Table of Contents
Best Sheet Music Editions Beethoven
Beethoven
Beethoven’s piano music has thralled audiences for centuries. Born in 1770 and dying in 1827, Beethoven wrote music during a lifetime that will extend to other lifetimes. Please take a look at the best editions for Beethoven piano sonatas, Beethoven piano concerto, and other Beethoven music.
Note: With Beethoven’s music, there are very many publishers. Editors have many issues they have to tackle in their attempt to provide a trustworthy score for Beethoven’s music.
For example, there are archives of 13 autograph manuscripts of Beethoven piano sonatas, and sketches of autographs for the other sonatas. Often times, the autograph manuscripts would differ from the first editions of the sonatas that were published. Perhaps Beethoven would make quick changes to his music before sending the score to the publishers.
Editors have the difficult task of deciding what is the most authoritative source for editing, and also face other challenges such as writing out ornamentation, providing fingering suggestions, tempo markings, performance practice, and rearrangement of notes due to the limitations of Beethoven’s piano.
Having some understanding of what these editors try to do will allow us to know what editions are appropriate for using, and what editions you should avoid.
You can view some of these autograph manuscripts with this link.
Beethoven Piano Sonatas
The ranking of the Best Edition Beethoven piano sonatas goes from top (most recommended) to bottom (least recommended, but still good).
ABRSM
Barry Cooper Edition
Experts argue that the ABRSM Barry Cooper Edition, a relatively new edition for Beethoven sonatas, is currently the best edition for the Beethoven Piano Sonatas. This edition by Barry Cooper includes 35 Beethoven Piano Sonatas, instead of the standard 32 sonatas. WoO47 Nos.1-3 are included in this edition.
This edition replaced the Donald Francis Tovey edition by ABRSM that was published in 1931
Click here to read an article by the NY Times about Barry Cooper’s edition for Beethoven Sonatas. In this article, it mentions the difficulty of collecting sources for Beethoven’s sonatas.
You can see a sample of this best edition for Beethoven Piano Sonatas with this picture:
Click on this link to see more samples of the Barry Cooper Edition Beethoven Sonatas.
Beethoven Piano Sonatas Volume 1
Beethoven Piano Sonatas Volume 2
The 35 Piano Sonatas: Op. 22 – Op. 53 v. 2
Beethoven Piano Sonatas Volume 3
CF Peters Beethoven The 35 Piano Sonatas Volume 3 (Book and CD)
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Tovey Edition
Volume 1
Volume 2
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Volume 3
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Analysis
Click here to see a sample of “A Comparison to Beethoven’s Pianoforte Sonatas.”
Originally published in 1931.
Edited by Harold Craxon with annotations by Donald Francis Tovey.
Sir Donald Tovey is known for his musical analysis of Beethoven and Bach’s music.
There are controversial pedal markings, ornamentation, and dynamic suggestions in this edition. This edition is very open about their revisions, so you will not confuse them with the composer’s original intent.
The companion to Beethoven’s Pianoforte Sonatas is a must have, as it features very insightful introductions and performance notes by Sir Donald Tovey.
This is considered to be an “educational edition,” which is good for providing insights and details about Beethoven’s work.
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Alfred Masterwork Edition
Stewart Gordon Edition
This best edition of Beethoven piano sonatas by Alfred Masterwork, edited by Stewart Gordon, is truly remarkable. Because of the affordable pricing, some musicians dismiss this edition and believe that it is inferior. Do not fall into this trap! This edition is very, very good! Any serious pianist should buy this edition, and read the critical notes by Stewart Gordon very carefully. This edition of Beethoven sonatas draws its sources from the first edition of Beethoven sonatas that were published. The editor makes many commentary notes, such as details about Beethoven’s life, Beethoven’s pianos, articulation, ornamentation, and tempo.
Being a “all in one” edition, Dr. Stewart Gordon shows alternate ornamentation suggestions from many other editions, writes details about each one, and allows the performer to choose which ornamentation to play. This allows the perform to create more of a relationship with the music and to have a stronger understanding of what they are doing.
Click here to see a sample of the Pathetique Sonata edited by Stewart Gordon.
Beethoven — Piano Sonatas, Vol 1: Nos. 1-8 (Alfred Masterwork Edition)
Beethoven Piano Sonatas, Volume 2 (Nos. 9-15) (Alfred Masterwork Edition)
Beethoven — Piano Sonatas, Vol 3: Nos. 16-24 (Alfred Masterwork Edition)
Beethoven — Piano Sonatas, Vol 4: Nos. 25-32 (Alfred Masterwork Edition)
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Artur Schnabel Edition
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Click here to see a sample of this Edition
You can also see a sample here on the Alfred Masterwork Website.
