IMSLP Forums

I have noticed that the page for Stravinsky's Firebird only has the viola part from the original 1910 version. This part shows Edwin F. Kalmus catalog number A3049. I have also noticed that the score for the 1910 version that is available (reprinted by Dover) lists the source as Muzyka, but the Kalmus reprint of the parts shows the source as Jurgenson. Also, the Kalmus catalog entry does not show a piano or celesta in the instrumentation, which there is. I was wondering if this was simply an error on Kalmus's part (probably not uncommon) or if their different listed source edition actually excluded the piano and celeste.

Either way, even though Kalmus's price for the set (and individual parts) is rather high, I was wondering if anybody knew of any library that actually had this set (or if anyone was insane enough to buy it! ) and scan and upload the remainder of the parts. Since the lone viola part made its way onto the site unblocked, I don't believe there is any issue with copyright (except that it's PD in the US only). However, the part is handwritten, and although it is done so neatly, it could easily contain a bunch of errors, and this could be a reason somebody refrained from scanning the parts. (Actually, I just looked through it and cross-checked some of it with the score, and it looks very accurate, complete with lined-up rehearsal marks!)

If uploading the original 1910 version is not possible, could somebody upload the parts to the 1919 suite (Kalmus cat. no. A2131, a much cheaper $235 compared to the original ballet's $825)? This is probably the most performed suite, and a lot of people would appreciate its adding.

Kind regards,
Nicolas Farmer

The first thing you need to understand is that regular users of IMSLP cannot upload works of Stravinsky - or of any composer who died less than 50 years ago - to the main server, which is located in Canada. We have no choice but to delete them immediately if you do as they violate Canada's copyright law. There is a separate server located in the USA which is linked to the pages you see. Only those (mostly admins) with privileges can upload items of this nature to that server, which is a very different procedure.

The Kalmus catalog I have lists the piano and celesta in the instrumentation for A3049. Perhaps you are looking at an older version. A2131 is the edition of the 1919 suite prepared by Clark McAlister in the 1990s and is completely illegal to scan and upload anywhere. There are older sets of parts around for the 1919 suite issued before the McAlister edition - straight reprints of the Chester parts (manuscript as I recall), which are absolutely horrendous with respect to errors. Jurgenson issued full scores and parts for both the complete ballet and for the 1911 suite. I am not sure if Muzyka issued any parts to coincide with the 1965 score of the ballet - which was brought out in conjunction with Stravinsky's visit to the USSR.