Search - Johann Kaspar Mertz :: Johann Mertz: Bardenklänge (Bardic Sounds), Op. 13

Brilliant Technique

G. PAKSOY | Kocaeli, TURKEY | 01/04/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Mertz is likely known to be one of the leading guitarist-composer of romantic era. With the inspiration of a Gaelic bard, Mertz composed the masterpiece Bardenklange Op.13. This set of songs really require great right-hand technique because it is written in style of a piano. Adam Holzman played this pieces with a technique that I couldn't imagine. It is so good that after listening for a while, you forget you are listening a guitar music. It is becoming something else.

The music is in very Austrian style. Romantic and not like Regondi,Coste,Paganini,Giuliani or other Romantic era composers. Mertz obviously created his own style. According to the notes, he stood away from the general romantic style. We can say he converted piano music into the guitar which required more complexity. If you like nothing out of the CD, you must pay respect the arpeggios.

Naxos has done it again with its guitar collection series by bringing the most unknown and rare up to the surface."