This edition was originally published in 1949.
This edition of Beethoven Piano sonatas is edited “by the man who invented Beethoven” Artur Schnabel. Artur Schnabel was a very fine pianist who made the first recording of the complete Beethoven piano sonatas in the 1930’s.
Schnabel writes very interesting commentary and performance notes in this edition. His fingering suggesting for some of the most grueling passages written by Beethoven are also very noteworthy. His editorial comments can be distinguished from Beethoven’s markings as well.
This is a “performance edition” which many performers prefer to use to look up the fingering suggestions for difficult passages.
Some complaints from users of this edition come from typos in the score.
In addition, there are contentious tempo mark suggestions in this edition. For example, in a single sonata, Schnabel will write for the second theme of a sonata to be at a different tempo than the first theme. Some people adhere to this, such as with the Waldstein piano sonata 1st movement, where the tempo changes in the second theme. Some people, such as Arturo Toscanini, believe that the tempo should be uniform in Beethoven’s music. The choice is up to you though.
The first volume has sonatas 1-17, the second has 18-32.
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Henle Verlag Urtext
Henle Verlag has many editors for its edition for Beethoven. For individual sonatas, such as the Sonata No. 16, you will see editors such as Murray Perahia and Norbert Gertsch. Once Gertsch is finished editing each individual sonata, we may see a complete edition released by Henle for his edition (Fingers crossed!). For the complete sonatas, there is Wallner. For Beethoven’s New Catalogue of Works, there are editors Kurt Dofmueller, Norbert Gertsch, and Julia Ronge.
Norbert Gertsch also writes very interesting blog posts on Henle’s website. There are articles on Beethoven’s autographs and proofread copies and Beethoven’s constraints on the limited range of his pianos.
The New Catalogue of Works is very important for guiding scholars and editors to the right sources for Beethoven’s works. Norbert Gertsch explains this very well in this video:
It is highly recommended to go to the Henle Verlag website and see which editor is in your edition.
Bertha Wallner
The Henle Verlag Urtext is a trustworthy edition for Beethoven piano sonatas. This Henle Verlag Urtext edition, edited by Bertha Antonia Wallner (the only notable female editor of Beethoven’s piano works), fingering by Conrad Hansen, draws its edition from many credible sources, such as autographs, copies, and early printings. This version is a standard that is used and promoted by many piano teachers.
The edition by Bertha Wallner was one of the first urtext editions for Beethoven’s piano sonatas. It was published in the 1950’s, and was revised in the 1980’s after she passed away (a few typos were fixed).
Click here to see an example of the preface
Click here to see an example of critical commentary.
Here is an example of the Henle edition edited by Bertha Wallner:
Beethoven Piano Sonatas Book 1
Piano Sonatas Volume I Beethoven
Beethoven Piano Sonatas Book 2
Piano Sonatas, Vol. 2: Beethoven
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Norbert Gertsch and Murray Perahia
This is a newer edition released by Henle. As of March 2019, only individual sonatas are released from these editors. Sources include original autographs, first editions, and edits made from Wallner’s edition.
Contains a preface, and notes from Gertsch explaining his editing decisions at difficult moments.
You can see examples of this version on the Henle website as well as sheetmusicplus
There are some users of this edition that claim that the fingering that Perahia provides is not the greatest.
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Vienna Urtext Edition
This edition of Beethoven Sonatas by Wiener Urtext is edited by Peter Hauschild. Contains commentary notes, such as a preface and performance practice. Easy to read with good print.
Click on this link to see how Wiener Urtext traces the urtext.
You can see a sample of the Wiener Beethoven Sonatas here.
Beethoven Piano Sonatas, Volume 1
Dover Edition
The Dover edition of Beethoven Sonatas is an acceptable edition of Beethoven piano sonatas that is relatively cheaper in comparison to the ABRSM and the Henle Verlag Urtext. This edition is edited by Heinrich Schenker (The Schenkerian Analysis guy).
There are controversial dynamic mark placements in this edition. Schenker would often put dynamic markings in spots that he determined were logical, but differed from what Beethoven clearly wrote.
