Hungarian Johann Kaspar Mertz (1806-1856; also known as Caspar Joseph Mertz) was a child prodigy on both guitar and flute, a music teacher from the age of 12 on, and later a successful performer and composer based in Vienna. His works for guitar—solo, duo, chamber; for conventional classical guitar and for terz guitar—have been widely performed and recorded, particularly in recent times. Here, his haunting (and challenging) “Elegie” is beautifully rendered by David Leisner, himself a supremely talented guitarist, composer, and teacher.
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