Johann Kaspar Mertz and Style Hongrois

Over the course of recent decades, the works of J.K. Mertz have become a popular mainstay in the repertoire of the classical guitarist. One piece that has received a great deal of attention is the now famous Fantaisie Hongroise, Op. 65, No. 1. This piece lies firmly within the genre of Style Hongrois, an exoticism that reached its zenith with the iconic Hungarian Rhapsodies by Franz Liszt and the Hungarian Dances by Johannes Brahms. An increasing body of research has led to the examination of a a multiplicity of works within this genre, however the guitar works have been relatively ignored from this perspective. Provided here is an overview of the style, along with some of its most distinguishing features, followed by an examination of the use of the style by Mertz. Each section of the work is discussed and elements that signify Style Hongrois are identified, along with the contextual and historical origins of each gesture. Finally, interpretive ideas are presented with performance suggestions informed by the previous discussions and other significant guitar works within the style are listed. These additional works can be examined with the same attention to style.