Gustav Merkel

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Gustav (Adolf) Merkel (Oberoderwitz, near Zittau, November 12, 1827 – Dresden, October 30, 1885) was a German organist, whose memory survives – to the extent that it survives at all – because of the abundant music that he wrote for his instrument.

Having been given in his youth some lessons by Schumann, Merkel spent most of his career in Dresden, concentrating on organ-playing from 1858. A Lutheran himself, he nevertheless held an appointment at one of Dresden's main Catholic churches from 1864 until his death. During the same period he taught the organ at Dresden's Conservatorium.

His compositions include nine solo sonatas (which have been several times recorded, as well as occurring quite often in organ recitals), plus a separate sonata for two organists (his Opus 30), and several dozen miniatures (some of them based on Protestant chorale melodies). In these works his style is broadly conservative, very much influenced by Mendelssohn, and with similarities to the output of his younger contemporary Josef Rheinberger. He also produced choral and piano pieces.

[edit] Further reading

Paul Janssen, Gustav Merkel: Ein Bild seines Lebens und Wirkens (Leipzig, 1886).