Gustav Merkel organ works, vol. 4 – Halgeir Schiager

The three last organ sonatas by Merkel

With this fourth release in the series of Gustav Merkel’s organ works, Halgeir Schiager completes his big project with this German composer. The most central parts of his impressive work is now available for the first time.

This release contain the three last organ sonatas Merkel wrote, the last one only weeks before he died. There is also an interesting example of music written especially for the British market in the Christmas March, where Merkel also quotes Adeste fideles.

Merkel’s works for organ can be divided into sacred an non-sacred works. Among the non-sacred, special mention msit be made of his nine sonatas, five fantasias, sets of variations, pastorales, and works with various different titles. Modelled on the classical Viennese tradition, the sonatas and fantasias are mostly in three movements … a slow movement surrounded by two fast movements. The first movements of these works usually adhere to sonata form with its classical thematic dualism. The middle movements are inspired by lyrical piano pieces of the time, as exemplified by Mendelssohn’s Lieder ohne Worte. The final movements were often composed as fugues, frequently preceded byn an introduction. Merkel’s sacred organ music consists of a number of chorale preludes and short pieces for liturgical use. He also wrote a much-used organ tutor.