Best Edition Prokofiev

Piano Sonatas

There are nine piano Sonatas written by Prokofieff. They are as following: Sonata Number 1 in F minor, Op. 1, Sonata Number 2 in D minor, Op. 14, Sonata Number 3 in A minor, Op. 28, Sonata Number 4 in C minor, Op. 29, Sonata Number 5 in C major Op. 38, Sonata Number 6 in A major, Op. 82, Sonata Number 7 in B flat major Stalingrad, Op. 83, Sonata Number 8 in B flat major, Op. 84, and Sonata Number 9 in C major, Op. 103.

MCA Publication

Published in 1966 by MCA.

Edited by György Sándor.

This is a very rare edition for Prokofiev’s piano sonatas that is no longer published. Consider yourself very lucky if you can find a seller for this edition!

This edition is only edition authorized by the Soviet Union for reprint in the U.S. It is the original print for Prokofiev’s piano sonatas, as well as the most authoritative.

You can see a sample of the MCA Music Prokofiev Sonatas here:

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You can find this edition on this site as well.

Here is another site.

Forberg Edition

Another rare edition for Prokofiev’s music.

Edited by Jean Guillou 

Click here to see a sample of this edition.

International Music Company

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The International Music Company edition for Prokofiev’s Piano sonatas is quite pricey, but definitely worth the buy!

Edited by Isidor Phillip.

You can see a sample of the first sonata here.

You can see a sample of the seventh sonata here.

IMC also sells the Prokofiev Sonatas individually, but they are very hard to find, as they no longer print many of the sonatas individually.

Here is a copy of the 2nd Sonata:

Here is a copy of the 3rd piano sonata:

Note: there are wrong notes in this edition (M. 111), as well as contentious editorial markings. The fingering suggestions though are quite good.

Click here to see a sample of the IMC Prokofiev Sonata No. 3. 

Sonata No 7

Boosey and Hawkes

Volume 1

Volume 2

Click here to see a sample of this edition.

This is the standard edition for Prokofiev’s Piano Sonatas. Boosey and Hawkes (London) edition for Prokofiev’s music is the most ubiquitous, and is decent as well. It features large and easy to read print.

There are no comments on performance practices or fingering suggestions in this edition. The edition is very straightforward and only contains the sheet music. Because of this lack of information, Boosey and Hawkes is kind of a boring edition to use, and it does not offer any insights into the music.

Note: Boosey and Hawkes also prints each sonata individually, but I recommend just buying them all together in the two volumes above.

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Dover Edition

2002 Edition (Sonatas 1-4)

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Published in 2002.

Introduction by David Dubal.

Many users of this edition complain about the poor print quality and print size of this edition.

I recommend using the Levon Atovmyan edition, which you can find for free on IMSLP, over the Dover edition.

Similarly to the Boosey and Hawkes edition, the Dover edition for Prokofiev Piano Sonatas does not offer insights into the music. The introduction by David Dubal is pretty simple and short.

Also, here is the 1988 Dover edition, which includes all of the piano sonatas:

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Piano Concerto

Prokofiev wrote 5 piano concerti (there is a sixth piano concerto, but it is unfinished. They are as following: 1st Concerto in D-flat, Op. 10, 2nd Concerto in G minor, Op. 16, 3rd Concerto in C, Op. 26, 4th Concerto in B-flat, Op. 53 (LH concerto), and 5th Concerto No. 5 in G, Op. 55.

Forberg Edition

Edited by  Jean Guillou 

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International Music Company

The international music company online prints the 1st and the 4th Prokofiev Piano Concerti.

Note: Some complaints from users of this edition include lack of lay flat binding. It is somewhat difficult to keep this book open.

Click here to see a sample of the International Music Company Prokofiev Piano Concerto.

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Boosey and Hawkes

Each piano concerto is printed individually.

You can find the other Prokofiev Piano Concerto on the Boosey and Hawkes webiste.

Click here to see a sample of the Boosey and Hawkes Prokofiev Piano concerto

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Toccata in D minor, Op. 11

Sandor Edition

The Toccata in D minor edited by György Sándor.

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Forberg Edition

Edited by  Jean Guillou 

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International Music Company

Edited by Isidor Phillip.

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Vision Fugitives

International Music Company

Edited by Isidor Phillip.

Boosey and Hawkes

Click here to see a sample

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Four Etudes, Op. 2

International Music Company

Click here to see a sample

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Four Pieces, Op. 4

International Music Company

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Miscellaneous

Schirmer

Click here to view sample and/or by from SheetMusicPlus!

(You can also find these pieces for this edition for free on imslp. It’s your choice though)

The Selected works of Prokofiev by Schirmer is actually quite interesting. The edits of this edition are made by Prokofiev himself.

Pieces included are:

•  Etude, Op. 2, No. 3
• Etude in C minor, Op. 2, No. 4
• Conte, Op. 3, No. 1
• Badinage, Op. 3, No. 2
• Marche, Op. 3, No. 3
• Fantome, Op. 3, No. 4
• Suggestion Diabolique, Op. 4, No. 4
• Toccata, Op. 11
• March in F minor, Op. 12, No. 1
• Prelude, Op. 12, No. 7
• Gavotte from the “Classical Symphony,” Op. 25
• March from “The Love of Three Oranges,” Op. 33
• Chose en soi, Op. 45b
• and more!

If you compare the markings of this edition to Prokofiev’s own performance, you’ll see the markings are accurate to his performance. You can see an example with the harp prelude, Op 12 No 7, (sheet music source here):

One of my personal issues with this edition is that Prokofiev’s edits add a lot more markings to what is present in the first edition, which removes some of the liberties that the first edition gives. I argue that his edits are not the greatest, and they almost put the performer in a straight jacket in terms of what creative interpretations they can give. Here is an example of what I mean:

This is taken from the Harp Prelude, Op 12 No 7. There are a lot of extra dynamic markings and editorial markings made in comparison to the first edition. (source for first edition here). I have a big issue with line 4, measure 3. In the first edition, these dynamic markings are not present. However, in the special Prokofiev edition, there is a forte followed by a subito piano. It’s pretty hard to play this passage forte and to have the right hand produce more sound. The right hand needs more of a leggiero approach to make the appropriate sound and keep the wrist relaxed. Of course it is possible to play, as seen in Prokofiev’s own performance, but there is more liberty of what the performer can do if using the first edition.

An example of how this piece is made more interesting with certain liberties can be seen with Emil Gilel’s performance of the piece. (He’s doing his own thing in the B section with the more percussive parts, but the point is, more liberties). I would argue that he was not using the Schirmer edition of this score when studying the piece because the many dynamic changes he makes are different from what is in the Schirmer edition.