Shostakovich Preludes+Fugues: What do you guys use?

[j_tour]

I was just reminded of this these from another thread, and further reminded by someone that not only is the music still under copyright, but that the only edition is not only expensive, but printed on really trashy, glossy paper.  Not good for making annotations in pencil, is what I heard.  Except maybe with a china marker/grease pencil or something like that.

It seems, from what I can find, the only real solution is making photocopies or scans from a public library and putting them in a folder so that one may allow a 4B pencil to have something to grab onto.  After purchasing the only extant edition, AFAICT, of course.

I still have dreams about a nice Henle edition, but that's not likely to happen anytime in the near future.

So, what do you all use for reading this set?

[brogers70]

I was given an old copy (1955) of Volume 1 of the preludes and fugues published by Leeds Music Corporation/Boosey and Hawkes, by a friend. When I looked for a newer edition containing both volumes I, like you, found that they were very expensive. So, for now, I'm just sticking to C major through G# minor (they're organized around the circle of fifths). It's a shame; they are great pieces and no more inaccessible than the WTC.

[j_tour]

Thanks.  Yeah, it's kind of upsetting in a way.

Maybe Stalin's Revenge? 

The one I've been told is pretty thorny is the D minor pair, particularly the fugue.

[andhow04]

somehow i got the Dover edition of all of them, plus the 24 preludes. i guess that must be out of print.
Kalmus published individual preludes and fugues, i have a few of those as well

[j_tour]

somehow i got the Dover edition of all of them, plus the 24 preludes. i guess that must be out of print.
Kalmus published individual preludes and fugues, i have a few of those as well

Well I'll be heck darned.  I must have had faulty intel!  It certainly appears Dover has an edition!   That's plenty good enough for me!

Oh....AMZN has used copies for USD75 and up....Dover makes OK publications ...but not quite *that* OK! 

I'll have to upbraid my source of info, and not be such a credulous rube!

[klavieronin]

I have the Edition Peters edition which is very nice. It comes in 2 volumes each around $25USD. Don't know if that's more than you want to spend but it is a very nice edition.

[j_tour]

I have the Edition Peters edition which is very nice. It comes in 2 volumes each around $25USD. Don't know if that's more than you want to spend but it is a very nice edition.

That's perfectly reasonable:  other Peters editions have very nice engraving, good paper, very sturdy.  Second best or even equal to Henle, IMHO, in terms of legibility, paper stock, rugged quality.  I'm guessing the editing work is minimal, given DShost's involvement, no doubt, in the original publication.

I don't know how I got hoodwinked into thinking there was only one unacceptable option available, but clearly I gave up the search without investigating further for myself.

Thanks to you and everyone for what is very good news for me.

I'll look forward to exploring the P+Fs of DShost as soon as the situation with the postal service in the US becomes more regularized.  Perhaps the situation in the US is the true Revenge of Stalin, and yet Shostakovich prevails!

This is very good!

[fftransform]

The copyright only applies in Russia (and maybe some other former USSR territories/trading partners); due to the year of release, it does not have any copyright in the US or EU in particular.

A PDF is attached.  If you think the moral position is to not download it so that Putin can get his cut, then sure, don't download it.  Shostakovich would want you to download it ;p

[j_tour]

The copyright only applies in Russia (and maybe some other former USSR territories/trading partners); due to the year of release, it does not have any copyright in the US or EU in particular.

A PDF is attached.  If you think the moral position is to not download it so that Putin can get his cut, then sure, don't download it.  Shostakovich would want you to download it ;p

That's pretty clever.  Now, I always thought of Putin as an uncle to me, full of manly, admirable qualities...nah, screw him!

Then again, Shostakovich was a four-eyes, and kind of a nerd, so I probably would have been tempted to fistfight him on general principle.

Yep, it's decided.

Thanks!