This is the first of four releases dedicated to the organ music of Gustav Merkel, a major but virtually forgotten organ composer and virtuoso of the mid 19th century . The CD, which includes two of his nine solo sonatas is performed by one of the composer’s main champions, Helgeir Schiager.

Although Gustav Merkel was one of the truly great romantic composers and virtuosos of the organ in the 1800s his name is virtually forgotten today. He was born in 1827 in Oberoderwitz near Zittau in Germany, and after some early lessons from Robert Schumann mov ed to Dresden where he concentrated his work on writing and performing on the organ. His compositions include nine solo sonatas plus a separate sonata for two organists, opus 30, and several dozen miniatures. In these works his style is strongly influenced by Mendelssohn, and the music similar to his younger contemporary Josef Rheinberger.

The organist Halgeir Schiager here presents the first of four releases dedicated to Merkel’s organ music. The recording has been made on instruments similar to the ones used by the composer himself, in this case the organs of Dresden Cathedral and Elsterberg, Stadtkirche St. Laurentius. The disc features the composer’s aforementioned opus 30, as well as two of his sonatas (nos. 2 and 3), a F antasia and Fugue, and 3 chorale based pieces.