IMSLP Forums

I have just created a score for string quartet of the Allegro by Rimsky-Korsakov as part of the Les Vendredis set. The score in particular seems to be particularly difficult to find, even to purchase, and is not available yet in IMSLP. I have used MuseScore to create this from the individual parts, and hopefully have adhered to all the guidelines as to type-setting quality on the IMSLP site.

However, I have two questions.

1. I have copied the parts from the M.P.Balaieff Mainz 2014 edition. This comes with the usual dire warnings of "Unauthorised copying of music is forbidden by law...". Since I have re-typeset the parts using MuseScore, does the copyright still apply? The music itself is certainly "Pubic Domain" since Rimsky-Korsakov died in 1908.

2. The IMSLP guidelines request that whole sets (i.e. not just one piece from the set) are required. I am only offering to submit the Rimdky-Korsakov, so would IMSLP not be interested in just the one piece?

The existing entry on IMSLP may be found here... https://imslp.org/wiki/Les_vendredis_(Various)

Thank you for your help.

Unless there is something of an original nature added by the editor of the 2014 edition you have no problem. Why not use the Belaieff parts we have here instead? Peters (who now owns the Belaieff name) has been particularly notorious about placing fraudulent claims of copyright on reprints of things issued many decades before, though hopefully by 2014 they've stopped such lawlessness. (Yes, it's actually against the law to so that in the USA - even though the penalty is ridiculously low for violation). Belaieff also issued a score back when the collection was first published.

Thank you for your response. Yes, you have the parts on IMSLP, but not the full score, and it is the full score that I have recreated from the parts, and which I can upload to IMSLP.