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This weekend, I purchased Dover publication's Complete Piano Sonatas of Franz Schubert. It was the only one available in town -- & I was much too impatient to order a copy from Henle.

I'm hoping someone here will be familiar with this widely available edition. Is this a good copy? I was concerned because it says Edited by Julius Epstein. However, in fine print, it says "...is an unabridged and unaltered republication...originally published ... in 1888".
(& if it is true to the original, what did this Julius guy do? -- there are no fingerings, etc, that he would have likely added.)

I ask because I remember discovering while in High School, that a previous teacher I had had in junior high had been using edited (simplified) versions of music. Relearning the originals was not easy -- I suspect it would have been a lot easier to learn it right the first time than to relearn it. I didn't want to go down that road again.

If anyone has any info on this edition (or how to verify such things) I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks,
Brad

Brad,

While I'm a big fan of Dover, I'm not sure this is not a good edition to learn the Schubert Sonatas. Schubert wasn't the neatest of composers and editing is important. I've used Henle and Universal editions. Of the sonatas I've played, I've typically preferred the Universal's fingerings but others may feel differently. Henle's binding, paper and printing is superior. If it were me, I'd try and trade in the Dover. Just this time.

Ken

Thanks for the reply, Ken. I'll try to see what's available from Henle. I do like the other Henle publications that I have.
_Brad

Go back and get the Henle edition. You will prefer it. As to what editing means in the case of an urtext edition, it's not what is usually thought of as editing as adding fingering, interpretive markings, etc. It's going back to all the original source material available to come up with what the editor considers the most accurate representation of the composer's intentions. This would include things like comparing the composer's manuscripts to the first editions and attempting to resolve discrepancies, analysis of differences in notation between parallel passages, etc. It's research to produce as accurate an edition as possible, not to add interpretative indications.

Henle don't have the Liszt Transcendental etudes.

Anyone know if they are going to publish them one day?

I don't think Henle is going to be publishing liszt etudes, however, "Editio Musica Budapest" is the best way to go for liszt, as far as editing concerns. ( or so many pianists have told me)

Actually, Henle has the Transcedental Etudes "In Progress", as well as Albeniz's "Iberia"...so folks keep your chins up...

This is SO COOL!!!
Thanks for the news.
Where d'you get this info, if I may ask?

When you order a publication from Henle, you'll get a product catalog insert with your music. Sometimes you get an old one, like from 2000, sometimes you get a new one, like from summer 2002. Well on the new ones, I think 2001 and up, it lists the Transcedental Etudes as "i.p"...meaning "In Progress". They've been listed like that for a while now, so they're probably wrapping the production of them up.

The Albeniz recently appeared and I talked to the manager at Henle and asked when they would be done and she said probably in the fall sometime. Unfortunately I didn't ask about the Liszt, but they should be done soon as well. Just keep checking the site to see if they appear! http://www.henle.de

Back in November I called Henle up and asked them about the Liszt Etudes, and they said it should be published by March of 2002. I guess they had some delays, but it looks like it will be a good edition. The EMB edition is the best one out right now, albeit expensive.

I hope you don't mind if I jump in with a slightly different question on the same general topic. I have the Henle (Urtext) edition of the early Beethoven's sonatas, as well as the Dover, and also Artur Schnabel's edition of the Pathetique (part of the Belwin Classic Library).

An accomplished pianist recommended the Schnabel to me, and I must say I really enjoy using it; it's crammed full of footnotes that sometimes describe alternative ways to play ornaments (e.g., see my post in the thread on turns in the Pathetique), and sometimes comment on discrepancies among various editions. So now I'm thinking about buying Schnabel's entire collection of the sonatas. Is Schnabel a respected editor?

My experience and that of some teacher friends is that Schnabel's edition is useful for just the things you point out. It says a lot about how he played the works -- and there are good ideas there.

My teacher and his friend Adele Marcus liked the Ricordi Casella edition of the Beethoven Sonatas the best for ideas on fingering and dynamics, etc.

Henle is probably the best overall edition for "getting the notes right." I usually use the Casella to learn a piece -- while checking with Henle to make sure I'm using the right notes.

You could easily go the other way and transfer the things you like from Schnabel or Casella to your Henle edition. I've found it difficult to obtain the Ricordi Casella edition in the US -- but if you have a good store, they may be able to track one down.

Most teachers get upset when the see Schirmer Bulow edition. For a lifetime of playing, it doesn't hurt to have 2-3 editions of the Beethoven Sonatas -- particularly if you've got good ones. Henle is a must, my second choice would be Casella, then Tovey, then Schnabel.

just going back to the schubert topic for a moment -

I have the Dover edition of the complete Schubert Sonatas, and it is great. It is not simplified, and is original. Henle is superior in presentation and binding, and it's also a lot more expensive. I see no problem with keeping your Dover - it is by all means a valid urtext edition.

Thanks, Kluurs. I do have 3 editions of the Beethoven sonatas -- the Henle, Schnabel, and Dover -- and I am following the advice you suggested: using the Henle as my master, and marking it up with suggestions from the other two editions. Thanks again. (OK, Schubert folks, you can have your thread back. <grin>)

Thanks, Aura.

I had never seen the music to the A min Sonata & had always thought it would be much more difficult than it actually is.
--And by that, I just meant "getting through the notes"! Parts of it will probably be difficult to play musically (& up to tempo!)

_Brad