Leos Janacek wrote only two works for cello and piano, of which only Pohadka (Fairy Tale) became established in the concert repertoire. Although he completed the work, the composer did not want to have it published. The history of the work’s composition is long and complicated.

Janacek began writing the work before 1910, however, the Pohadka (Fairy Tale) only received its final form after a series of corrections in 1923.

The second composition, the Presto, is incomplete.

Only a sketch exists which Janacek did not develop further. The original tempo marking of Allegro was changed by Janacek himself to Presto. The work has been discussed under this title in recent Janacek literature.

In the supplement of this edition an early version of A Tale is included. The source to this version is a copy owned by Antonin Vana , one of the first interpreters of the composition. The early version of A Tale offers a valuable and interesting alternative to today’s known version with its marked differences such as the considerably changed ending of the first movement and the original form of four movements.