This CD marks the first commercial release of recordings by the great Czech guitarist, Petra Poláčková. Producer David Starobin writes: "A few years ago I came upon some stunning video of the guitarist Petra Poláčková. Since then I’ve avidly followed her work, and have marveled at her passionate performances of repertoire spanning the centuries. What a pleasure it was to finally meet in 2024 for these recording sessions in New York City. Petra is a musician after my own heart - a deep player, who seduces the listener into the dreamworld of that consummate Romantic, J. K. Mertz. Hearing Mertz’s music as he performed it, on a “Romantic Guitar” with added basses, gives these small gems nearly symphonic range, without sacrificing their exquisite intimacy."
Reviews:
"“A true Poet of the Guitar, Petra Poláčková brings us Romantic guitar music of Mertz with more RPMs —revelations per minute—than any disc in recent memory. Don’t miss it.” — John Schneider, The Global Village Los Angeles
"Poláčková's lovely playing – on a nine-string romantic guitar made in 2014, based on a model from 1840 – is also apparent in Elegie für die Guitare, an expansive and serious work, and in Fantaisie Hongroise (the first of Trois Morceaux pour la Guitarre, Op. 65), whose themes and rhythms bear direct comparison to Liszt’s in some of his distinctly Hungarian-influenced works. Mertz’s music is uniformly well-made, lies and sounds very well on his chosen instrument, and in Poláčková's hands offers listeners an aural journey thoroughly packed with delight." — Mark J. Estren, Infodad.com
"(Mertz's) compositions for guitar represent some of the most sophisticated and expressive works of the Romantic repertoire...the icing on the cake is the selection of Schubert song arrangements...listen to the final piece, Ständchen to appreciate not just Mertz's achievements, but Poláčková's extraordinary artistry." — William Yeoman, Gramophone
BRIDGE 9598