1. X. 1905 for Piano 'Sonata'

This is a posh edition of the sonata 1.X.1905, including a lengthy essay by the Czech musicologist Dr. Jiří Zahrádka in English, Czech and German. The sonata was inspired by the death of a young man during a protest by Czechs against German domination of the universities...

in Brno. Leoš Janáček was there participating in the protest, which began on October 1, 1905. The young man, František Pavlík, was stabbed on the street outside the Czech community center (Besední dům), which still stands. He died soon after in a hospital. After hearing the sonata, we were moved to visit the site. You can see it online via Google maps (search for: Komenského nám. 534/8, 602 00 Brno). It’s at the southeast corner of Husova and Solniční in Brno. The Brno Philharmonic orchestra is based in the Besední dům and has posted information about it at: http://www.filharmonie-brno.cz/en/besedni-dum-p509.html

First off, the piece is amazing. I listened to it 3 or 4 times and decided I had to buy the sheet music and learn it, so it's on my list to start in the next month.This is my first Baerenreiter score. I bought the piece because of...

a 20% off sale a while ago and I thought I might as well try it. Well, it came in the mail, and the same day, I went and bought Baerenreiter's first book of Scriabin piano sonatas. Great score. If you're going to learn this piece, this is the edition to get.

There is not a whole lot known about this piece, but whatever there is, it is probably covered in this edition. It outlays the entire story surrounding its creation and near-destruction at the hands of Janacek himself. An all-around great and scholarly edition.