Shostakovich | Imslp

For the uninitiated, IMSLP is the Wikipedia of classical sheet music—a massive, crowd-sourced library of public domain scores. But here is the catch:

Absolutely.

Enter (the Petrucci Music Library).

Because copyright law in most of the world extends 70 years after the composer’s death, Shostakovich’s works are not public domain in the EU, Russia, or the US. So why do we see "Shostakovich IMSLP" trending in search results?

Go check out the Op. 87 Preludes and Fugues (where available) or the early Fantastic Dances . Just remember to check your local copyright laws before hitting that download button. shostakovich imslp

If you have ever tried to study the scores of Dmitri Shostakovich, you know it can get expensive fast. Between the massive symphonies, the string quartets, and the operas, buying the complete works from a publisher like Sikorski or DSCH will set you back a small fortune.

Always check the "Editor" field. Look for names like Pavel Lamm (the legendary Russian editor) or scanned DSCH Publishers files. Avoid "Anonymous" scans. The Verdict Is Shostakovich on IMSLP a replacement for buying the scores? No. If you are a professional conductor or a PhD student, buy the DSCH volumes. They are beautiful, accurate, and support the Shostakovich family estate. For the uninitiated, IMSLP is the Wikipedia of

Happy score studying—and watch out for those DSCH motifs. Do you use IMSLP for 20th-century composers? Let me know in the comments if you have found any rare Shostakovich gems hidden in the archive.