A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Merkel, Gustav

MERKEL, Gustav, born in 1827 at Oberoderwitz in Saxony, studied music under Julius Otto, and the eminent organist, Dr. Johann Schneider of Dresden, and also received some instruction from the composers Reissiger and Schumann; was appointed organist of the Waisenkirche, Dresden, in 1858, of the Kreuzkirche, in 1860, and court organist in 1864. From 1867 to 1873 he was director of the Dresden Singakademie, and since 1861 has been a professor at the Conservatorium there. Merkel's printed compositions have reached the number of 130. Of these, a large proportion is for his instrument, for which he has composed Preludes, Fugues, Fantasias, Variations, Sonatas, etc., and pieces for violin (or cello) and organ. He has also published many solos and duets for pianoforte, motets (op. 106) and songs with pianoforte accompaniment. As organist and organ composer, Merkel deservedly ranks very high. His organ music is of great excellence, and is not surpassed by any living composer for that instrument, being written by a true disciple of the lofty and imperishable school of which his great compatriot, Sebastian Bach, was founder and consummate master. Many of Merkel's fugues are 'alla capella,' and in five parts, and all are well constructed. Promise of dignity and grandeur of style in fugue writing, which has been subsequently realised, was first manifested in an early work (op. 5), the Fantasie, etc., dedicated to Schneider. His later organ sonatas (op. 80, 115, and 118), are noble specimens of that great form of writing, and would alone entitle him to the highest position as a composer for his noble instrument. [App. p.717 "date of death, Oct. 30, 1885."]

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