Project Stravinsky: Complete pre-1923 works now available

[Carolus]

The Four Etudes for Piano are public domain in the USA. The Four Etudes for small orchestra (different work altogether, composed in the 1920s) are not.

[amati1588]

Are their parts available for pre 1923 works?

[daphnis]

There are parts available, but I haven't yet updated the archive. I'll be doing that this week most likely.

[amati1588]

Great! Thanks Daphnis, I have been looking forward for this for a while, "Excited"

[daphnis]

Apologies. The 4 etudes are public domain for piano, and I stand corrected. I'll be adding these very soon also.

[daphnis]

Stravinsky archives updated to include 4 etudes (piano) and added third archive with orchestral parts. See the first post for update links and list of works.

[madcapellan]

Orchestral Music Library really screwed up with regard to The Firebird. The 1910 version is PD in the US, but apparently they only thought of the 1919 suite, which isn't. So they neglected to include parts to one of his most famous works (while the later ballets Petrushka and Rite Of Spring are included). Especially since the 1910 original includes all of the music from the 1919 suite and more.

[Carolus]

No, the 1919 suite is very much PD in the USA. There are actually three suites extracted by Stravinsky: 1. 1911, published by Jurgenson that year (PD in USA); 2. 1919, published by Chester in 1920 (likewise PD in USA); and 3. 1945 published that year by Associated (later transferred to Schott, not PD). Kalmus only sells an edited version of the 1919 suite upon which they claim a copyright, which is probably why OM did not include that version in their collection, as the old 1920 Chester parts (which were pretty bad) are no longer available for sale.

[punchkick20]

I do believe they also failed to Include the String Quartet Solo parts in the Pulcinella Suite? Or maybe it was one of your lot on that end?

[daphnis]

They must have failed to include them.

[madcapellan]

I checked again and you are right. The suite indeed has a 1920 published copyright date. And I was already aware of the other suites he published (the 1945 version (which tries to be more like the original by adding some transitions to the 1919 version (among other changes no doubt)) may have only been made specifically to get a copyrighted version for Stravinsky out there, so of course it's practically never performed now). I thought I had seen a 1923 date, and figured that it not being PD was the only reason it wasn't included (they originally stated that The Firebird would be included when they announced the Stravinsky CD-ROM, but it wasn't there when it finally came out). Still, that doesn't excuse not including the original 1910 version, which is not only PD but should be the preferred version of The Firebird. And I know for a fact that Kalmus has those parts, because I purchased one. It's really a shame that they blew it on that work, which was my original point.

[sbeckmesser]

There's nothing stopping any of the enthusiastic home-engravers that contribute here from creating a well-proofread set of orchestral parts for the two PD Firebird suites and releasing them into the PD, at least in the US if not on IMSLP. It would be time better spent than, for example, making yet another version of a Brandenburg Concerto and the like. IMSLP should make a page of "recommended projects for home engravers." I bet it would get a surprisingly good response.

--Sixtus

[Melodia]

the 1945 version... may have only been made specifically to get a copyrighted version for Stravinsky out there.

I've heard this claim many times, as well as for the revisions of Rite of Spring and Petrushka. I dunno if he freely admitted it or not, but I believe I'[ve seen it claimed enough that it's what is "known".

[sbeckmesser]

Regardless of what Stravinsky actually intended, additional royalties were the result. But as far as I know nobody except the composer has recorded the 1943 re-scored and re-barred version of the Danse Sacrale of the Rite (available as a study score from Boosey as HPS 936) and I've never encountered a live performance that uses it. So royalties from that source would be limited. This score should be studied by all conductors for its implications for performances of the other versions, particularly the use of the re-barred notation as guides to phrasing.

--Sixtus

[amati1588]

I will have to check again on the Petrushka Orchestral Parts, but I swear it said Petrushka Suite? Which is indeed incorrect its the complete original 1911 ver.