Prokofiev Sonata 9

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I've been so awestruck by this piece as of late and was interested in learning it. One difficulty is the copyright, though. It doesn't let you download it on IMSLP, but I could download it through PianoStreet - does that make it safe to use, or do I need an additional purchase of some sort?

[kosulin]

It depends on where you live. His music is still under copyright in the US, and is public domain pretty much everywhere else (EU, Canada, China, etc.), though I am not sure what law is in effect in the UK after Brexit.
pianostreet owners are from EU, and it is probably hosted on EU server, therefore for them it is public domain, and they can keep it on their site legally, but if you are in the US you should not download it.

[liszt-and-the-galops]

Wait...
US copyright law states that copyright ends 70 years after the death of the author. Prokofiev died in 1953.
That means that the copyright in the US should've expired last year.
Or am I missing something?

[ranjit]

I looked it up. It's the specific urtext edition which isn't public domain. The edition seems to have been published in 1960.

[kosulin]

Wait...
US copyright law states that copyright ends 70 years after the death of the author. Prokofiev died in 1953.
That means that the copyright in the US should've expired last year.
Or am I missing something?

70 years is the EU law.
In the US only works published before 1929 are in public domain.
Here is more detailed review: https://imslp.org/wiki/Public_domain

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I'm probably just going to wait it out until 2042 to learn it, then...

After all, I have other things to learn in the meantime.

[symphonicdance]

Other than downloading from imslp and/or other free score websites, possible to borrow from public and/or university libraries in your city?

[kosulin]

I looked it up. It's the specific urtext edition which isn't public domain. The edition seems to have been published in 1960.

In EU the urtext (notation) copyright is 25 to 30 years depending on country.

[pianistavt]

I've been so awestruck by this piece as of late and was interested in learning it. One difficulty is the copyright, though. It doesn't let you download it on IMSLP, but I could download it through PianoStreet - does that make it safe to use, or do I need an additional purchase of some sort?

I find it interesting that you like the Prokofiev 9th sonata so much - - after listening to all the others multiple times, when I got to this one I found it kind of uninteresting, uninspired.  Curious what you like about it - particular movements or passages?  I'll have to give it a few more tries.

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I find it interesting that you like the Prokofiev 9th sonata so much - - after listening to all the others multiple times, when I got to this one I found it kind of uninteresting, uninspired.  Curious what you like about it - particular movements or passages?  I'll have to give it a few more tries.

It's simple and refined, all the other Prokofiev sonatas are too much for me. That opinion is the same reason I used to hate Chopin and Satie. What makes you think it's uninteresting? Maybe I'm just an inexperienced listener..

[lelle]

It's simple and refined, all the other Prokofiev sonatas are too much for me. That opinion is the same reason I used to hate Chopin and Satie. What makes you think it's uninteresting? Maybe I'm just an inexperienced listener..

There is no such thing as being "wrong" as a listener. If you think it's interesting, it's interesting for you. Sometimes when you gain experience as a listener, things you previously liked will be less appealing to you, but that doesn't mean your current enjoyment is wrong.

[pianistavt]

There is no such thing as being "wrong" as a listener. If you think it's interesting, it's interesting for you. Sometimes when you gain experience as a listener, things you previously liked will be less appealing to you, but that doesn't mean your current enjoyment is wrong.

well said! and so true