I noticed that Muschel's Toccata was mentioned on another thread.

I always play it from the Peters edition - this includes the 'Arie', though I have never traced the other movements or movements from the Suite. (Zwei Stucke Aus Einer Suite)

Anyway, here is a note:

" Noel Rawsthorne was dismayed to find a young Russian composer prohibited by his government to perform his own compositions. In a kind of bustle after a Rawsthorne recital a young man thrust a copy of his music into Rawsthorne's hands. Noel Rawsthorne took it away, looked at it and liked it. He transcribed it and published it and then presented the young man with a copy of his composition on the next tour. The irony was that all of the Russian audience unbeknowingly applauded their fellow countryman (forbidden at that time to compose or even perform) for his composition in the guise of Rawsthorne."

I obtained this from a very reliable source. It may be that fellow Board Members are interested in this small but rather nice point. (In the Peters score there is a 'C' in the surname that does not appear elsewhere.)

Barry Williams

I suspect the spelling of Mushel's name will merely follow national preferences in the west since it depends on how one wants to transcribe the cyrillic alphabet.

It has been reported elsewhere that on home ground in Uzbekistan the name is pronounced Georghi Mushella (stressed 2nd syllable).

The suite seems to be a real rarity. A Russian student of mine tried to track it down for me in her home country, but failed. There was, I believe, an American printing (in which the Toccata apparently differs again from both the OUP and Peters editions).

Like Barry, I always play it from the Peters edition. Beginning the piece in the octave below middle C, as the OUP version does, may work on a large organ like Liverpool Cathedral, but to my mind can sound dull on lesser instruments. That's probably just me though.

The problem with Russian suites, though, is that people tend to play them too fast. It always sounds as if they're russian somewhat.... Sorry!

So are we!

Seriously, though. Everyone I know plays the Mushel far too fast. I think they see the word toccata and off they go like a bat out of ######. The OUP score has a tempo marking of crotchet = 168 which I take to be Rawthorne's suggestion since the Peters edition has none. IMO the piece doesn't need to go any faster than crotchet = 158 at the most. So long as the rhythm is secure it dances along splendidly at that speed.

Incidentally, Mushel's Six Pieces for Organ are available online and they're quite pleasant: http://nlib.org.ua/score/organo/organpieces2.pdf

Unfortunately the manuscript is almost illegible when printed on A4. If anyone wants a readable copy, drop me a PM with your email address and a pdf file will be yours.

(Crumbs, the censorship's strict on this site! My mind is now trying to supply an even naughtier word than the one I typed!)

Yes, but it's not consistent. Somebody typed a word for an illegitimate person the other day and, much to my surprise, the censor didn't remove it.

Oh, and I wouldn't say no to that pdf file, Vox, if you wouldn't mind, mate. Cheers!

I've printed that link you gave Vox, seems ok to me, it will certainly do seeming as it's mostly unplayable to me
Is the Toccata in C? I think I have it, possibly the Peters version (it's green, that's all I remember until I get home) I've been learning it for a while, it's not too hard and I think I will have it soon. I hope so anyway, it's a great fun piece to listen to.

EDIT: I have the OUP version (cost 50p when this was printed ) but it sounds quite good on the organ I play.

Aren't these copyright, or is Russian copyright law different?

Good point. I must admit I've no idea what Russian copyright law is like or how it would apply in this country.

In this sort of case, I'd go along with 'ignorance is bliss'.

It seems to get me through life ok....

Stephen's right, though. I imagine there probably will be some sort of provision, so to be on the safe side I had better withdraw my offer.

You can find out all you want to know, and much more, here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_copyright_law

I will get the Peters Edition of the Toccata - the notes are different, are they? Starts in a different octave? Intriguing.

The OUP version is available as a reprint thru Allegro Music...

Where can I get the Peters book from? I can't find it.

Broadly, Russian copyright law, for the purposes here, is the same as ours i.e. it lasts for 70 years after the date of the composer's death. (Precisely, 70 years after the end of the year in which the composer died.) I am not sure if there is the same provision as ours over copyright owned by companies i.e. 70 years after the work's creation. (There are a lot of copyrights owned by companies in Russia due to the previous regime.)

I think that there are broader rights for those creating copyright than in the UK and there are certainly economic rights that are largely unknown to us - but not ordinarily of concern to musicians.

The intended photocopy would certainly be exempt in this country if used for research and private study, being one of the six categories of exemption under the 1988 Act. (Section 29.) To qualify for this exemption the study does not have to be part of a formal couse. Strangely, there is no provision for destroying the single copy after the study has finished.

Barry Williams