Glinka, M. I. Ruslan and Lyudmila. Opera. Vocal Score (Ruslan i Lyudmila. Opera. Klaviraustsug), 1938. In Russian.

Глинка М. И. Руслан и Людмила. Опера в 5 действиях. / Либретто В. Ширкова по А. С. Пушкину. Клавираусцуг. Редакция М. Балакирева и С. Ляпунова.
Москва : Музгиз, 1938.
360 с. Твёрдый издательский переплёт, большой формат (фолио). Тираж 3000 экз.
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Glinka, M. I. Ruslan and Lyudmila. Opera in 5 Acts. / Libretto by V. Shirkov after A. S. Pushkin. Vocal Score (Piano-vocal reduction). Edited by M. Balakirev and S. Lyapunov.
Moscow : Muzgiz, 1938.
360 pp. Publisher’s hardcover, large format. Print run: 3,000 copies.

This 1938 monumental edition, published by Muzgiz, is a significant artifact of Russian musical history. It presents the piano-vocal score of Mikhail Glinka’s (1804–1857) second masterpiece, Ruslan and Lyudmila. Composed between 1837 and 1842 and based on the early narrative poem by Alexander Pushkin, this opera is considered the foundational "magic-epic" work of the Russian national school, moving away from Western Italianate models toward a uniquely Slavic musical language.
The score featured in this volume is based on the authoritative edition by Mily Balakirev and Sergei Lyapunov. Both editors were prominent figures of the "Mighty Handful" (The Five), and their work was driven by a mission to restore Glinka's original intentions, which had often been obscured by theatrical cuts and editorial changes in earlier 19th-century printings. Their transcription for piano remains faithful to the complex orchestral textures of Glinka's "coloristic" orchestration, including his pioneering use of the whole-tone scale to represent the supernatural powers of the sorcerer Chernomor.
The opera is celebrated for its diverse musical styles—from the heroic, "bylina"-inspired songs of the bard Bayan and the famous "Slava" choruses to the exotic, orientalist dances in the fourth act. This 1938 publication was released during a period of renewed interest in the Russian classics, aiming to provide Soviet musical institutions and soloists with a high-quality, scientifically edited text for rehearsal and performance.
Bound in a robust publisher's hardcover and produced in an oversized folio format typical of high-end musical scores, this edition is both a practical tool for the pianist and a collector's item. With a limited print run of 3,000 copies, it is a rare example of pre-war Soviet music publishing that preserves the legacy of the "Father of Russian Music" through the eyes of his most devoted successors.