Sonate Nr. 9, op. 183 (1st movement, Allegro)

The Organ Sonata No. 9, op. 183, is the last composition by Gustav Adolf Merkel (1827-1885). He completed it shortly before his death, and it was published in 1886. Merkel was chronically ill ("Halsleiden", throat problems) during the last two decades of his life and worked restlessly on his last composition. I am presenting only the first movement here, as it is the most expressive and emotionally charged. Taking the above into account, one can better understand the pathos of this piece (“Pathétique”).