You can see an example of this edition with the following picture:
Beethoven Piano Sonatas Book 1
Ludwig Van Beethoven Complete Piano Sonatas Volume 1 (Nos. 1-15)
Beethoven Piano Sonatas Book 2
Ludwig Van Beethoven Complete Piano Sonatas Volume 2 (Nos. 16-32)
Note: There are a few noticeable errors in the Dover Beethoven Sonatas. Here is one example with Sonata No. 30 in E major, Op. 109:
In the measure with the adagio espressivo, the and of 3 in the right hand, there should be a portato marking. The tie marking is forgotten here, and instead, there are two staccato markings.
Edition Peters
Edited by the great pianist, Claudio Arrau
This edition stays very faithful to Beethoven’s intention.
This edition is also notable for its good fingering suggestions.
Some controversy occurs with the written out ornamentation. Claudio Arrau uses a C.P.E. Bach type of ornamentation, with the trill starting above the written note, which was a practice before Beethoven’s time.
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Schirmer Edition
Here is an edition of Beethoven piano sonatas you should never buy.
Edited by Hans von Bulow
The tradition of editing sheet music was much different in the time of Hans von Bulow (19th century). Many editorial markings replaced Beethoven’s own markings, which makes this an untrustworthy edition.
Using this edition in competitions or music auditions will give a very bad impression. Please avoid using this at all costs!
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Beethoven Piano Concertos
The ranking for the best edition Beethoven concertos goes from top (most recommended) to bottom (least recommended, but still a good buy).
Barenreiter Urtext
Edited by Jonathan Del Mar.
Introduction by Barry Cooper.
Includes the orchestra score and second piano reduction.
You can see an example of the Barenreiter Beethoven piano concerto 1 with the following link.
Beethoven Concerto no. 4 G major op. 58 for Pianoforte and Orchestra
Henle Verlag Urtext
Edited by Hans-Werner Küthen with piano reduction and fingering by Hans Kann.
Click on the following link to see a sample of the Henle Beethoven Piano Concerto.
Reduced second piano part
Piano Concerto No.1 In C Major Opus 15 Piano Reduction
Beethoven: Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 B flat major op. 19 (Henle Music Folios)
Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No 3 C Minor Op 37
Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No 4 G Major Op 58
Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No 5 E Flat Major Op 73 No Pullout Part
Schirmer Edition
A good edition with good fingering suggestions, preface, alternate cadenzas, and performance suggestion notes. Some users complain about the small print size
Edited by Franz Kullak
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Dover Edition
Reproduced from Breitkopf and Härtel editions. Includes composer’s cadenzas. All of the piano concertos are included in this one volume.
Complete Piano Concertos in Full Score (Dover Music Scores)
Beethoven Diabelli Variations
Henle Verlag Urtext
Edited by Siegfried Kross and fingering suggestions by Walter Georgii.
You can read more about the Henle Edition for Beethoven’s Diabelli Variations with the following link.
Click here to see a sample of the Henle Beethoven Diabelli Variations.
Kalmus Edition
Diabelli Variations (Kalmus Edition)
Beethoven Piano Trios
The ranking of the best edition Beethoven piano trios goes from top (most recommended) to bottom (least recommended, but still a good buy).
There are 12 piano trios by Beethoven in total.
Henle Verlag Urtext
Edited by Günter Raphael with fingering by Walther Lampe
Here is a sample of the Henle Beethoven piano trios
Click here to see more samples
Beethoven: Piano Trios, Volume I (Henle Music Folios)
Beethoven: Piano Trios, Volume II (Henle Music Folios)
Beethoven: Piano Trios, Volume III (Henle Music Folios)
Edition Peters
The Peters Edition for Beethoven piano trios is edited by Carl Hermann and Paul Grummer
Click here to see a sample of the Peters Edition Beethoven piano trios
Beethoven Ludwig 11 Celebrated Piano Trios Voume 1 for Violin Cello Piano – by Herrmann Grummer
Piano Trios, Vol. 1, Part 2: For Violin Cello and Piano
Dover edition
Reprinted from the Breitkopf and Härtel editions. Six of Beethoven’s most performed piano trios are placed in this one volume.
You can see a sample of the Dover Beethoven piano trios here
Six Great Piano Trios in Full Score (Dover Chamber Music Scores)
what about the Schirmer edition of Beethoven’s piano concertos? I’ve heard that these are some of the best available?
Actually, I’ve never heard any good things about the Schirmer edition for Beethoven concertos. I’ll take a closer look at it and then will update the site.
Thanks for the comment!