New sonata edition

[DavidO]

More information is now available at the associated board - this edition does sound as though it will be very useful.

http://www.abrsm.org/?page=newsArtic...em.html&id=420

Thanks for this information, Peter & others. It's a minor shock to the system. "32" has been the totemic number for so long.

Question: The new edition claims that Cooper has corrected "long-standing errors found in other editions." Are these errors found in the urtext Henle-Verlag or even in other widely respected & used editions, such as Schirmer & Kalmus (the two I happen to own)? In other words, is there good reason (aside from the inclusion of the Electorals) to buy the new edition on the assumption that textual problems have been solved or errors corrected? And are those corrections widely agreed with by the Beethoven academics, or is Cooper flying solo? My Schirmer & Kalmus are tattered & disintegrating, so it's time I bought new Beethoven sonatas. I initially figured I'd get the Henle Verlag (whose Missa Solemnis vocal & piano score is excellent), but will opt for the Cooper if this business is expertly done & accepted.

[Peter]

Thanks for this information, Peter & others. It's a minor shock to the system. "32" has been the totemic number for so long.

Question: The new edition claims that Cooper has corrected "long-standing errors found in other editions." Are these errors found in the urtext Henle-Verlag or even in other widely respected & used editions, such as Schirmer & Kalmus (the two I happen to own)? In other words, is there good reason (aside from the inclusion of the Electorals) to buy the new edition on the assumption that textual problems have been solved or errors corrected? And are those corrections widely agreed with by the Beethoven academics, or is Cooper flying solo? My Schirmer & Kalmus are tattered & disintegrating, so it's time I bought new Beethoven sonatas. I initially figured I'd get the Henle Verlag (whose Missa Solemnis vocal & piano score is excellent), but will opt for the Cooper if this business is expertly done & accepted.

Firstly I can't answer your question and would also like to know the answers before considering a £50.00 outlay for an associated board edition that I already have (my 3 volumes cost me a mere £6.00 new some 30 years ago!).
However Cooper does apparently provide a lot of useful background information to each sonata. The associated board edition was previously edited by Tovey and Craxton who provided first rate analysis and fingering - I hope they have kept this. Perhaps we should contact the board directly and put these points to them?

[gardibolt]

I expect that the error in the last few bars of the Appassionata (1st movement IIRC) that just surfaced a few months ago will be one of the major corrections. Apparently even editors who looked at the autograph missed that the tremolo in the left hand was not between the notes that it has always been printed as--or were scared to change it.

[Peter]

Click here to read the New York Times feature:
http://news.abrsmpublishing.com/t/3713/283562/228/0/


Also listen to Cooper discussing the new edition on the BBC iPlayer Radio service (only available until 9 February) - you need to fast forward about 2 minutes to get there!
http://news.abrsmpublishing.com/t/3713/283562/229/0/