Piano Sonatas - Book II

This volume has some pretty challenging works in it, but the dynamic markings are helpful and clear. The print is well-defined and readable, and the pages lay relatively flat when the book's been used for a little while, something that could be a concern with a book this...

thick. However, be careful of the fingerings. You may find them a little strange and better replaced with alternatives that work better for your pianist's hands.

Henle editions have always been my choice of edition, and it has never failed me. I am pleased to say that it never stops surprising me how (much the book costs! :]) well the quality of the book is and for me, the price always comes second. Quality is what i...

need, and quality is what i got!

Sure the urtext costs a lot. But you need to have the real thing, and Schirmer just doesn't cut it. I've been buying Henle-Verlag for everything but Ravel and Bach for the past 15 years, and I've been completely satisfied with their fidelity to the original...

, for their choices of which manuscripts to go with, with their fingerings. And in a book this size, the binding is important -- My Volume 1 of the sonatas is 15 years old and counting, with frequent use. It's just a necessity, so suck it up and pay the bucks.

I have three eiditions of the Beethoven sonatas: Bulow-Lebert, Sir Francis Tovey and now the G. Henle Verlag. I would have to say that of these editions, the Tovey stands out for a number of reasons. First is the presentation of the detailed analysis of each sonata which, the...

Verlag is greatly lacking. Even the Bulow-Leber, while offering far less than the Tovey edition, does include some analysis. Secondly, the Tovey edition offers very instructive pedaling notes which are extremely important especially for the middle and late periods. The Henle Verlag offers nothing with regard to pedaling and as we all know, artful pedaling is what separates a neophyte from a professional. Therefore, I cannot recommend the Henle edition and would have to give it a C.

Henle Urtext editions, particularly of Bach and Beethoven, are easily the best available. They are extremely reliable, scholarly, and very well laid out. This is an extremely valuable asset to your music library.