Friedrich Wilhelm MARKULL: Musica Baltica 2 – Organ Works Vol. 1 – Organist: Andrzej Szadejko – MDG Multichannel (5.1) SACD cat. # MDG 906 1990-6 TT: 61:34 (2/24/17) ****
A fine organ recital richly recorded
When Friedrich Wilhelm Markull died at the age of seventy-one in 1887, posthumous tributes honored him as a “most highly knowledgeable musician and a most highly outstanding organist and composer for the church, school, and salon and of classical orchestral works.” For more than fifty years Markull had played a significant role in Danzig’s music culture.
Markull also enjoyed a reputation as a pianist, and had given excellent concerts of chamber music. He composed operas, oratorios, and two symphonies, as well as and many works for the organ, which is the program for this disc.
In this new release from MDG organist Andrzej Szadejko has chosen an attractive selection from Markull’s multitude of organ compositions and recorded these works on the historic Bucholz organ at the Church of St. Nicholas in Stralsund, as part of the MDG Musica Baltic series.
The disc contains a few short works followed by three extended compositions by Markull. The organ is a large one, and the recording reflects its size. The 5.1 recording has a prodigious low end, making full use of my subwoofer. The front speakers provide a very nice image of the organ, and the surrounds give us a flavor of the church.
Markull is unlikely to become a household name, but his compositions are full of invention. This disc provides excellent musicianship along with a fine recording that should please audiophiles looking for a disc to bring their systems to life.
—Mel Martin