Beethoven, Piano Sonatas: Op. 14, Nos. 1,2 / Op. 22 / Op. 26 / Op. 27, Nos. 1, 2 / Op. 28 (An Alfred Masterwork Library) [Paperback] Review

Amazon has confused the 3 available volumes with each other (as of Oct. 16, 2009)!!Just to clear things up, ALL of the volumes are paperback, and the "paperback" option on the volume 1 product page is actually a link to the volume 3 product page.So, just be careful and read the title when you click around to avoid buying the wrong volume.

That being said, Dr. Gordon's Beethoven edition is truly the only study edition you will ever need. Dr. Gordon has done all the research for us and compiled everything into a neat set of complete sonatas.He includes at the beginning of each volume short articles on performance practices such as articulation and ornamentation, tempo/pulse, as well as interesting bits about Beethoven's Broadwood piano, etc.

More importantly, Dr. Gordon inserts valuable researched information before EACH sonata, complete with a facsimile of the original first edition cover.He covers history, structure, unusual key relationships, and basically everything a student is supposed to research before bringing the sonata to his/her teacher for the first time.

One of the most helpful parts of this edition is that Dr. Gordon compares the differences between OTHER editions such as the Schnabel, Arrau, Tovey, Bulow, Simrock, etc., rendering this edition ridiculously economical because owning Dr. Gordon's edition is like buying ALL of the available editions in one low Alfred Publishing price...

The only downside to all the footnotes is that there are many more page turns, and sometimes a page will only have 3 lines of music because the rest of the page is filled with footnotes and alternate ornamentation!The solution?Just invest in a good working edition (Wallner's Henle Urtex or Hauschild's Vienna Urtex editions) and use Dr. Gordon's edition as your guide.

I highly recommend buying the three available volumes and the fourth when it becomes available.I know I will use these editions for years to come (nobody ever outgrows Beethoven sonatas), and I know this edition will help me sound like I know what I'm talking about when I hold highly intellectual conversations with the smart people!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Beethoven, Piano Sonatas: Op. 14, Nos. 1,2 / Op. 22 / Op. 26 / Op. 27, Nos. 1, 2 / Op. 28 (An Alfred Masterwork Library) [Paperback]

Product Description:
Beethoven wrote 32 sonatas for piano.Volume 1, edited by Stewart Gordon, includes the first 8 sonatas (Op. 2, Nos. 1-3; Op. 7; Op. 10, Nos. 1-3; and Op. 13 ["Pathetique"), written between 1795 and 1799.Since these autographs no longer exist, this edition is based on the first editions, published by various Viennese engravers.Dr. Gordon discusses a variety of topics including Beethoven's life; the pianos of his time and their limitations; Beethoven's use of articulation, ornamentation, tempo; and the age-old challenge of attempting to determine the definitive interpretation of Beethoven's music.Valuable performance recommendations, helpful fingering suggestions and ornament realizations are offered in this comprehensive critical body of Beethoven's sonatas.Where performance options are open to interpretation, other editors' conclusions are noted, enabling students and teachers to make informed performance decisions.--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Buy cheap Beethoven, Piano Sonatas: Op. 14, Nos. 1,2 / Op. 22 / Op. 26 / Op. 27, Nos. 1, 2 / Op. 28 (An Alfred Masterwork Library) [Paperback] now Get 24% OFF