“THE GUITAR OF STEPAN RAK.” Nimbus NI 5177 (compact disc).

The 44-year-old Czech composer-guitarist has an instrumental technique that is as far-reaching as his compositional imagination--which is far indeed. This recording brings together six of his pieces: “Sonata Mongoliana,” “Czech Fairy Tales,” Elegy, “Voces de Profundis,” Variations on a theme by John Duarte and Tango. Most of them employ many extended techniques and all are sonically vivid--whether in the eerie moods of the “Psycho”-inspired “Voces” or in the salon sweetness of the Tango--and dizzily difficult.