Johann Kaspar Mertz (1806-1856) - Elegy, Gabriel Bianco - Guitar Recital

 

 

Johann Kaspar Mertz (1806-1856)

 

1. Lob der Tranen (Praise of Tears) D.711

2. Bardenklange, Op.13 (excerpts) Book 3 No.3. Capriccio

3. Bardenklange, Op.13 (excerpts) Book 6 No.1. Tarantelle

♪4. Elegy

5. Morceaux, Op.65 No.1. Fantaisie hongroise

 

Gabriel Bianco guitar

 

 

 

Johann Kaspar Mertz (1806-1856)

Johann Kaspar Mertz (Hungarian: János Gáspár Mertz) was a Hungarian guitarist and composer.

Music
J. K. Mertz was a prolific composer for solo guitar, guitar duo, and (often composed in collaboration with his wife) guitar and piano duo. He also wrote works for voice and guitar (or piano) and a trio for violin (or flute), viola, and guitar, as well as several works for kindred instruments to the guitar, the zither and mandolin.

Mertz’s publishers in addition to Haslinger included Hoffmann (Prague), Aibl (Munich), and Ricordi (Milan). His opus numbers reach 100, although many works with opus numbers are missing, and there are numerous works without opus number.

Responding to musical trends prevalent in Europe during the mid-nineteenth century, the compositions of Mertz depart from the traditional forms preferred by earlier guitar composers. The influence of piano music by Mendelssohn, Chopin, and early Liszt, as well as a diversity of opera composers and idioms, all inform the music of Mertz. His concert works and operatic fantasies are expansive and rhapsodic, and his miniatures are poetic and descriptive.

The dance forms of Mertz, primarily Ländler, waltzes, polonaises, mazurkas, and Hungarian dances, exemplify a more traditional formal treatment, usually a binary form and often with a minuet-trio format. Hallmarks of Mertz’s musical style include a thorough use of accompaniment textures with rapid, perpetual arpeggio figures. In fact, Mertz seems to allow these textures to take precedence over the independence of the melody.

The textures are nearly always arpeggio or tremolo based, demonstrating an endless array of possibilities. His harmonic language includes frequent diminished chords (often the common-tone diminished chords prevalent in mid-nineteenth-century music), extended dominant harmonies, borrowed chords, customary use of the Neapolitan sixth chord in minor keys, and unexpected modulations.

Partial list of works
Elegie
6 Schubert’sche Lieder
Concertino
3 Nocturnes Op.4
VI Ländler, Op.12
Bardenklänge (Bardic Sounds) Opus 13 Inspired by the Irish Mythical figure, a series of deceptively easy character pieces in the mold of Schumann. The work is separated into 15 Hefte, the last two published posthumously.
An Malvina
Romanze
Abenlied
Unruhe
Elfenreigen
An Die Entfernte
Etude
Capriccio
Gondoliera
Liebeslied
Fingals-Hohle
Gebeth
Tarantelle
Variations Mignonnes
Kindermarchen
Rondino
Romanze
Scherzo
Sehnsucht
Lied on Wohrte
Mazurka
Polonaise Favorites Nos. 1-7
Romanze
Walzer in Landlerstyl
Divertissement über Motive der Oper Der Prophet (Meyerbeer), Op.32
Trois Morceaux, Op. 65 Fantaisie Hongroise; Fantaisie Originale; Le Gondolier
Portefeuille für Guitarre-Spieler including
Agathe Op.22
Glockentone Op.24
Das Blumlein Op.34

Johann Kaspar Mertz - Elegy, Gabriel Bianco - Guitar Recital

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