Saturday, March 7th, 2026 at 8PM
Prica Gallery, Samobor

Tickets: https://www.entrio.hr/event/pavel-steidl-gitara-30527

Program

F. Sor (1778.-1839.): Menuets, op. 1
-Andante espressivo
-Andante maestoso
-Andante
-Andante maestoso

J.K. Mertz (1806.-1856.): Bardenklänge, op.13
-Romanze
-Mazurka
-Lied ohne Worte

N. Paganini (1782.-1840.) – L. Legnani (1790.-1877.) – F. Carulli (1770.-1841.): Andante, Sonate, Ghiribizzy e Caprice

J.S. Bach (1685.-1750.): Ciaccona, from Violin Partita no. 2 BWV 1004

M. Smolka (1959.-): To Vojta in Heaven (Vojtovi v nebi)

L. Janáček (1854.-1928.): Dobrou noc

C. Domeniconi (1947.-): Steidleriana

About the program

Fernando Sor, often referred to as the "Beethoven of the guitar," was a pivotal figure in the early development of the classical guitar as a concert instrument. His Menuets op. 11 represent an elegant and thoughtful application of classical dance forms to the guitar: these are dance miniatures that exude clarity, balance, and subtle emotionality. Although formally based on a simple dance structure, these minuets reveal Sor’s exceptional ability to blend melodic lyricism with harmonic logic. The varying characters of the movements—from the calm Andante espressivo to the more solemn Andante maestoso—create a series of contrasting yet interconnected musical images that perfectly capture the spirit of the early 19th century.

Johann Kaspar Mertz occupies a unique place in 19th-century guitar literature, having built his musical language on the foundations of Early Romanticism, drawing inspiration from the pianistic colorism of Schubert, Chopin, and Mendelssohn. In his music, the guitar ceases to be a mere accompanying instrument and becomes a vessel for deep poetic sensibility and emotional expression, qualities previously more characteristic of piano literature. In the anthological collection Bardenklänge (Bardic
Sounds), the instrument takes on an almost pianistic breadth of expression, clearly reflected in the selected miniatures: Romanze brings intimate, song-like lyricism imbued with melancholy; Mazurka introduces a dance-like, characteristically accented rhythm with a refined hint of Central European folklore; while Lied ohne Worte (Song Without Words) epitomizes the Romantic ideal of music as direct
emotional speech. These short movements act as suggestive musical portraits—personal and poetic confessions that come to life in their full glory under the fingers of Pavel Steidl.

The program block Paganini – Legnani – Carulli brings together three composers who shaped the golden age of the Italian guitar at the turn of the 18th to the 19th century (and the style known as "bel canto on the guitar"). Steidl often combines these authors to showcase the improvisational freedom of that era. The title does not denote a single work but rather a selection of characteristic movements and
miniatures: lyrical Andantes, sonata forms, virtuosic Ghiribizzi (short, whimsical pieces), and brilliant Capriccios. Paganini's music brings technical audacity and theatricality, Legnani’s emphasizes virtuosic clarity and elegance, while Carulli represents a balanced, cantabile classical style. In such a combination, the guitar becomes both a salon instrument and a means of virtuosic expression—precisely as it was played at the time these compositions were created.

The Ciaccona from the Partita in D minor by Johann Sebastian Bach is one of the most monumental works for a solo instrument in the history of music. Although originally written for the violin, this composition has occupied a special place in the guitar repertoire for decades. Built as a series of variations over a repeating harmonic progression, the Ciaccona leads the listener through a wide range of
expression—from meditative composure to powerful dramatic intensity. According to one frequently cited interpretation, Bach may have conceived this score as personal funeral music: his first wife, Maria Barbara, passed away suddenly in 1720 while Bach was traveling, and upon his return, he found she had already been buried. Some researchers recognize hidden symbolic layers in the Ciaccona—possible
musical references to family names and quotes or outlines of chorale melodies speaking of death and resurrection. While such interpretations cannot be proven with certainty, they open a space for a deeper, more personal listening of this monumental work. Regardless of the meaning we attribute to it, the Ciaccona remains a musical arc of exceptional power: a work of contemplation, suffering, but also inner light, which in every performance reaffirms Bach’s ability to transform personal experience into a universal musical language.

