[Brahms, Johannes. (1833–1897)] Joachim, Joseph. (1831–1907); Davies, Fanny. (1861–1934). Dritte Sonate (D moll) fur Pianoforte und Violine. Opus 108. Inscribed by Joachim and Fanny Davies at First English Performance. Berlin: N. Simrock. 1889. First edition. Piano Score. Folio, 34 pp. [PN] 9196. McCorkle p. 436. Hofmann pp. 228 - 29. Signed and inscribed on the title page: "Fanny Davies / April 15th 1889" and "Joseph Joachim / to his dear Sister on / April 16th 1889 / first performance / England / Airlie Gardens." Spine reinforced with tape, some chipping at edges of outer pages, title slightly trimmed at right margin, overall very good. With many pencil markings throughout - a few in German and likely in the hand of Joachim; others consisting of fingerings and directions ("violent," "not too much," etc.) possibly in the hand of Fanny Davies. A very important presentation copy.


The English premiere of this great Sonata is officially recorded as having taken place - with Fanny Davies and violinist, Ludwig Straus performing - at Princes' Hall on May 7, 1889. However, Davies and Joachim were both close friends and associates of the composer and the present inscription clearly shows that, in fact, these two great artists performed the work in England nearly a full month before the official premiere.


"Missing now from Davies's scores of Brahms's chamber music is her volume of the three Violin Sonatas op. 78, 100, and 108, which would chronicle other important performances, including the English premiere of the D minor Sonata with Ludwig Straus on May 7, 1889 and a second rendition of this Sonata on 24 February 1890 with Joseph Joachim. While we know from a first-hand account of a rehearsal of the D minor Sonata by Joachim and Davies that the lost score of that work contained 'certain marks of [Joachim's] indicating the composer's wishes,' most of Davies's extant scores are free of annotations." (George Bozarth, "Performing Brahms," Ed. Musgrave, Sherman, p.183.)