Merk, Joseph

1795-1852

Austrian violoncellist; born in Vienna. As a child he studied singing and the violin, but later under Schindlocker he took up the violoncello and soon became very proficient. He traveled about for a few years, finally obtaining the position of first violoncellist at the Opera at Vienna in 1818. In 1823 he was made professor at the Conservatory then founded, and in 1834 he became virtuoso of chamber-music to the Emperor. He wrote six studies for the violoncello, which are considered valuable contributions to the literature for that instrument, besides concertos; polonaises; variations; fantasies; and twenty exercises.