Gerhard Merkl (cathedral music director)

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Gerhard Merkl

Gerhard Merkl (born February 28, 1961 in Wallerstein , Donau-Ries ; † January 23, 2016 in Munich ) was the cathedral music director at St. Stephen's Cathedral in Passau from 2000 until his death .

Live and act

Gerhard Merkl was born as one of three children in Wallerstein , Bavaria and Swabia , and spent his childhood in Hochaltingen and Lauingen .

Gerhard Merkl devoted himself to music from early childhood and soon learned the organ and violin. After graduating from high school at Albertus Gymnasium , Gerhard Merkl studied Catholic church music from 1980 to 1984 at the State University of Music in Munich. His organ teachers were Gerhard Weinberger and Harald Feller. After the A-exam, Gerhard Merkl studied choir conducting in the main subject class with Fritz Schieri and graduated in 1986 with the grade "Very Good". Gerhard Merkl made a name for himself as a choir director with his "Laimer Kammerchor München", as well as a lecturer in master courses and as director of many choir weeks of the Werkgemeinschaft für Musik.

After many years of successful full-time activity as an A church musician in the Bavarian capital of Munich, Gerhard Merkl was appointed cathedral music director at St. Stephen's Cathedral in Passau in 2000. Here he founded the "Domsingschule Passau", of which he was the director himself. As the cathedral music director, Gerhard Merkl worked as a conductor in a variety of ways , but also continued to be active as a soloist on the organ. He taught a number of conducting courses and also worked as a voice trainer. In addition, Gerhard Merkl was engaged as a composer (especially choral music) and arranger in a wide variety of ways.

The esteemed and honored Domkapellmeister died after a long illness at the age of 54 in a clinic in Munich.

Works

For the Passau Cathedral Choir he composed the “Passau Pastoral Mass”, which he used as the basis of well-known Christmas carols as musical motifs. In the Kyrie, “O you happy, o you blessed” sounds through, in the Gloria “Silent Night, Holy Night” and in the Benedictus “Born in Bethlehem”. This was published on the CD Transeamus usque ad Bethlehem - Festive Choir and Organ Music at Christmas Time.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Chronicle from 1928 to 2003 - Parish Association Laim [PDF ] . Parish Association Laim. Retrieved January 26, 2016.
  2. ↑ Gerhard Merkl becomes the new cathedral music director . Diocese of Passau . Retrieved January 26, 2016.
  3. ↑ A great loss for the Church of Passau . Diocese of Passau . Retrieved January 26, 2016.
  4. ^ Transeamus usque ad Bethlehem. - Passau Cathedral Shop
personal data
SURNAME Merkl, Gerhard
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German church musician and cathedral music director
DATE OF BIRTH February 28, 1961
PLACE OF BIRTH Wallerstein
DATE OF DEATH January 23, 2016
Place of death Munich