Giuseppe Chiaramonte - Mertz: Fantasias for Solo Guitar (2019)

Johann Kaspar Mertz (1806-1856) was one of the greatest guitarists of the first half of the 19th century. This was the time of the great piano virtuosos and Mertz clearly intended to incorporate piano techniques into his own guitar playing. The extreme demands of his guitar works include rapid chord changes in all positions, octaves progressing up to the highest frets, rapid right-hand thumb movements, glissandi, various types of tremolos, embellishments with flurries of notes etc.

Mertz might easily be called The Franz Liszt of the guitar . The works on this CD have a relationship with the famous Hungarian composer: Harmonie du Soir, Fantaisie Hongroise, La Rimembranza, and Fantasia on Don Juan. Needless to say the works explore the technical possibilities of the instrument to its extreme.

Giuseppe Chiaramonte is one of today's most outstanding guitarists, a winner of several international competitions. He plays a 6 string guitar by Mario Grimaldi.