In the picture opposite, the view from “my” classroom at the conservatoire: the classroom number 74.

As you can see, the classroom 74, my professor František Maxián’s one, has an unobstructed view of the Prague Castle, the river Vltava and Malá Strana neighborhood. What a joy to work in such a beautiful setting! A bit of pianistic melancholy and I just have to turn my head to be immersed in the beauty of a city that everyone admire. Sometimes, when looking out of the window, I imagine Kafka, Mozart and Smetana strolling along the banks of the Vltava. This clear and (so) beautiful view is a miracle that allows me to practice calmly!

I like this room, I find refuge there. The two pianos are not really good, it is not particularly pretty, but I won many battles and I still have many thoughts there. This is my little laboratory: my life as a pianist has developed between its walls. I like to work there because I feel out of this world and rarely someone comes to interrupt me. This room is full of memories, many great pianists played there: Richter, Indjic, Maxian to mention a few.

In the back of the room, on the wall, there is this huge portrait of Rafael Kubelik, a great Czech conductor, who observes us. Sometimes I hear him saying that a pianist is like a conductor, he must understand structures and layers, but has only ten fingers and has to conduct them like if it was a whole orchestra. “Each finger is like a singing voice” Samson François said…

In the picture opposite, you can see the famous corridor of piano department. On the left wall, the portraits of former directors of the Conservatory. In the back, right after the door, there are the executive secretaries, anteroom of the Director’s office. And just next to this door, you can see on the right the bust of Antonín Dvořák, also former director of the Prague Conservatory.

So this is a part of my universe. In this room 74, I have built a good part of my musical future and I thank it for always accepting me although I sometimes mistreated it…

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The famous Sonata I.X.1905 (of which remains only two movements), the two series of On an Overgrown Path, In the Mists and a sole piece entitled Memory represent the totality of what Janáček wrote for piano. It isn’t much you might say? Yes, but dense! I have learned during my studies in Prague how much this music was stylisticly difficult and stamped with the composer’s Moravian roots.

V mlhách (In the Mists), which I am going to play this Tuesday, January 27th is my favorite cycle by Janáček. I love to play this music, in which I always find something new. Four movements full of the composer’s characteristic strength: a pleasure to the fingers and to the ears!

Let’s listen now to the first movement of In the Mists.

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