Pala plays Lejava

Ciaccona
When I began writing Ciaccona, I was standing at a crossroads, with several possible futures ahead of me and no clear sense of which path I would take. Looking back, I see it as one of the most important works of my life as a composer — a piece that changed something in me and helped me move forward. Its original, almost monstrous form — a theme followed by 33 variations — was performed by Milan at his now-legendary marathon recital in Zagreb in 2015. In that form, however, the work was virtually impossible to bring into regular concert life. Milan later returned to the piece, reworked on it, and shaped it into the version captured on this recording. I feel that Ciaccona now has the chance to begin a new chapter — one that will take it onto concert stages and allow it to find its place in the musical world.
Adieu was written in memory of Veronika Wiedermannová. Originally composed for cello, the piece gradually took on new forms through Milan’s transcriptions, first for viola and later for violin. As with VIOLINO SOLO, his interpretation allowed me to discover new dimensions in my own music. In his hands, this brief occasional piece became a melancholic elegy, revealing an emotional depth that I had not fully anticipated.
Elogiaria was Milan’s idea from the very beginning. He asked me to compose a set of variations on his favourite Haendel´s aria, Lascia ch’io pianga. Our long friendship is woven into the music, with each variation paying tribute to one of the musical “heroes” we both admire, and who have shaped our shared artistic world. It took three revisions for the piece to find its final shape. Once again, Milan took it upon himself to revise the piece, helping it find its way onto the concert stage. His care for my music and his unwavering support mean more to me than I can express.