Contemporary Czech composer Martin Smolka is known for his distinctive, poetic relationship with sound. The work To Vojta in Heaven, whose title suggests a personal dedication, carries an intimate, almost meditative character. The composition utilizes non-traditional techniques and tonal colors to evoke an otherworldly atmosphere, ideal for Steidl’s specific sensibility and exploration of sound beyond classical boundaries. The music often moves on the edge of silence, using subtle colors and understated gestures. Within the context of the program, this work opens a space for contemporary listening—inviting the audience to pay attention to detail, duration, and the silence between tones, as well as to reflect on
transience and peace.

Leoš Janáček was a Czech composer whose music was often permeated with elements of speech melody and Moravian folklore. Dobrou noc (Good Night) is a short but highly suggestive musical miniature from the famous piano cycle Po zarostlém chodníčku (On an Overgrown Path). Janáček is known for his ability to capture the emotional essence of a moment in just a few bars, often inspired by speech rhythm and inner monologue. This composition carries a sense of serenity and the intimate end of a day, almost like a musical whisper. In the guitar version, its simplicity and directness are particularly highlighted.

Carlo Domeniconi, a contemporary Italian composer known for his unique blend of Mediterranean melody and avant-garde elements, wrote this work as a personal dedication to Pavel Steidl. As the title suggests, Steidleriana is a kind of musical portrait of the performer, shaped to highlight Steidl’s specific interpretive temperament and his ability to make the guitar "speak." The composition employs a wide range of contemporary techniques and rich rhythmic energy, balancing between humorous, almost theatrical passages and moments of deep introspection. By merging Eastern and Western influences with virtuosity and humor, Domeniconi creates a work that perfectly bridges tradition with the present moment, allowing for the expressive freedom for which Steidl is world-renowned.

On Pavel Steidl

„Here was a guitarist who knew how to laugh with the music and share the joke with his audience. But behind the entertainer lies a serious artist, whose extended composition in memory of Jana Obrovska proved fully capable of stirring emotions at the other end of the scale. Never was a standing ovation more richly deserved. Pavel Steidl had won the hearts and minds of a capacity crowd.“

Classical Guitar Magazine

The magic world of Pavel Steidl charmed us in a delightful program, where classic welcomes varieties of incredible new ideas of how a guitar can create precious effects thanks to his ability to awaken what is normally quite inactive in our imagination and hands!

Oscar Ghiglia

Pavel Steidl was born in Rakovnik (Czech Republic). Since he won first prize at the Radio France International Competition in Paris in 1982, he has become one of the most widely celebrated soloists of his generation. Between the membres of the jury were names of such artist like Alexander Tansman, Antonio Lauro , Maria Luisa Anido… Before that he studied with such guitarist as Milan Zelenka and Stephan Rak in Prague. In 1987 he decided to emigrate to Netherland were after years of studying and getting inspiration from many different artist he has created his own style which is not ignoring authentic way of intepretatione 19th-century guitar literature on periodic instruments and going far to some world music elements. Since 2004 he moved back to Czech republic and since since 2019 gives a lectures at the Conservatoire in The Hague.

He had an honor to work together with such artists like Leo Brouwer, Carlo Domeniconi Paolo Paolini, John Wiliams, Miroslav Vitous, Karin Schaupp, Edin Karamazov and others. Together with Zoran Dukic, Reentko Dirks and Thomas Fellow he is a member of Europian Guitar Quartet since 2012.

Pavel Steidl also composes himself and his own compositions are often played on his concerts or on the recordings. He played in more then 40 countries of the world from among Canada, USA, China, India, Japan, Europe, South and Central America, Australia and many others. On demand of Italian Guitar Magazine Guitart the readers decided to choose him as a guitar player of the year 2004. Pavel Steidl plays many instruments, but mainly Francisco Simplicio (1926), Walter Verreydt, Franz Butcher, Federico Sheppard. Romantic guitars: copies of J.G.Stauffer guitar made by B.Kresse and original instrument from the beginning of the 19th century Nikolaus G.Ries cca. 1830 and Johann Anton Stauffer cca 1840.