francesco Tasini plays the Organ (1565) by Graziadio Antegnati (1525-post 1590) in the Palatine basilica of Santa Barbara in Mantua, the specifications of which are included in the booklet.